My Way

I know! I know!
I did it wrong. I'm not suppose to post selfies 😕 and have to use the right filters and lighting.🤦‍♀️
Oh well, I don't always do what I'm told—a rebel maybe with a cause.
That's how my life has always been. It didn't matter if I wanted it that way-it just was. Gaining an understanding of why has always come to me in different stages of my life. And I still don't have all the answers.

Oh, by the way, my name is Taliah. I'm the founder of Life Petals; nice to meet you.
My journey in life, so far, has been like a long roller coaster ride. One moment I'm going up, another down, and then spinning in circles.
I hate roller coasters!🤢
Yeap, that pretty much sums it up. I am the spokesperson for the Imperfect People Club and the Who Needs God's Mercy The Most Club.🤣
Don't get me wrong; I've had many beautiful memories to look back on during this journey. I've journeyed down many roads and experienced the good, ugly, and odd of life. But haven't we all? We could tell some stories, and that's what I plan on doing. I will share some of my journeys through my blogs, products, post, and vlogs.
I'm still fighting with the thought of talking in front of a camera. Lord, do I have to?😩 That's more of a rhetorical question because He gave me my answer years ago. Yet my insecurities froze me in place, and I've been procrastinating.

Why? You ask. Thank you for asking.

I battle with Dyslexia. (Wow, I spelled it without using Grammarly, woot.)
I've always had difficulties pronouncing & spelling words, keeping my numbers straight, and finding my words when speaking. I have my own way of viewing things. At times people assume I'm simple-minded and speak AT me like I'm young. They dismiss what I have to say because it might not come out clearly, or I'm taking too long to explain myself, and they have no patients to wait.

I'm sure you can understand the frustration it was given me throughout my life.😠 It has always been an internal struggle to speak in front of others, especially in front of crowds. Yet God keeps pushing me out there.
Seventeen years ago, the Lord gave me two scriptures to hold in my heart. I forgot about them until just now. Look at God, working again.

"Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." Exodus 4:11-12

"Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks…." Ezekiel 3:9 

These two scriptures reminded me not to fear how my words sounded and how people will perceive me. God would give me the words, help me stay focused on the message, and not on what the people might say or how they look at me.

So, here He is again reminding me not to be fearful and switching up my message as I'm writing. Just as He has done with my life so many times. Thank you, Lord, for being mindful of me.

I still fight with my insecurities that derive from dyslexia, but there have been several breakthroughs. I no longer believe dyslexia has anything to do with my intelligence; I'm not stupid. I am knowledgeable, and I'm smart. I learn in my own way, at my own pace, and anyone who thinks otherwise is the ignorant one.
I have accepted that I am uniquely made in God's image, and He doesn't make mistakes. He has a purpose for me just the way I am. He has given me unique tricks and wisdom to maneuver through life.

I write things down and speak them out loud to make sure what I hear, see, and say match especially with numbers. Sometimes I will paraphrase someone's message to me, to make sure I understand them. I count on my fingers to help me keep my math straight in my head. You might think I'm just tapping, but I'm counting. When written instructions get jumbled in my head, I break the information up into smaller portions until each piece makes sense. If that doesn't work, I'll look for visual aids.
I keep dictionary.com on standby. I keep notes because it's tough remembering keywords. I'll remember what people have done in history, events that took place, and what items are for; however, not their names, dates, or what something is called. It's extra work, but I do it because God made me wise enough to figure it out. (I hope that makes sense) 🤞

I've learned I express myself more clearly in writing. I can take my time with my thoughts, finding words in my head, and it doesn't matter if I can pronounce the words, just as long as I use the words correctly. Believe me, writing brings its struggles. Yet, I continue to do it because I have a passion for it.
I have to proofread my work a hundred times because I'm thinking one thing and write something else. I easily mix thoughts together and will misspell the most straightforward words. You will always know when I didn't proofread it enough, I promise.😁 Yet my favorite writing genres are poetry, short stories, plays, life blogs, and now children's books.

So, as you see, I have struggles in the things I'm not comfortable doing and things I love doing. But I'm going to continue to push myself to do them both because God will continue to equip me to accomplish them.
And if He is willing to do it for me, I know He'll do the same for you.
So, let's break free from our insecurities and comfort zones together. We can do it.