Personal Empowerment | Tyra Garlington

How do you smuggle hope into hopelessness?

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

We planned to meet for some “quality time”. It had been a while since we shared a hug. As I approached the table I felt her sense of hopelessness before I saw the pain in her eyes. It was time for me to crawl into that dark space with her and be. I knew the story, I knew the journey. I knew her. I call her friend. So many things crossed my mind to say as I listened. I watched her mouth tremble as she tried to dam up the tears that leaked from her heart. We had been here……
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Have you seen a poem as lovely as a tree?

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

I have. My love affair with trees began when I was six years old. We moved from our public housing apartment to our first home. In the back yard was a huge maple tree, my first friend. She stood watch outside my bedroom window. At night, the moonlight and my tree made shadows dance on my wall to remind me that I was not alone. In summer, my tree provided shade for Mother and me to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a blanket at lunchtime. My first puppy tried to build a relationship with my tree by peeing……
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Are you in need of your immediate inner strength?

Posted on March 29, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

She had disappeared from my life years ago. I was so happy to hear her voice. She had been a wonderful friend to me in my time of need. Her story unfolded amongst sobs. I listened. She recently became singular as a result of rejection from her significant other. She was unemployed, about to be homeless and estranged from her only daughter. I listened. The few times I asked, “Have you…?” Her response was, “I can’t because…” I realized her pain had her stuck in anger and shame. I was reminded of how proud she was. She was used to……
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Gone but not forgotten.

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

When spring was in the air and I was a little girl, I imagined the bright colors it would wear through the door. It would smell and feel good and I could play outside much later. Spring meant bike rides and skipping rope and no more heavy coats and mittens. March was the month that signaled spring was near. I had little girl visions of what March would look like dressed as a “lion” or “lamb”. Much later I discovered that people who came long before me believed there was a balance in the weather and in life. So if……
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Do you have any idea how I feel about you?

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

I care. I really do. Last week while in a meeting, the gentleman sitting next to me leaned over and whispered, “I really enjoyed your blog last week. I thought I was the only one.” He had no idea what that meant to me. He was a stranger. He didn’t know that I wonder if my words connect, encourage and let someone, anyone talk about sometimes uncomfortable things and to understand that no matter what, they are not alone. So take a look in this mirror and see how I see you and why I feel the way I do.……
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You’ve got to give me room.

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Last week I asked you the question, “Do you agree love is all you need?” Obviously, your answer was directly related to your operational definition of love. I hope the topic stimulated consideration and perhaps discussion. This week I continue my Tyra talks about love refrain. I invite you to consider another relationship scenario that has on occasion presented itself in my life coaching sessions. My life’s emotional journey made it easy for me to relate; maybe you can as well. Right away, almost suddenly you and your significant other are living your definition of mutual adoration. Your love is……
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Do you agree love is all you need?

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Last Sunday was Valentine’s Day. Personally, I have not received a love Valentine since I was divorced several years ago. I have dipped my toe in the relationship pool a couple of times but the water just wasn’t right. So I intentionally spend Valentine’s Day afternoons watching movies with love themes just to see if there is anything new under the sun since the day was named after Saint Valentine in the 5th century. What I do know is Valentine’s Day is a retail bonanza. Over 150 million cards are exchanged yearly and over $480 million dollars are spent on……
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I can’t shut up. Children are our future.

Posted on February 2, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Imagine: “Tears streaming down, her heart is broken. Because her life is hurting, so am I. He wears a frown, his dreams are troubled. And because he stands alone, his dreams will die. So humbly I come to you and say. As I sound aloud the warfare of today Here me I pray. What about the children? To ignore is so easy, So many innocent children will choose the wrong the way, So what about the children? Remember when we children? Were it not for those who loved us And who cared enough to show us Where would we……
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Did you know that the ugly duckling was always a swan?

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Most people think this children’s story by Hans Christian Andersen is a story of transformation when in fact it is a story of misperception. I know I did. I kept thinking as a little girl that the ugly duckling somehow turned into a beautiful swan. I landed on this thought as I was walking through the grocery store and overheard a lovely young lady say to her companion, “I sent my photo to AmIUgly.net last night.” “What?” My head snapped. I could not believe what I was hearing. As soon as I got home I googled amiugly.net. The AmIUgly subreddit homepage delivered 102,000 results……
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What does it mean to you to go off script?

Posted on January 16, 2016 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Martin Luther King who graduated from Morehouse College after studying medicine and law had not intended to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the ministry. Martin went off script when he changed his mind under the mentorship of Morehouse’s president, Dr. Benjamin Mays, an influential theologian and outspoken advocate for racial equality. After graduating in 1948, King entered Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity degree, won a prestigious fellowship and was elected president of his predominantly white senior class. In 1953, Coretta Scott who was studying voice at the New England Conservatory of Music……
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