Iyanla Vanzant: Fixed My Life with 4 “P’s”

I turned 41 on June 22nd and I’d been feeling like I’m Not where I want to be in my Life. Feeling down and out for weeks (before 6/22nd). Smiling to keep from Crying. But those who have been through some thAngs can relate. I also realized I wasn’t doing all I needed to do in order to DO Better and BE Better.

I was Blessed to be able to attend the 24th Annual ESSENCE FESTIVAL 2018 in New Orleans (July, 5th – 8th). I wanted to use this trip to GET & LIVE MY BEST LIFE as well as learn from the various seminars that would take place and I wanted to network with Beautiful Black people from all over the world. Like A New Life Chapter.

On Saturday, July, 7th 2018, I was able to go to a seminar the Amazing, Iyanla Vanzant, was doing. She has been someone who I have admired for many years. Her books have Literally changed My Life. I was excited to step in the room and be Blessed by her words Live and Direct. And shes from BROOKLYN so I knew she would be Raw and Uncut with the message that was in store for us. But what she brought, I was Not prepared for. Seriously. It was like the times I have walked into church and left out feeling as if the message spoken was Directly Towards and For Me!

Iyanla Vanzant walked out on stage and we Cheered her on as we gave her a Standing Ovation from the Start. She looked more amazing in person, in her all white attire. The way the colors from the overhead lights and decorations from the stage bounced off of her, it was as if she was a Spiritual Goddess. Truly a sight to behold. She greeted us and wasted no time Blessing us with Love by way of the “4 P’s” 

Ms Vanzant started by reminding us, WE ARE MADE OF DIVINE STUFF!”

Posture, Position, Perspective & Purpose. I repeated all 4 words to myself a few times to absorb each syllable. *DeepBreath*Goosebumps*Chills*

Iyanla Vanzant broke it down by telling us the story of Calvin, the Caterpillar. She had us ‘imagine’ (although most of us could relate to what she was about to tell us) how tired it is crawling around being in the dirt *Dirt: Stuck in Corp. America, Broke, Jobless, Bad Relationships, Addictions, etc.* and finally telling ourselves, DAMN! I’ GOT TO DO BETTER! And when I tell you I damn-near Screamed because that was the Exact Goal I wanted to get out of this trip; I started crying and was glad I was going to capture her on video. I had to look up to the ceiling and say, “I see what you did here God!”

Reality hit me so hard. I had tuned out everyone else in the room. It was just Ms. Iyanla Vanzant and Me! I’m going to tell you how it was in an “Out of Body” kind of way. The best way I can describe it is to put it in the way I received ‘The Word’. Like ta hear it, Here it Go,,,

Iyanla was stern when she told me, =>Tyree, I know you are tired of crawling on your belly, in the dirt,,, She said, The same thing happened to Calvin (the Caterpillar). He was tired too. He knew he could Do Better but he wasn’t doing anything about it until one day he finally said ‘I need to Change. I need to do better in order for that to happen. But How?…

Calvin started slinking his way towards the THE TREE OF CHANGE. When he got to the foot of it, he couldn’t figure how to lift himself up for change to begin. Mentally and Physically. He was stuck, like you get sometimes, Tyree. Like when you start thinking of a Master Plan but are not confident in yourself enough to move forward. Too scared to do something different. Make moves you’ve never made before. This is normal because we are usually accustomed to doing things one way, every time. The anxiety most times causes you to start calling and texting people. Almost as if you want them to talk you out of this ‘Change’. But Tye, you have to remember, when change comes, it will not be familiar. Growth, Healing, Change, will not show up Horizontal but instead it will be Vertical.

Tyree, you have to learn from Calvin because this was one time where he didn’t call nobody. He didn’t inbox or DM no one. No text. No Facebook post. Nothing! This made it impossible for anyone to talk him out of this ‘MasterPlan’. You know how some friends and family will try and talk you out of things because they want you to stay in a rut. Not being productive. They’re attitude is, if they’re not trying to change than why should you?

My Beloved, Tyree, sometimes you have to remove people in order to stay focused. Get rid of the interference of others. This is what Calvin did. He then started to climb upward. Slowly but surely. These little steps towards the Change of your Life will, like Calvin, cause you to change your Position, and change your Posture. Once you change that it will cause you to want to change your entire Perspective in Life. Of course this all sounds simple and easy but its only the beginning.

Calvin reached the top but realized he had to go out on (the) limb. You know, go the extra mile for change. Push yourself harder Tyree. You’ve come so far. Don’t Give Up or Give In. Trust the Stardust within you. Some of us are afraid to go out on a limb. We don’t trust the stardust within us most times but its there. You will make it! Just like Calvin did.

Iyanla explained, he made it to the end of the limb and just hung there. Alone. No distraction. That’s what you need to do, Tyree. Get there and gather your thoughts. It will hit you. The Blueprint to the Master Plan. You will Know when you feel something come over you…

“…God will take whats inside of you and turn you into something different… but you got to be willing to climb and go out on the limb and hang there. You got to be willing to stop crawling around in the familiar. You got to be willing to change your Posture, your Position and your Perspective so you can find your Purpose…”

“Posture, is the position u hold,” She stated. When she went on to explain Posture in ‘Dancer’ term, I knew that was GOD. He always has to throw in a sign. I am a Trained Dancer so of course what she said next was relateable. She repeated “Posture.” Then said, “Posture is the Behavior that you engage in that either Impresses someone or Misleads someone.” We live in a time when we have to have an Erect and Upright posture. You can’t be out here walking around hunched over like you’re Powerless. Walking like that will have folks out here thinking you are a pushover, or weak. Slouched Posture will have people saying and doing anything to you.

How are you standing in your life, Tyree? You have to be willing to get up off of your belly and stand on your feet. Fix your Posture. Most times that’s all it takes. Stop TALKING about Change and DO Something about it… Then as if she knew she really had to make me take heed to her words she said in a very Stern, Motherly tone, “WHAT U NEED IS IN YOU”… That Beautiful Butterfly! THAT THING. “WHO WOULD YOU BE WITHOUT YOUR HARD TIMES.” YOU KEEP PRAYING FOR GOOD TIMES BUT ITS THE HARD TIMES that have molded you. You have been Homeless, Abandoned, Jobless, Depressed and some more things. And Here You Are! Where are u in your mind? In your Heart, Spirit, in your Body…

Iyanla showed us something she learned. She showed us how to STEP TO THE LEFT AND EVERYTHING CHANGES. She said, “The only thing that will keep you where you were is your mouth and your mind.” So many of us don’t live in the moment. We live in the past and the present or the present and the future. Take what happened over there and re-interpret  into something that you need over here. Change your Position and your Posture and go out on the limb!

Ms. Vanzant told me, when u are changing your Position and your Posture you are going to be blind. What use to work wont work anymore. That is what will change your Perspective. When you change your Posture and your Position, you have to be able and willing to go into a deep dark place in Stillness. Remove all distractions. Go within yourself because what you need in order to change IS ALREADY IN YOU.

Iyanla assured me when the Change starts taking place, my Perspective will shift. She said, Tyree, you will see the Purpose of what you went through and are still going through. Who you are? Who you will become. The Change, little by little, you will see it. Be willing to be blind, skinless, vulnerable, so that you can learn. You will be OK. You are Blessed. Change is Good and is never too late.

I have re-focused since coming back home to New York. I am proud of what I have accomplished in the last month. I am a work in progress but I have noticed a change. I have a new Perspective and my Master Plan has multiplied but I am taking it all in Stride. One step at a time. One foot in front of the other.

This message was so deep I wanted to share the Actual video I captured. Please watch it and leave a comment on what you got from her words, either on this post or on the YouTube video. Thank You so much for reading this. It’s a bit more personal than my usual but I want to be a Blessing to someone. Hopefully someone can gain a lot of positive vibes and possibly answers to whatever it is they are going through.

SPREAD LOVE ITS THE BKLYN TYE WAY!