We arrived to the event in my luxury automobile, dressed to the nines, and donning luminous smiles that were sure to brighten the venue upon our entrance. Our light was shining and the positive energy was palpable between us. I'm sure the people near us could feel it. One woman in particular who was attracted to our light approached us while we were taking photos in front of the event's showy backdrop. She kindly introduced herself saying, "Hi, my name is Mary Silver. I'm a journalist with The Epoch Times. I saw you over here taking pictures and I was wondering if I can interview you about this event." She went on to say how fabulous and inviting my husband and I looked and how honored she was to interview us. Let's stop right here. There's a point to be made already.
When you're allowing your light to shine, you're essentially sending energy out to the world that says, "Hey, look at me. I'm someone you need to know. I'm valuable. I'm interesting. I'm good. I'm beautiful. I'm talented. I have something you want." It's not about pride, conceit, or arrogance; it's about knowing you are an exceptional person and not being afraid to show it through your attitude, words, and deeds. It's about living a righteous life and having pure intentions. It's about inner peace, joy, and happiness. That's what people are attracted to; and, when others can sense, feel and see your light, doors will open up seemingly out of nowhere and great things will happen for you.
Last night was a prime example of this. My husband and I didn't go into the event with the intention to land an interview and be written about by one of the most relevant global news sources The Epoch Times. We were simply enjoying each other, feeling good about ourselves, stunningly dressed and showing how truly happy we were to be there. Oh, and we were also taking pictures because I wanted to share them on my blog - another form of letting my light shine, by the way. Because of all of this we were approached by not one but TWO global news sources!
Just before leaving the arts center, I caught eyes with Mei Jiang, a beautiful and stylish reporter from New Tang Dynasty Television, a New York-based TV station that serves more than 100 million viewers in China and around the world. When my eyes met with Ms. Jiang, she flashed a huge smile and asked my name. We engaged in a casual conversation about my dress, her coat, and the Chinese culture. Pleased with the conversation, she asked me if she could interview me about my opinion on the orchestra and the Shen Yun experience. I was absolutely delighted and jumped at the opportunity! Had I been afraid to let my light shine, I would have shied away from the camera and missed the opportunity to share my message with the world.
And the message I shared with New Tang Dynasty Television is the same message I shared with Epoch Times and the same message I'm sharing with you: Let your light shine! Don't be afraid to act in a way that demonstrates your value. You are exceptionally made and it's okay to act like it; it's perfectly fine to send the message to the world that you're hot stuff and you know it. That's what great people do! And that's why great people attract great things and are given extraordinary opportunities.
So, let's talk about it. Are you the type of person who let's your light shine? Does standing out make you feel uncomfortable? What are some ways you've embraced your light and let it shine for those around you to see? I want to know.
With Love,
Quan Lanae Green
Related: A Fabulous Evening Listening to the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra
Let’s keep in touch! Follow me on Facebook and Instagram. Have a personal story to share? I want to hear it. Tell me at quanlanaegreen@gmail.com.
(Scroll down for photos.)
My husband and I watched the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra at Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta and the experience was beyond fabulous! Shen Yun combines the spirit of Chinese music with the grandeur and boldness of our western orchestra. We met so many fine people, had our senses fully indulged in the excellence of the orchestra, and learned some pretty amazing facts about the Chinese culture and the history of their music.
We attend events like this because we love learning about other cultures and socializing with fabulous people. In addition, it helps us to be well-rounded. Because we are interested and take steps to increase our knowledge and understanding about others, we have a diverse group of friends and are able to connect with them on a much deeper level.
Two great things happened to me while at the that I will write about later. Stay tuned for that! But, in the meantime, please enjoy a few photos from our evening.
My husband and I watched the Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra at Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta and the experience was beyond fabulous! Shen Yun combines the spirit of Chinese music with the grandeur and boldness of our western orchestra. We met so many fine people, had our senses fully indulged in the excellence of the orchestra, and learned some pretty amazing facts about the Chinese culture and the history of their music.
We attend events like this because we love learning about other cultures and socializing with fabulous people. In addition, it helps us to be well-rounded. Because we are interested and take steps to increase our knowledge and understanding about others, we have a diverse group of friends and are able to connect with them on a much deeper level.
Two great things happened to me while at the that I will write about later. Stay tuned for that! But, in the meantime, please enjoy a few photos from our evening.
I remember growing up in the projects in Poughkeepsie, New
York and thinking to myself that I was not destined to live my entire life in
the slums. I had this innate sense that I was created for something more and my
life would be so much greater than my environment indicated. I always had this
feeling that I was going to accomplish great things. I dreamed big, kept myself
motivated, worked hard, and eventually I was able to see glimpses of my
greatness manifest; further confirming that I was destined for a life that wasn’t
average, small, or ordinary. I was destined for greatness.
What I know for sure is that God will always get His way. If
you’re destined for greatness, He won’t let you feel comfortable with living a
life of mediocrity. He’ll do everything in His power to see to it that His
purpose for your life is revealed. Below are some of the signs that God shows
you that you’re destined for greatness.
1. Other people can see it.
Mathew and Tina Knowles have mentioned several times in
interviews that they always knew Beyonce was going to be a star. Michael
Jackson’s parents said similar things about him – I don’t recall them ever
saying that about Tito. I’m just saying. When you have a huge calling on your
life, people can sense it. There are things people see about you that you don’t
even see right now. But, if someone ever tells you were created for greatness,
you’d better believe them! God often sends confirmation through other people.
2. You’re not like your friends and family.
Some of the world’s greatest people were the outcasts and
black sheep of their families. You have to remember, everybody’s not great, it’s
a rare characteristic. That said, great people are unlike everyone else; they’re
different. And they have to be. If God has a special assignment and calling on
your life, you have to be the type of person who doesn’t have a problem being by
yourself, leaving your friends and family, and finding your own way through
life. God wants to get you alone because He has special plans for your life;
plans that will guide you into your greatness! It’s no coincidence you feel separate
from everyone else – you’re supposed to be.
3. You have dreams and visions.
I’m a dreamer. Literally. I have a journal of over 200
dreams that I’ve had over the last three years. God speaks to me through my
dreams; and, when He does, it’s almost always to give me some type of clue
about my destiny. In the Bible, people who were destined for greatness always
received some divine guidance from God through visions and/or dreams: Joseph,
Moses, Abraham, Jacob, and the list goes on. God had to communicate with these
people in a method that was clear, concise, and undeniable because their
destines were extremely important and significant. When you’re destined for
greatness, God will send you dreams and visions – it’s your job to pay
attention.
4. You can feel it.
Sometimes you just know deep down that you’re destined for
greatness. You’ve felt this way for a long time and it’s an unshakable feeling.
It’s a feeling that makes you feel uneasy with being average and doing average
things with average people. You have to listen to that. It’s your spirit’s way
of leading you towards your destiny. God created you for greatness – and deep
down you know it! Listen to that and never deny it.
5. You’re attracted to great things.
When you’re destined for greatness, you’re attracted to
greatness. It doesn’t surprise me that you’re reading my blog – you were
attracted to my greatness. We attracted each other. If you were a loser, you’d
be attracted to other losers. See where I’m going with this? It’s no mistake or
coincidence that you’re attracted to great things. Great things are in your
future; your current situation probably doesn’t reflect it right now, but it’s
there! So continue to dream big, think big, and seek big. It’s who you are and
were created to be. If you can see it, you can achieve it. Whatever you’re
seeing is attainable for you. You have to know this.
All these things, these signs, work together to push you
towards your destiny and to continue to feed that feeling inside you that says you’re
created for greatness. The key is to not ignore it. God is talking to you and
trying to push you towards that which He created you for. You have to believe
that. You have to be sensitive to it. Keep your eyes and ears open. God is
speaking to you about your destiny. Are you listening?
With Love,
Okay, so I know you want to be fabulous. Who wouldn’t?!
Fabulous people are crazy attractive and live amazing lives. We’re truly
exceptional and extraordinary. There are really only two types of people in
life: average people and fabulous ones. I don’t want you to be average; so, without
further ado, I present to you The 10 Fab Commandments!
1. Thou Shalt Know
Who You Are
Pretending to be someone else is not cute. There’s something
about you that works; find what it is and work the hell out of it. Literally
have a sit-down with yourself and write down all the things that make you who
you are: your personality, your upbringing, your likes and dislikes. This will
help you to see what sets you apart from everyone else. If you want to be fab,
you have to be different. Discovering who you really are and letting that
person shine will make you one fabulous chick!
2. Thou Shalt Get Counseling
Or at least have somebody to talk to about your problems.
Let’s face it, we all have problems, unless you’re Beyonce. And even Beyonce
has a crazy sister who beats up her husband in elevators and a father with three different baby mommas. There are all sorts of
problems that need to be worked out: problems on the job, problems with
finances, problems that stemmed from childhood. When these things go unchecked, they make
you bitter and unhappy…and being bitter and unhappy is NOT fabulous!
3. Thou Shalt Not
Feel Ashamed
If you’ve been following my blog, you probably know by now
that I had a horrific childhood – one that I will talk about in detail in my
upcoming book From Poughkeepsie to Paris:
A Ghetto Girl’s Journey to Becoming a Fabulous Woman. There was a time when
I was embarrassed and ashamed about the things that happened to me; but, as I
got older (and followed Commandments #1 and #2) I began to accept who I was and
used it to help others. Feeling ashamed will hold you back from being all that
God has created you to be. When you’re fabulous, you don’t let anything hold
you back; instead, you use everything to propel yourself forward.
4. Thou Shalt Be
Happy
What makes you happy? Have you ever asked yourself that? You
ever notice how fabulous people are always smiling? It’s like there’s an inner
glow that surfaces. That inner glow is called “happiness”. When you’re happy,
you make other people happy and comfortable around you. You become infectious
and others will want to have what you’re having. Happiness is attractive.
Ladies, if you’re looking for a man, one of the main things you should be is
happy. Smile. Laugh. Be jovial. Everybody loves people like that. Become happy
and they’ll love you, too!
5. Thou Shalt Think
Highly of Thyself
Fabulous people know we’re fabulous and we know what makes
us fabulous. Because we take inventory of our accomplishments and we hold onto
every compliment we’re paid, we have a constant supply of belief and confidence in
ourselves. And you should, too! When you
think highly of yourself, others will begin to think highly of you as well…and
they’ll treat you accordingly. Know that you’re worth every good thing and luxury
this world has to offer. Require excellent service and high-quality accommodations.
Expect the red carpet to be rolled out for you everywhere you go. The fabulous
person knows they’re worth it. Want to be fabulous? Then you have to know you’re
worth it, too!
6. Thou Shalt Handle
Compliments Gracefully
Have you ever given someone a compliment only for them to
turn around and discredit the very thing that you just complimented them on? It’s
a turnoff and an indication that their self-esteem isn’t as high as it should
be. Even if you’re having one of those days where you don’t feel topnotch or up
to par, still handle compliments gracefully. If someone says, “Hey, girl! Your
booty looks good in that dress!” Don’t humiliate yourself (or the compliment
giver) by saying, “You think so, girl? I just gained 10 pounds and I feel like
a slob!” No, ma’am. Don’t ever say that! Just simply say, “Thank you.” Be sure
to smile and pay them a small compliment as well. Practice being graceful and
elegant in all you do and you’ll find yourself in the fab society in no time!
7. Thou Shalt Soften
Up
Growing up in the ‘hood, I had to be hard all the time. I never
knew when I’d have to fight a group of girls or run from stray dogs. I wore
Timberland boots, jerseys, and baggy clothes. It wasn’t until I moved to LA in
2001 that I discovered the beauty of femininity. Once I embraced everything
that made me a girl, I began to feel free, and light, and flowy. Sometimes our
femininity is robbed from us by our circumstances, by things that happened in
our childhood, or by our environment. But, if you want to be fabulous, you have
to soften up. Think all things pretty and pink and soft. Wear dresses. Put on
some makeup. Embrace your femininity. God gave it to women for a reason. There’s
power in your femininity!
8. Thou Shalt Make
(And Keep) More Money
Fabulous people are high maintenance and it takes money to maintain
ones fabulousness. It’s imperative that you learn how to spend your money
wisely, make more money, save more money, and invest more money. You have to
see money as a tool for you to live the life of your dreams. Attend seminars
or take courses on finance and budgeting. You could even watch videos on smart
money management and investing on YouTube. One thing I did starting off and
even now is seek the advice of people who are doing better than me with their
money. No matter how you go about it, you have to begin to educate yourself on
how to become rich because, frankly speaking, you can’t be broke and fabulous
at the same damn time. That’s called being faux-fabulous and being
faux-fabulous is not cute!
9. Thou Shalt Travel
There are reasons why fabulous people love to travel: it
makes us well-rounded, it increases our value, we meet amazing people, we learn
different languages, and it makes us stand out from average people who never
leave (and aren’t even interested in leaving) the city they grew up in. If you
want to move up in status, the people you’ll encounter will be well-traveled;
and, if you’re not, they’ll begin to question your credibility, knowledge, and
ability to make things happen. Traveling is a huge part of the fabulous
lifestyle. And, once you begin to travel more, you’ll find that you’ll begin to
live life on an exceedingly higher, more fabulous level. Like a wise, fabulous woman once
told me, “The more fabulous you get, the more fabulous you get!”
10. Thou Shalt Give
Back
It’s truly a privilege to be fabulous. It means you have
more than enough, you’re living a full life, and you’re blessed and favored
beyond measure. God doesn’t allow you to become fabulous to feed your own ego
and brag to the world about how great you are. A part of being fabulous is
being humble enough to serve and give back to others. If you’ve done your work
after reading Commandment #1, you would have identified something about
yourself that you can use to be a blessing to others. There are certain things that
you’re passionate and feel deeply about. For me, it’s homeless people, foster
care children, and broken women. What about you? What pulls on your
heartstrings? Find out and begin to volunteer at organizations that serve the
people you’d like to give back to. You can also donate clothes, give money, or
support charities. Whatever it is, you absolutely have to give back.
That, perhaps, is the most important commandment of them
all.
With Love,
With Love,
Quan Lanae Green
Saturday, October 10, 2015
I really enjoyed socializing with my new rich friend, George, at a private party in Buckhead, Atlanta. He and I conversed over glasses of red wine about our pasts, our stories, and our journeys to becoming fabulous. Initially, I wasn't going to ask him about his upbringing - I automatically assumed he was born privileged. But, he inquired about my upbringing; so, it was an open door for me to inquire about his.
We talked about abuse we experienced as children, obstacles we had to overcome, and how we managed to succeed against all odds. Honestly, after the conversation, I felt a bit convicted by the fact that I assumed his life was nearly perfect and that we couldn't relate. It was a huge mistake on my part. Thank God George didn't know that I had prejudged him! He was so cool that he probably wouldn't have cared anyway.
It's amazing how we make the mistake of judging a person based on their appearance. I learned a valuable lesson that night: Never, ever assume. People don't always look like where they came from. I should've known better. I'm a prime example.
Nice meeting you, George!
With Love,
Quan Lanae Green
To be successful, you have to be intentional about your friendships. Because your relationships play an important part in reaching your destiny, I'm sharing with you the three types of friends that you absolutely must have in your life:
1. Rich Friends
Whether you're from the ghetto or the suburbs, you need to have friends who have money. Rich people have access to things people without money don't. They're well-connected, established and, quite frankly, they probably don't need anything from you. Oftentimes, money (or the lack of it) puts strains on relationships. When you're trying to fulfill your purpose, you need people who are going to add to your life not take away from it. If all of your friends are broke and you're the one always lending out money and footing the bill, it can leave you feeling used and overwhelmed. It takes away the positive energy you need to pursue your purpose. The solution? Get yourself some rich friends!
2. Fabulous Friends
These are my favorite types of friends. Fabulous friends like to have fun, they're polished, they dress well, have class, and have amazing personalities. These types of friends tend to be happy and optimistic about life. Because they exude so much positive energy, they always end up in amazing places with attractive people. The good news for you? They'll bring you with them! Too many times, purpose driven women get connected with people who they have to pull up and drag along. Every now and then, it's great to have friends who can do that for you.
3. Insanely Supportive Friends
It's nice to have supportive friends, but the purpose driven woman needs insanely supportive friends. These types of friends are so supportive that it almost makes you question their intentions. They'll be there to answer your call at 3:00 in the morning, they'll bail you out of jail, they'll watch your kids, they'll come to all of your events, and they'll even let you borrow their car. They're not supportive of you because they're trying to get something out of the deal. They're supportive of you because that's their character and they have a pure spirit. If you're lucky enough to have an insanely supportive friend, hold onto them for dear life! They might not be as ambitious, driven, or educated as you but that's okay. They'll be your cheerleader and give you the encouragement you need to run your race. Everyone needs a friend like that in their life.
On the journey to fulfilling your purpose, you're going to need as much help as you can get. Knowing this, you have to be intentional about the people you bring into your life. Now, get out there and start making some rich, fabulous, and insanely supportive friends!
With Love,
Quan Lanae Green
