I look at the world now and I look at my life back then and I realize that lower income families have a mental pandemic of disbelief that people can succeed.
I was told my mother's boyfriend that I would be just like her: pregnant as a teen and going nowhere in life. Little did he know just who I was! I was told when I first graduated college that I couldn't get the amount of money that I wanted. This was by two aunts of mine during a lunch out. I remember sitting there thinking: to hell with their opinions, watch me!
I grew up in fears and secrets that I wouldn't wish upon anyone. Many nights fearing to fall asleep because I was afraid I wouldn't wake up in the morning.
I grew up with them telling me the "whys" of the couldn't(s) and the shouldn't(s). I'm suddenly reminded of one of my favorite author's as a child, Shel Silverstein:
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
My family didn't believe it could be done. Why? Because they had never done it! Yet, you would never know this was my environment as a child. You would never know the horrible things that happened to me by my personality. I was a happy, "crazy" kid. I grew to survive and succeed by learning from the negative.
Fast forward to present day, I know how to identify a naysayer before they even have the chance to ruin my mood, nevermind my goals. I've overcome so many obstacles, when I look back, I still don't believe half of my triumphs. I've seen what "impossible" can be and what I can achieve. Now, it's my duty to inspire others to do the same.
That is one reason why I created Determin8tor Diaries.
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