TONI TALKS | TO INFINITY AND BEYOND | LUNAR LAUNCHPAD
Take A Quantum Leap
Today is the first day of the BEST of your LIFE!
Prevailing technology in 1939 channeled movie magic when it colorized the musical fantasy “Wizard of Oz.” The characterization of Dorothy’s landing was emblematic of Hollywood’s quantum leap into the future of film.
The movie industry journeyed from a monochromatic backdrop in sepia tones to an environment awash in vivid colors. The sequence set the standard for progress.
To be clear, Disney introduced the technology to audiences in 1937. However, it was the iconic movie Munchkins that pointed the way to the “Yellow Brick Road” and, in the process, pointed out the path to the future.
Remember that the movie would not have existed without the imaginative story concocted in the brilliant brain of Frank Baum. Up to that point, the world considered him an abstract failure.
On the heels of a string of failed jobs, Baum moved his young family to Chicago in the 1890s. His fresh start was working as a traveling salesman. Realizing the failure wasn’t final, he put the past in his rearview and kept it moving.
The only thing from Baum’s past that he held onto was a propensity for storytelling. Alone and broke out on the road, Baum wrote tales to entertain his four sons.
Baum’s dogged determination to write gave birth to the brilliant book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” His refusal to consider himself a failure would ultimately lead to fame and fortune.
Class Note: Prologue Phase Complete
Check your inbox tomorrow morning [Friday, March 1st] for instructions for the next assignment.
3RD BOOST ➖ This Just In ➖ as of 2:22pm ➖ TODAY
Moving Frances A. Chiu, Ph.D. | writing coach | editor from the private to published pile. Guess What??? Her prologue got boosted. Yah BABY!!!
Please read it 👉🏾 “Nevertheless, She Persisted” — and Finished a Ph.D. at Oxford University — Fighting racism and ageism honey badger style
Creative Touch: Scarlet Ibis James 👉🏾🦩An Interesting Podcast Interview Of Up & Coming Author
Jacquline Dacres’ prologue was the second boost behind Toya Qualls-Barnette. Read them both HERE and HERE.
Apologies to Anna V for not including her prologue read HERE with the group published a couple of days ago.
Gratitude goes out to the queens who pressed publish on their prologues. ‘BGREAT, Dr. Preeti Singh, Estella Writes and, Deb Palmer.
Maribelle Az, OCTAVIA EVER AFTER, DL Nemeril, and Tovah Rainsong. Thank you for trusting me and turning in your most private thoughts.
Finally, welcoming a new class member, Eko BP. Read her prologue HERE.
How did I ever forget our helpmate… Henery X? He’s always on the Zoom’s facilitating Small Groups. He’s our BOOSTER in the background. Though he didn’t have to, he also completed the assignment.
Please read it 👉🏾 EVOLUTION
Required Reading for The Class
The point of the prologue was clarity. That’s it. I’ve done this assignment myself. The way it worked for me may not have been the way it works for you. That’s fine. We’re very different people with varying degrees of experience that shaped our perspectives.
The value for me was the ability to name my fear(s) and then stare them down on the page. Putting them in print was a diffusion tool. I saw the hurt didn’t last. I saw the scar tissue and knew for a fact that the wound under it had not healed.
I saw that the offense was long gone, so it didn’t scare me anymore. What was right in front of my eyes was the roll I played… repeatedly. What was left was shame for my actions. I muted myself. I let someone else write the script and steal the show.
Everything that happened got me here. I couldn’t be leading this class without those insights. There’s no more shame in my game!
I leave you with three resonant excerpts from Brene Brown’s book Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.
I chose Brown’s book because she’s a gifted storyteller. She was brave enough to start a conversation about living a wholehearted life. She boldly addresses shame, vulnerability, and worthiness.
Brown’s pioneering work speaks to creative thinkers. It challenges us to show up for our lives without any guarantee of an outcome. Best of all, she encourages us to feel and love more while articulating our truth.
“The rising strong reckoning has two deceptively simple parts: (1) engaging with our feelings, and (2) getting curious about the story behind the feelings — what emotions we’re experiencing and how they are connected to our thoughts and behaviors.” — Brene’ Brown
“ From Long Island to Silicon Valley, a fear of being perceived as weak forces men into pretending they are never afraid, lonely, confused, vulnerable, or wrong; and an extreme fear of being perceived as cold-hearted, imperfect, high maintenance, or hostile forces women to pretend they’re never exhausted, ambitious, pissed off, or, even hungry.” — Brene’ Brown
“We choose owning our stories of struggle, over hiding, over hustling, over pretending. When we deny our stories, they define us. When we run from struggle, we are never free. So, we turn toward truth and look it in the eye. We will not be characters in our stories. Not villains, not victims, not even heroes. We are the authors of our lives. We write our own daring endings. We craft love from heartbreak, compassion from shame, grace from disappointment, courage from failure. Showing up is our power. Story is our way home. Truth is our song. We are the brave and brokenhearted.” — Brene’ Brown
Please read the book for yourself. These excerpts are merely a glimpse of the goodies inside. Brown sees you. She understands your fear(s). She’s felt the discomfort. She offers actionable answers.
The caveat is that Brown can’t do the work for you. You have to show up in your own life. You have to take responsibility for what happens next.
Most importantly, you must be willing to rise. You have to dig deep within your heart to find the courage to try again… and again… and again… until you become all you want to be.
❤️‿.*➴ Toni the Teacher ‿ Source Of Support‿.*➴ ❤️
Artist In Residence. Piloting the Inaugural “Think Tank” Cohort. University of St. Francis. Joliet, IL/USA. Center for Innovation.
