Welp friends, here we are. The end of 2018 is officially here and it's time to usher in a new year. Some of you might be eagerly anticipating the fresh start that a new year brings and some of you might not want to let go of the good things that 2018 showered down on you. Whether you're anxious about 2019 or still trying to hold on to 2018, here are a few words of encouragement that will help you go into your new year with faith and confidence.

You have the power of God on your side!
First and foremost, I want you to know that God is with you - He has always been with you. In the struggles, heartbreaks, upsets and disappointments of 2018, God was right there in the midst of them. Everything you went through in 2018 has prepared you for whatever lies ahead in 2019. God is using all the things that came against you this year in order for you to be successful during the year to come. As a result of all you had to fight in 2018, you have been made stronger, wiser, tougher and brighter. Don't waste the muscle you built in 2018. Use everything God blessed you with through your struggles and go into the new year boldly and confidently! I promise you, you've got this! God helped you then, He's helping you now, and He's most certainly going to help you in the year to come. You can't lose when you have the power of God on your side! Remind yourself of that daily and get ready to win in 2019!

You're not going to give up!
If you've been feeling like giving up, I want to encourage you to hang in there for another year. Make a commitment to yourself to stand firm and resist the temptation to quit. Whatever you started, you started it for a reason. Go back to the reason. Go back to whatever set your passion on fire. Go back to whatever motivated you, whatever got you going and pushed you to take action towards your ideal life. You have what it takes. The dream was given to you for a reason. You were built for this! You can handle anything that comes your way. Giving up is not a solution - it's a cop out. And you don't cop out! You are a winner! You are a success! You're not going to give up! In 2019, you're going to win again...and then win some more! Because that's what you do! Get that down in your spirit and I PROMISE you you're 2019 will be the best year yet!

Real love is seeking you.
Say goodbye to fake family, partners, co-workers and associates. So long to manipulators and people trying to take advantage of your kindness. Adios to all the enemies disguised as friends. In 2019, real, genuine love and relationships will seek you. Make way and open your heart to the possibility of a love so deep that you're going to think it's a fairy tale. In 2019, people are going to be real with you. People are going to like you and fall deeply in love with you for who you are. You won't have to pretend, adjust your personality or do anything to try to win the friendship and favor of others - it's coming to come naturally and organically. You, my friend, are amazing! There is so much depth in you that people haven't seen yet. Let it shine in 2019! I promise you, people are going to LOVE it! Most importantly, it's going to attract the real love you've been looking for. Let me be the first to tell you, "Congratulations!!!"

Financial increase is coming your way.
Bihhhhh, money, money, money, money, fallin' everywhere! I'm believing for financial increase to come your way in 2019! I'm praying and declaring financial blessings over your life right now! Money is going to come from places that you won't even expect. Get ready for it, friend! And, when the increase comes, be sure to be wise. Save some, invest some, and prepare for your future. Now is not the time to be blowing your money on stuff that doesn't appreciate. 2019 is time for a new type of money bag! We call it a "security bag". And, if you act wisely with your finances and maintain everything that makes you shine, in 2019 you'll have a lot more money and financial security than you've had in years prior. Chhh ching!

You're 2019 is already blessed!
Friends, I'm sending you into the new year with the positive energy and mindset you need to win in 2019. Truth is, your new year has already been blessed. Every good break, every moment of favor, every victory, every accomplishment has already been spoken over your life by the Creator of the universe. There are great things in store for you in March and April that have already been written into your life. There are blessings in August and October that have already been breathed into your future. There are victories and wins that have already been commanded to appear to you. Angels have been commissioned to go before you and make your path straight! Your job is to have faith and keep the faith! Don't allow negativity to take root in your life - not now, not ever. Don't let your faith be snuffed out by the inevitable hard times and challenges that you will face. Remember, it's never what it looks like. God's got you, friend! He's about to do some amazing things in your life this year! Great blessings and favor is coming your way! Believe it! Keep the faith! And claim it! 2019 is going to be the best year ever! Watch and see! And share this blog if you agree!

With love,

Quan Lanae Green

If you've been following me on my Instagram or on my personal or public Facebook pages, you know that I recently returned from my second trip to Paris. I've posted tons of photos and shared some background information on the story behind the pics.

But, there's a deeper, more meaningful story that the photos didn't tell.

I chose to return to Paris because, when I was there for the first time in 2015, I was so inspired by the beautiful, lush gardens and parks that I made it a goal to return and allow that to be the backdrop for the completion of the book I just finished writing. My plan was to sit in the gardens, listen to the birds chirp, smell the roses, and let my environment activate my senses and fuel my inspirational fire.

But, how many of you know sometimes things don't go as planned?

It literally rained everyday from the time I got there to the day I left. Yeah, so much for my dream of writing my book in the beautiful gardens of Paris. Instead, like so many other writers that came before me, I resorted to writing in Parisian cafes. And, although the setting wasn't as beautiful and inspirational as I had planned, what was beautiful and inspirational was the people that I met in the places I never intended to be.

Each person I interacted with in Paris brought with them a message that I knew came directly from God. 

Genuine laughs with my Asian friend

One such message came through an Asian woman that I met in a cafe near Notre Dame. She brought me a message of trust, pure joy, and happiness. Everything, from her energetic mannerisms to her smile, from the way she directed her husband to take our photo to her gentle, friendly touch on my back, was done with enthusiasm and genuine merriment. I could literally feel the positive energy she brought into my space. Her heart was in it. And she didn't even know me!

It made me think about myself and my own intentions and the energy I carry around with me. And it made me think about you. 

How often do we operate out of a place of pure joy and happiness? Are we mindful of the energy we bring into others' lives? Do we view people from a lens that's clear, clean and undistorted by the hurts of our past? Or, do we view people from a lens of negativity, inaccurate perceptions, and inaccurate prejudgments?

In my book, From Poughkeepsie to Paris: A Ghetto Girl's Journey to Becoming a Fabulous Woman, I talk about how, when I was younger, I always saw the best in people and assumed everyone had good intentions. As I got older and began experiencing things like betrayal and deception, it changed the way I perceived people I came into contact with. Simply put, I didn't trust them. I didn't trust anybody. But that was a choice.

Today, I choose to operate out of a place of love and trust for everyone (with discernment of course); and, as a result, I've met some pretty amazing people who have added significant value to my life...and have brought me deeper, greater joy. I've opened myself up, I give more of myself; and, perhaps most importantly, the positive, open energy that I carry around today acts as a magnet that attracts similar-hearted people to me.


Side note: If you're super critical, judgmental, always talking about people, and carrying around negative energy, you're going to attract people to you that do the same. Those types of people will keep you stuck and hold you back from reaching your destiny. Deep down, I know you don't want that. You deserve better. Change the way you see and think about people. Change the way you see and think about yourself.

Consider how you've been interacting with people who come into your space on a daily basis. If you've been closing yourself off, if you doubt the intentions of everyone you come into contact with, and if you haven't made any new friends lately, I encourage you to let people in. Open yourself up and change the energy you're carrying around. It's okay. I officially give you permission to LET GO!

Trust others; but, most importantly, trust yourself. 

If you don't know how to trust yourself, start by knowing this one fact: Everyone's not out to get you! There are people in the world who genuinely only want to do good for others. They want to love and be loved, they want to share joy and happiness, they want to make friends and do good for others.

I was lucky enough to make friends in Paris just like the people I just described. And there's more of them out there in the world. I pray, one day, you will be open to meeting them. The great news is you don't have to travel all the way to Paris to do it.

With Love,

Quan Lanae Green

P.S. If you're interested, here are MORE PICS from my Paris trip!