We Need To Change

A friend on Facebook shared a post one of their friends made. In a nutshell, they basically asked the question: How can we expect those of other races to respect us if we don’t respect ourselves? This is concerning the fallout of Paula Deen using then n-word supposedly only one time many years ago and how people on social media sites have gone after the young lady who was the last one to talk to Trayvon Martin. She is a young woman who is 19 and still in high school and admittedly cannot read cursive writing. I have chosen not to look up what is being said about the young lady but I am quite positive that people have been pretty harsh. So I think the bigger question that needs to be asked why cannot she not read cursive writing? Then my next question is that a skill that we really need to have? I mean let’s take an honest look at this. We rarely write letters anymore. We don’t use cursive when we do write. None of the social media is in cursive. Everything is in print not cursive so is it really bad that she can’t read cursive? I wonder what has happened in her life that she is still in high school. Is she the product of a broken home or a subpar school system. I think it is really sad that the first thing that most people can do is point out her short comings and harp on them. None of us are perfect and I am sure that if we were in her same position that we would not be at our best. It is so easy for folks to hide behind social media and talk down on someone but it could be just as easy to show support. So I ask the question again, how can we expect others to respect us if we attack a young sister who is in a difficult situation?
I think we need to reevaluate how we treat each other.

Write It Down

A few weeks back, I begin my first semester back at a university and I soon realized that I needed some help. I knew that the study habits I had used in the past were not going to cut  it because I was not the same student I was when I went to college for the first time. I have been back in school since 2005 and I just recently decided to try and get my bachelor's.

At the same time, I have been working with a couple of businesses. I am learning to set goals and make plans.Through the training from both companies there has been an emphasis on setting and achieving those goals. I was trying to do certain things they suggested but things were not working out the way I was expecting them to.

One thing I got from both is that in order to keep up with and be accountable you must simply WRITE IT DOWN! I didn’t think it mattered much but I soon learned that this simple task can create some great results.

So I guess new mantra is: WRITE IT DOWN!

That includes goals, ideas, dreams, wants, groceries, anything that I cannot do at the moment I think of it needs to be and will be written down.

Writing it down allows you to revisit and actually complete your goals. I know for me this has helped a great deal because in my head I will say “I will do it later” or “I will remember to do it” and later never comes. So in discovering this technique I know that the things I want to complete, will be completed because all I have to do is read.

So I will end this post by saying: WRITE IT DOWN!!! and make things happen!

Upon My Graduation (I WILL GRADUATE)

I am not sure what exactly I will be doing to impact the community but I do know that I will impact my immediate community, which includes my three sons. I want to show them that they can accomplish anything no matter how the odds are stacked against you. I have circumstances that some would look at as great obstacles and probably would give up on pursuing a degree but I am using them instead as fuel to move me ahead. I want my kids to be everything that they can be because I take my role as a parent/mother very seriously. I look at my children and I already know that they will change the world for the better. I want those around me to see that with determination you can accomplish your dreams. It has taken me many years to get a degree but I know that once I receive it, I will surely appreciate it more than if I had gotten it when I was younger. I am pursuing a degree in Sociology and I am still not sure about a minor but it will most likely be English since I plan on pursuing writing as a career. I am hoping that through studying sociology I will learn about what makes people tick so that what I write and share with the world can easily be interpreted and understood. It is my desire to uplift, inspire and provide a break from reality for my readers. I want to share the things that have helped my through my difficult times. Inspiring people with my God given gift of writing is my ultimate goal. I will leave you with a sample of my writing:

The process is ongoing

See I am still me

My outlook is different

Can’t you see?

No matter if you don’t

I know there is a difference

Because a while ago

I would’ve gotten mad

‘Cause you didn’t see

Makes me no never mind

The difference is there

The difference from then ‘til now

I truly do not care

About what you may think of me

Or what you think you see

Just that I am happy

With the changes in me

Building My Confidence

So this year I would like to do something that I always seem to avoid. I am going to work on my confidence. Let’s see if I can explain my dilemma. I know that I am capable of doing certain things but I am afraid that when it comes time for me to perform that I won’t be up to par. My latest lack of confidence in myself is applying for a job that actually has to do with what I am going to school for. I was a little intimidated when I begin to apply for the job because of the questions that they asked. They begin to ask my experience with the programs that will be heavily relied on to do the job. I guess it’s the way I work. I learn how to do things through trial and error but if I was asked specifically how to do something it may take me awhile to explain. I know that I can do it but I become so unsure about myself. This is how it has always been. I have always been unsure about myself when “people are looking”. When there is no one looking at me, I can do what I need to do with no problem and feel confident about the quality of my work. I don’t know how I am going to build my confidence but I think I will start by applying for the job.