Deonne Min. Carenda

How To Level Up When It Matters Most….

There is no time like the present to level up. What do I mean when I say that? Now is the time for you to be clear on who you are in 2023. This is not the time to show up like someone else but be your authentic self. Be who God has called you to be. I don't know about you, but at times I feel such an overload of information coming into my personal space. There has been such an increase in emails, advertisement, sales pitches, and commercials that all promise me how I can make more money. How I can attract more clients. How I can build and scale my business to six figures. How I can attract sponsors and partners, and how I can live my dreams by just taking a workshop, investing in a book, paying for a webinar, and/or attending a conference. Don't get me wrong, I think it's great that people are ready to share information and use that information to help others. I think it's great that people are not holding back what it took for them to get to their next level.

However, I am convinced that this is a season and a time to level up on what God has called you to do. It is imperative for you to know who you are in this year 2023! Just because someone is joining a venture does not mean you have to be a part of their team. Just because someone is sharing with you how they are investing in a company or a new project that they are working on does not necessarily mean you have to say yes to those objectives as well. Stay true to YOUR God given identity! Remember, YOUR gifts will make room for you!

(Proverbs 18:16)

To be honest there were times where I got caught in that cycle and circle of jumping on this idea, and prematurely investing in another without truly asking myself two to three very important questions. Number one have I consulted with God? Number two does this new project, investment, or initiative align with my purpose, and number three what is my why? Why am I considering taking on a new assignment or task? Why am I considering making the financial investment into a certain project? What is my why?

It is very imperative that you ask yourself those questions as you move forward in life because at some point pivoting gets old. It’s okay to pivot at times because there are seasons where you may need to rebrand or recalibrate. However, pivoting should not be the norm. When and if you decide to pivot regarding your life, business, or ministry, it really should align with the principle of supply and demand, seed time and harvest, or with the changes in the industry in which you serve. I want to challenge you! Don't pivot based on an idea, but pivot based on alignment. Does it make sense for you to rotate or shift something if it is not in alignment with your purpose? The answer is no. Even if pivoting might cause a burst of financial increase, I still say do not do it if it’s out of alignment with God’s intended created purpose for your life. Remember, God’s purpose is that we not only bring forth fruit but that our fruit should remain. (John 15:16)

The other thing I want to challenge you to do as you process what it means to level up, is decreasing your output and increasing your input. It is hard to level up when you have not disciplined your lifestyle to respect patience and time. I listened to a video a few months ago from Bishop TD Jakes and he talked about how patience is respect. He talked about how good things, really really good things, come when you give it time. You cannot level up with a microwave mentality. We cannot look at our lives in the same way in which we may desire our food. It's great to come home sometimes from a long day and have the option to