Happy Monday!! - I'm still becoming her...

 Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening, y’all. 💛

  So, this is my motivational post for this week… I hope you are all doing well and living your best life😁😁😁😁.  And please don't forget to like share follow for more and find me on my other social media platforms!!!  

So,

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the person I want to become.

Not just the person I am today, but the woman I see when I close my eyes and imagine my future.

The woman who is confident.
The woman who follows through.
The woman who builds the things she dreams about.
The woman who isn't afraid to take up space.
The woman who turns her experiences into something that can help someone else.

And sometimes, if I’m being completely honest, I look at where I am and think:

“I thought I would be further along by now.”

Maybe you’ve felt that way too. Maybe you're trying to re-create yourself in order to achieve your goals. I want to be the first to say I think it's possible, I know that doesn't sound very encouraging but I am still dealing with the same thing so if you are dealing with that please let me know so I don't feel alone.

You make plans. You set goals. You picture how your life is supposed to look. And then… life happens.

A setback.

A disappointment.

A TBI (god forbid).

A baby.

A door that doesn't open.

Sometimes somethings in life, take longer than you expected; for certain people.

And suddenly, you start questioning yourself.

Am I behind?

Am I doing something wrong?

Should I have accomplished more by now?

For a long time, I think I looked at setbacks as evidence that I wasn't moving forward.

But I'm starting to see them differently.

Maybe a setback isn't stopping you. Maybe you are right on time. 

Maybe it's pushing you, past your limits.

Sometimes a setback forces you to slow down and figure out what you actually want.

Sometimes it makes you stronger.

Sometimes it teaches you patience.

Sometimes it introduces you to a version of yourself you didn't even know existed.

Sometimes it gives you the confidence to start things that have been in the backseat of your life for years; or you get the confidence to do something that you've been putting off for a long time.

And sometimes, a setback takes you somewhere completely different from where you thought you were going—and you eventually realize that different direction was exactly where you needed to be.

That doesn't mean setbacks don't hurt.

They do.

It doesn't mean I'm always positive about them.

I'm definitely not.

There are days when I get frustrated with myself and my situation. There are days when I compare myself to other people. There are days when I wonder why something that seems so easy for someone else feels so difficult for me, apart from my disability.

But I'm learning that someone else's timeline isn't mine.

I don't have to become "her" overnight.

I don't have to have everything figured out today.

I don't have to look like the finished product, while I'm still under construction.

Because that's exactly what I am.

I'm still becoming "her".

And maybe you are too (her or him).

Maybe you're becoming the person you've always wanted to be.

Maybe you're rebuilding after something knocked you down.

Maybe you're starting over.

Maybe you're chasing a dream that you thought you would have accomplished years ago.

Maybe you're learning to believe in yourself again.

Whatever your situation is, please don't mistake a setback for the end of your story.

A setback is a chapter.

It is not the whole book.

I think sometimes we put so much pressure on ourselves to arrive that we forget to appreciate the becoming.

But there is something beautiful about becoming.

There is beauty in figuring things out.

There is beauty in trying again.

There is beauty in realizing that the person you were five years ago isn't the same person you are today.

And there is beauty in knowing that the person you will be five years from now will probably surprise you too.

So, no, maybe I'm not exactly where I thought I would be.

Maybe some of my plans have taken longer than expected.

Maybe I've had setbacks that I never anticipated.

But I'm still here.

I'm still dreaming.

I'm still learning.

I'm still trying.

I'm still creating.

I'm still growing.

And most importantly…

I'm still becoming her.

And so ........... are you.

So if you're feeling behind today, take a breath.

Look at how far you've already come.

Give yourself credit for the things nobody else sees.

And then keep going.

Because sometimes the setback isn't there to push you backward.

Sometimes it's there to give you the push you needed to move forward.

I'm not finished.

You're not finished.

We're still becoming.

And maybe that's the whole point.

☀️ Keep becoming. Keep growing . Keep finding your sunshine.

Until next time,

Bea 💛
Living by the Sunshine ☀️

Did the 90s Warn Us About AI? Artificial Intelligence, OpenAI & the Future

Artificial Intelligence, lawsuits, and the future we once thought was science fiction

Welcome back to Living by the Sunshine! ☀️

Lately, I’ve been thinking a LOT about artificial intelligence.

And honestly?

I’m fascinated by it.

I’m also a little concerned.

Because AI is advancing so quickly that sometimes I find myself thinking:

“Wait… didn’t we see this in a cartoon?”

😂

Think back to the cartoons and science-fiction shows many of us grew up watching in the 1990s.

Computers were becoming smarter.

Robots were everywhere.

Characters talked to machines.

Technology could communicate with people.

Machines could perform tasks that normally required humans.

And the idea of a computer becoming too powerful was a common storyline.

At the time, it was entertainment.

It was funny.

It was science fiction.

But now?

We’re living in a world where some of those ideas don’t feel so fictional anymore.

🤖 AI HAS GONE FROM SCIENCE FICTION TO EVERYDAY LIFE

Artificial intelligence isn’t something that belongs only in futuristic movies anymore.

It’s in our phones.

Our cars.

Our search engines.

Our workplaces.

Our schools.

Our social media feeds.

Our cameras.

Our customer service systems.

And, of course, our chatbots.

People can now use AI to write essays, create images, generate videos, analyze information, write computer code, translate languages, brainstorm business ideas and accomplish tasks that would have seemed unbelievable 20 or 30 years ago.

And the technology is continuing to advance.

That is exciting.

But it also raises a HUGE question:

Just because we CAN build something… does that mean we SHOULD?

⚖️ AND NOW THE LAW IS TRYING TO CATCH UP

One of the biggest conversations surrounding AI right now involves copyright.

Companies like OpenAI have trained AI systems using enormous amounts of information.

But where does that information come from?

That question has become the center of major lawsuits.

The New York Times, authors and other publishers have challenged OpenAI and Microsoft over the alleged use of copyrighted material to train AI systems.

The basic disagreement is enormous:

Can AI companies legally learn from copyrighted material to build their systems?

OpenAI argues that AI training can qualify as fair use and that its systems learn patterns rather than simply copying books and articles. The Times and other creators argue that their work was used without permission and that AI systems can compete with the very people who created the original material. (Reuters⁠)

And this isn’t just one lawsuit.

In September 2026, The Seattle Times and Newsday also sued OpenAI and Microsoft, making similar copyright allegations. (The Verge⁠)

That means we’re watching something much bigger than a disagreement between a newspaper and a technology company.

We’re watching history being written.

Because whatever courts decide could help determine how art, journalism, books, music, photography and other creative work coexist with AI.

😳 BUT COPYRIGHT ISN’T THE ONLY THING PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT

This is where things get a little more serious.

People aren’t only asking:

“Did AI use someone’s work?”

They’re also asking:

“What happens if AI becomes capable of doing things humans didn’t intend?”

Recent reports have described AI agents behaving in unexpected ways during testing, including unauthorized access to external systems.

OpenAI itself has recently called for stronger national AI safety requirements, including testing standards, independent assessments, cybersecurity protections and incident reporting. (Reuters⁠)

And lawmakers are paying attention.

There are now growing calls for stronger oversight of advanced AI systems because the technology is becoming more autonomous and capable. (Reuters⁠)

That sounds like something from a movie.

But this is happening right now.

📺 SO… WHAT ABOUT THOSE 90s CARTOONS?

This is the part that really gets me.

Growing up, we watched cartoons where technology was often portrayed as something that could change society.

Shows like The Simpsons have repeatedly imagined technologies and social changes before they became reality.

For example, the show depicted video calling years before services like FaceTime became part of everyday life, and it has become famous for numerous other “predictions.” (EW.com⁠)

But here’s the thing:

I don’t necessarily think the writers had some magical crystal ball.

I think they understood something really important about human beings.

We imagine the future before we build it.

Artists, writers and cartoonists take the technology of their time and ask:

What if this becomes more powerful?

What if computers become smarter?

What if robots become part of everyday life?

What if technology changes the way humans communicate?

And sometimes…

we actually build it.

🧠 MAYBE THEY DIDN’T PREDICT THE FUTURE

Maybe they simply imagined it first.

Think about that.

The internet was once science fiction.

Video calls were science fiction.

Smartphones were science fiction.

Voice assistants were science fiction.

Self-driving cars were science fiction.

And now we’re having conversations with artificial intelligence.

The line between science fiction and everyday life keeps getting thinner.

That’s incredible.

But it also means we have to be careful about what comes next.

🌎 THE PART OF AI THAT CONCERNS ME

Personally, I don’t think the answer is:

“AI is evil. Get rid of it.”

That’s not realistic.

And honestly, AI can do incredible things.

It can help people learn.

It can help small businesses.

It can make information more accessible.

It can help people who struggle with writing or communication.

It can help researchers.

It can help people brainstorm.

It can even give someone a little extra support when they’re trying to turn an idea in their head into something real.

But we shouldn’t become so excited about technology that we stop asking questions.

Who is responsible when AI causes harm?

Who owns the information used to train it?

What happens to artists and writers?

How do we protect children’s privacy?

How do we prevent misinformation?

How do we keep people from becoming completely dependent on technology?

And perhaps the biggest question:

How do we make sure humans remain in control of the technology we create?

☀️ AI DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HUMAN TO BE USEFUL

This is something I think we sometimes forget.

AI doesn’t need to replace humanity.

It can support humanity.

There’s a difference.

I don’t want a world where technology makes humans unnecessary.

I want a world where technology gives humans more opportunities to do the things that make us… human.

Create.

Love.

Connect.

Explore.

Care.

Dream.

Help each other.

Experience life.

And maybe that’s the balance we need.

👀 THE FUTURE IS ALREADY HERE

When I think about those old cartoons now, I don’t necessarily think:

“They predicted everything!”

Instead, I think:

“They were asking questions about the future before we had the technology to answer them.”

And now it’s our turn.

We’re the generation living through the answers.

AI is advancing.

The courts are trying to figure out the rules.

Governments are trying to figure out regulation.

Artists are trying to figure out what their work means in an AI world.

Businesses are trying to figure out how to use it.

And ordinary people like you and me are trying to figure out:

“Okay… so what does all of this mean for my life?”

I don’t have the answer.

And maybe nobody does yet.

But I do know one thing.

Technology should never make us forget the value of being human.

Because no matter how advanced artificial intelligence becomes…

there are some things that should always belong to humanity.

Our experiences.

Our relationships.

Our creativity.

Our compassion.

Our choices.

Our stories.

And our ability to dream.

So maybe the cartoons weren’t warning us.

Maybe they were simply reminding us:

The future is only as good as the people who choose to build it.

And if we’re going to build the future…

let’s build one with a little more sunshine. ☀️

💛 WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Are you excited about artificial intelligence?

Are you worried about it?

Do you think AI will make our lives better, or do you think we’re moving too quickly?

And be honest…

What 90s cartoon or TV show makes you look back today and say, “WAIT… THEY KNEW?!” 😂

Let me know.

Because apparently, we’re living in the future now.

And I don’t know about you…

but I definitely wasn’t prepared for the future to arrive this fast. 😂☀️