Leading With Change, Love, and Integrity
The world desperately needs love right now. This isn’t a maybe; it is affirmed. Love is our God-given right as humans, yet today's world has turned to division and hate. We assume we know someone doesn’t deserve love for their opinions. We decide to dislike someone based on their politics versus knowing them. Many worship politicians and/or Hollywood without knowing the first thing about them. They decide because they are on the same page politically; they must be nice people. When did politics determine the integrity of a human being? Have we gone too far? We are all guilty of it, and it is happening on both sides of politics. Look at it this way: politics is only a small portion of your life. Do you want to ruin your life over politics, bickering, and hating on one another? What are we really fighting for? It seems some enjoy division.
Photographer: Tamarah Ellen "The Fight"
"Only humility will lead us to unity, and unity will lead us to peace." ~Mother Teresa~
I believe that people are inherently good, but am I wrong? Has that changed? If we see a human struggling or in danger, would we help them regardless, seeing we don’t know anything about them? I would like to believe that humans should be human, regardless of differences. Racism has been stirred up by the media and politicians, even though we are not systemically a racist country. I have friends of different racists, different religious beliefs, or no beliefs at all. When did we categorize people in a lump group based on who they voted for? When did we decide to hate someone we know nothing about? This is barbaric and ignorant. Animals behave better than most people today. Have the tables turned?
"Back-Scratching" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
Observe the Animals for Lessons in Humanity
I sit in the farm's pastures and observe horses with my camera. I watch as they live together as a herd. They play, sometimes fight, forgive, and then scratch each other’s backs. They stand together, eat together, weather the storms, and act more humanely than humans at times. Have we gone back to cavemen days? It seems that way, and honestly, it's embarrassing at times and almost laughable. Laughter is the best medicine, and I have to laugh to keep my sanity. Perhaps more people should sit and observe animals and how they interact because they seem better than us. We are turning into animals, and they are becoming more civilized and, at the very least, more compassionate. Personally, I could use some more back-scratching.
"If you want to achieve your dreams, help others achieve theirs." Zig Ziglar
"Democrat, Indepent, and Republican" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
I pride myself on being fair and working toward creating unity in my life and my world. Some people make it challenging to even get to know or be kind to. I make an effort to target these unkind people with kindness, to rise to new levels, and to be better than others. I do not want to hate people. I do not want to become bitter, selfish, or uncaring. I don’t want to follow the herd, even if it means not fitting in. I never fit in most of my life, and later in life, I learned that it was a blessing, not a curse. I am my own unique person, and there is a reason, and it's all good. That’s me in the middle above, the Independent. I think for myself, I own my brain, my thoughts, and my choices.
I honestly don’t know if it’s always been this way or if it has gotten worse. It could be that with maturity, I have paid more attention to politics than when I was younger. Yet I believe the internet, i.e., social media, has made it far worse. Suddenly, we know too much about people, things I would rather not know. Social media has become a narcissistic platform of bragging and sounding boards for opinions, protected by warrior-like platforms hiding behind our computers. Who is brave enough to stand up to someone’s face anymore? When you choose love, you don’t have to. You rally together to find unity, peace, love, and forgiveness. Again, it starts with changing one's self.
"Walking Together" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
"Unity does not means sameness. It means oneness of purpose." ~Priscilla Shirer~ (
Yesterday, I was leaving the gym, and on the streets were a few protestors full of hate towards one man overseeing the audits of our government. That is their right. I have never understood protesting, as it is like one big pounding of hate towards people who don’t think like them. Have we become toddlers screaming and stomping our feet when we don’t get our way? My boyfriend had done a walk with the flag, but he wasn't screaming or shouting. He just carried the flag. I just don't do them. I have never wanted to participate in it and will never understand it. That is my feelings towards it. Different strokes for different folks, but ill will and hate will never create unity or solve problems. Most of the time, people don’t know what they are mad at. When different news media tell different versions, who is telling the truth? Think about it. Think for yourself instead. This hate and division is exhausting for me, and I do what I can to not be a part of it. I write to encourage, I follow my heart and dreams. I celebrate people and work toward lifting them, and that is all I can do. I work on myself, forgive myself when I fall off the be-king wagon, but I don't allow myself to be sucked into hate. I don't want to live with that shame.
There is a Peace Offering and a Future
"Looking to the Future" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
I think if we protest anything, it should be directed toward creating unity and love. Why aren’t people protesting the news media and politicians who are stirring the pot of hate and division? Protest hate and division. Aren’t we tired of being lied to? But it should be a peaceful protest if anything. I still don’t believe that protesting would do any good. Why not just look in the mirror and start there? Look to the future and what you would like to see happening. Do you want great health, prosperity, wealth, happiness, and abundance for all? Do you want peace, love, and joy, or do you want despair, hate and division? Do you think the powers-to-be will solve our problems, and will you sit and wait for them to do so? Wouldn’t it be better to become better within yourself and lead by example? Stop the hate, be a lover and a giver, and most of all, be grateful for the country we live in. We can’t solve the corruption in our government, but we can solve and create healthier families by teaching love, acceptance, and unity, and that is where the oneness begins. We are different and unique, but our purpose should be oneness in love, health, and prosperity. This will create the unity we deserve. This is our peace offering.
To create any change, we must begin working on ourselves, for the problem is far too large for one individual to change the world by themselves. We change the world first by changing ourselves and leading by example. Love is contagious, love is all-powerful, and love is the answer. Integrity starts with love and forgiveness, something that is lacking in the world today. People who claim to be virtuous yet have no compassion for others who think differently are not virtuous. They are far from virtue.
"Shake it Off" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
To create any change, we must begin working on ourselves, for the problem is far too large for one individual to change the world by themselves. Shake it off, shake the hate and your old ways, and become better than most. We change the world first by changing ourselves and leading by example. Love is contagious, love is all-powerful, and love is the answer. Integrity starts with love and forgiveness, something that is lacking in the world today. People who claim to be virtuous yet have no compassion for others who think differently are not virtuous. They are far from virtue.
Two things to remember when determining whether you like someone you have not met are love and independent thinking. If you determine someone’s good or bad based on others’ opinions, you have no integrity and lack love. When you hold someone accountable for their actions and not your own, you lack morals yourself. But more importantly, none of us determine someone’s value, only God. If you do not believe in God, then it still does not give you the right to determine the value of another human being. Now you are playing God. If you say there is no God, then you can’t play God yourself, either.
"Stand Out With Integrity" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
Stand out by not fitting into the norm. The norm has become ugly. Become better than most. Work harder on yourself more than anything else in this world, and life will begin to change around you. We have no control over other people’s choices, but we do control our actions. Start by looking in the mirror and keeping a moral compass of yourself. Point the judgment fingers at yourself. Who are you being, and how are you treating others? When you begin your personal growth, you will attract better people into your life. You will lead by example, therefore attracting good people like a magnet. People full of hate and division will disappear, and new and better people will come to you, along with greater opportunities and greater people of influence.
I have witnessed this, and it is the absolute truth. The more I work on myself, the better people and opportunities come to me, and those who are not for me just disappear. You will offend some who are not ready to change, but that is okay. You are not responsible for other’s feelings. Feelings can be weak. A strong backbone is developed through courage and change.
Wonderful Change, Means New Beginnings
"Climbing to Change" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
I believe there is a wonderful change happening in the world. Wonderful change brings new beginnings. There will be significant, uncomfortable growing periods whenever there is a great change. It can feel like an uphill battle. This is necessary for the change to happen, and when we can see the bright light at the end of the tunnel, the growing pains will lessen as we go along and work hard. Think of change as childbirth. The mother goes through this change with discomfort, and then the childbirth brings in pain, but the beauty comes after the birth, and a new life enters, bringing joy.
"Contemplation" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen | Tamarah's Furbaby, "Stella" RIP
I am excited about the new changes. While there is discomfort, sometimes sadness, and fear, with focus, integrity, and most of all love, we will be better and stronger, more forgiving and compassionate, and united in our hearts. F.E.A.R. is false evidence appearing real, so drop the drama, stay focused on becoming better, and drop the judgment of others. We don’t know what is in someone’s heart without knowing them. Find a higher power greater than yourself to keep yourself humble and kind. Arrogance is the root of all evil. Humility will take you higher than you’ve ever imagined.
"Whatever you fear most, has no power. It is your fear that has the power." Oprah Winfrey
"Looking Toward the Future" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
Look toward your fears, evaluate them, and what causes you to be afraid. Is it real, or it the change that you fear, or the risk? When you have nothing less to lose, the fear dissipates. Fear is false evidence, and the reality is the goodness that will come from the change. Pushing through fear will make you strong and open doors that never would have opened. Be thorough, steadfast, and strong. Be humble, learning from the lessons. There is an amazing world out there, and we must be brave to discover it.
“Often what we fear most is where our blessings lie.” ~Tamarah Ellen~
"Courage of Small Creatures" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen | Tamarah's little Shih Tzu, "Sir Lancelot Turk" whom she calls, 'Turk"
"Have the courage of a Shih Tzu, (Little Lion Dog), the power of a horse, and the determination of the Lion on a hunt. ~Tamarah~
"Doors Will Open" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
To your own success, rock it,
Tamarah Ellen
"Happiness Is" Photographer: Tamarah Ellen
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