This is the first of what I am sure will be numerous posts about decision making & breaking generational curses!
I am going to start adding video blogs soon, and “generational curses” are one of the top topics that I feel deserves more than just words on a screen, the emotions attached need to be seen, heard and felt!

I wholeheartedly believe that it is all within all of us to take control of our lives and not allow anyone to limit our possibilities. Here’s post numero uno on being a product of my decisions.

Before I was even born, I was a statistic. As my mother carried me at 15 to 16 years of age, the odd of me becoming a teen mother were greater than the odds of me completing a college degree.
Today’s statistics show that 3 out of 10 girls will get pregnant before they’re 20 and more than half of all mothers on welfare had their first child as a teenager.
In fact, two-thirds of families begun by a young, unmarried mother are poor.

The children of teenage mothers are more likely to have lower school achievement and to drop out of high school, have more health problems, be incarcerated at some time during adolescence, give birth as a teenager, and face unemployment as a young adult.

My mother had 6 children and not one of us were teenage parents!

What I will share is that no matter what people tell you, YOU and only YOU decide the path for YOUR life! You do not have to limit yourself to what society tells you who and what you can be. The greatness that God blessed you with is waiting within for you to exude it with confidence! Don’t let no-one and I mean absolutely no-one speak anything over your life but grace and mercy!

For as long as I can remember I have always been an avid reader. I would read to dream, read to escape, read for entertainment and just read to have something stimulating to my mind, and I read everything; books, magazines, blogs, news articles, policies, reviews etc.. I just like to read!
Reading triggered an interest in education and I decided for myself that I wanted to be a good student (term “good” is subjective lol), so I applied myself and somehow ended up in IP/AP classes in high school with the smart kids!

I had taken cosmetology in my junior and senior years of high school and became a licensed stylist my senior year so I already had my first career underway before I received my high school diploma!

When graduating high school, I made the tough choice of foregoing college immediately to work full-time to help my mother with my siblings. Instead I began my career with a company I would spend the next 18 years learning, and growing with.

I am very goal-oriented so I envision my goals, I write them down and I pray over them. I then tirelessly work towards them. One of my goals in my early 20’s was to add a new title/role to my resume’ every 2 years and I did it! I was a Master Stylist, a Salon Leader (Manager), A Technical Trainer, and a Soft-Skill Trainer all by 25. I then went to run the highest volume salon in our region before becoming a District Leader.

In my spare time I attended University of Phoenix online, first completing my Associates degree and later my Bachelor’s degree.

Some people try to convince me that I am an anomaly and it is not possible for just anyone to exert as much self-discipline and tenacity as I do into everything but I just don’t believe that.
I am “just anyone!”
What I do know is I am not afraid or hesitant to put in work! I don’t half-ass do things, I give everything 100% effort.
I don’t just wait for things to happen, I make them happen so perhaps that is part of what makes me different.

We can either allow ourselves to be a victim of our circumstances or fight to overcome them! I watched and learned from my parents. I lived through the struggles and decided to make different decisions, I believe every parent should pray that their children are improved versions of themselves.

All of those things I mentioned came with long hours and lots of sacrifices but I did it. And you can too! You can do anything you set your mind to!