Meet the Author: My Shadow

          Summer 2016 I was granted an amazing opportunity to work with Heart of the City Freedom Schools, where during training the management team asked all teachers and staff members to write out who they were when their "shadow "appeared. I chuckled unsure of where they were going with their request. Continuing on one manager said, "During this summer, we are going to get tired, we are going to have moments where we don't feel like being here, we aren't going to feel like being our most enthusiastic and we are going to get tired of one another. There will be times when we make mistakes, don't properly communicate and quite frankly offend one another. During this session I want you to share with your coworkers who you are when you're grumpy, when you're tired, when you're frustrated or simply not getting your way...tell us about your shadow."

          Being asked to admit who I was when I was down right annoyed, tired, or in my feelings was frustrating and freeing at the same time. It was bothersome because I had to admit what my behavior looked like when the conditions I was in/under was occurring in that moment. I had to, as an adult acknowledge what temper tantrums looked like for me, what petty and shady resembled, what annoyed sounded like, and how blatant disrespect from me would be expressed. I was being asked to take off my facade in the workspace and say hey, "I know you hired me, but here's reasons I might get fired." (Chuckle) However, the most freeing part of this request is that after sharing those pieces of me, I would have really been laying it all on the table. My coworkers and higher managers would truly know who they had on their team. 

         Choosing to take the same route I present to you, my shadow. Knowing my shadow and CHOOSING to walk this life out with me is what will keep you here. 

          I am stubborn, Hard heads in fact do make soft bottoms, and frequently I have "ouch" moments. I am working on sharing those more often because it's easier to be private than to say hey, "I dropped the ball". I tend to overload my plate, not because I want to appear as someone who can do it all but because I really do have the heart of wanting to help with it "all"  and to just be a "do-er". Which, later makes me unreliable because I didn't use sound judgment in the things I chose to accept so "something" gets 10% of me instead of 100%. I am strong, and knowing that is actually a strength and a weakness, because in the midst of being strong, I forget how to ask for help. When I don't get my way, I tend to have amnesia about how to properly communicate my frustrations (I go from an adult to a 12 year old). I have a hard time disagreeing when I know deeply in my heart I am right (who likes being wrong?). I am working on having a quiet demeanor, I'm usually the one to address the elephant in the room--which shows a lack of discipline. Speaking of discipline, one of my current prayers is that I learn to be more disciplined in my emotions. (eh, it's my shadow remember). Lastly, I could be a better friend, daughter, sister, employee, teacher,blogger, vlogger etc. Sometimes, I pick and choose when to be excellent (that lazy behavior) in the areas God has planted me in, my prayer is that I develop a lifestyle of excellence in everything I do. No more half stepping. 

          Hi, My name is Alicia Elizabeth and I have a passion for writing. God has put a few ideas in my heart for the direction of this website/blog, and I am so excited that you thought enough to come visit, to see what I am working on and to read my thoughts. I'm even more elated that after reading about my shadow, YOU'RE STILL HERE!! I don't take your time lightly, I don't take your presence for granted. I pray something I say can encourage you or even give you the push you need to journey on. Whatever you are going through I am for certain you are not going through it alone. I LOVE feedback, and dialogue, and I am certainly ok with opposing views on things, so please feel free to message me! Write me, text me, fb me, IG me, snapchat me, tweet me! However, whenever. Writers like to know that someone has read their work and that it stirred something in you. I promise, I'm nice!

Ready? Set?..Go! Welcome to Thewaitingspace, 

Alicia Elizabeth