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E S E T A T W E L V E S T E P G U I D E T O B E F O R E V E R W I S E
W h o i s M e c h e l l ê ?
“ T h i s w a s d i f f i c u l t f o r m e t o a n s w e r N o t t h a t I d o n ’ t k n o w w h o I a m , i t ’ s h a r d t o d e f i n e m e i n j u s t o n e w a y P r o f e s s i o n a l l y , M e c h e l l ê i s a n E d u c a t o r , M a r k e t i n g P r o f e s s o r , a n d D i v e r s i t y , E q u i t y a n d I n c l u s i o n P r o g r a m M a n a g e r . C r e a t i v e l y , s h e ’ s a b l o g g e r , c o n t e n t c r e a t o r , a n d w r i t e r a n d a s p i r i n g y o g a t e a c h e r A t h o m e , s h e ’ s a d a u g h t e r , s i s t e r , a u n t y , a n d m o t h e r t o a n a n g e l T o m y s e l f a n d o t h e r s , I ’ m J u s t A G i r l F r o m B r o o k l y n , t r y i n g t o l e a v e m y m a r k o n t h e w o r l d . T h e b i g g e s t o b s t a c l e I ’ v e h a d t o o v e r c o m e h a s b e e n f r o m l i v i n g w i t h t h e g r i e f f r o m t h e l o s s o f m y d a u g h t e r , S u m m e r w h o w a s b o r n p r e m a t u r e l y o n J a n u a r y 2 1 , 2 0 2 1 , a n d p a s s e d a w a y J a n u a r y 2 6 , 2 0 2 1 A t 2 5 w e e k s p r e g n a n t , I w a s d i a g n o s e d w i t h p r e e c l a m p s i a t h a t c a u s e d m y b l o o d p r e s s u r e t o s p i k e , a n d o t h e r c o m p l i c a t i o n s , r e s u l t i n g i n a n e m e r g e n c y c s e c t i o n T h e b i r t h a n d d e a t h o f m y b a b y c h a n g e d m y l i f e f o r e v e r I t o o , c o u l d h a v e d i e d , s o n o w , h a v i n g e n d u r e d t h a t , a n d t o s t i l l b e h e r e , m a k e s m e f e e l l i k e I g o t a s e c o n d c h a n c e a t l i f e . I l i v e t o n o t w a s t e a n y o f i t . I l i v e m y l i f e t o t h e f u l l e s t . I l i v e t o h o n o r S u m m e r
I w o u l d t e l l m y y o u n g e r s e l f t h a t s h e i s a l o t s t r o n g e r t h a n s h e t h i n k s , t h a t G o d h e a r s a n d s e e s a l l , a n d H e n e v e r f o r g e t s I w i l l a d v i s e h e r t o q u i t d o u b t i n g h e r s e l f a n d t h a t s h e i s b e a u t i f u l , c r e a t i v e a n d d o p e a s h e l l . I ’ l l t e l l h e r t h a t n o t e v e r y o n e i s f o r h e r , a n d i t s n o t c o o l b e i n g a p e o p l e p l e a s e r I t ’ s o k a y t o l e t p e o p l e g o ”
God was granting me the opportunity to do exactly what I've been praying for We got on the subject of motherhood and my journey She disclosed that there were some choices in life that she made but wasn't the proudest of I let her know that we have all been in that position at some point in our life One day you have to come to the realization that you are the one reaping the consequences of whatever path it is you choose to take Since this occurred recently, I want to respect her privacy as she also disclosed major plans for her future plans that I was able to help prepare her for. In the midst of deep conversation, it dawned on me that there were certain things I needed to endure to be a proper vessel The epiphany solidified that everything happens for a reason When it comes to being a vessel and doing God's work, I never want to miss my mark I pray I am properly aligned to fulfill the task at hand Sometimes your current circumstances won't make sense until weeks, months, or years from now Maybe they never will Knowing the tribulations I endured are pieces of a puzzle bigger than I could imagine is fulfilling within itself One of the greatest gifts is knowing I am a part of God's work. Not for my grace, but for His glory.
"First generation daughter of immigrants Mother Latina and proud I am Susan Machado and I was born in Long Island, New York As I like to say adopted by Atlanta I moved from New York to Georgia at 9 years old I’ve always been outspoken and never apologetic. I’m an operations manager at one of my parent’s companies, and will eventually expand to great success. Aside from helping run my family’s business, I spend the rest of my time with my three year old daughter It’s me and her against the world
The biggest obstacle that I overcame that influenced me as a person today was when I did the transition from New York to Georgia I come from a different area in New York called Brentwood Born in Long Island but raised in Brentwood At age 9 I was not ready to leave everything that I was used to I was not ready to leave th culture, my family, my friends, my hometown with everything I experienced racism at a very young age when I moved to Georgia I would beg my parents to move back to New York constantly I never knew people could be so cruel because of the way I looked Every time that I would beg my parents to switch me out of schools, they would say I was better than them and to keep on fighting because their comments did not define me After going through middle and high school dealing with so many racist remarks, I had so much confidence in myself Nobody or anything could ever break me None of the things that were said to me defined me I was the way I was because I chose to be that way, not because of what others said I am the things that I overcame I am confident I stand my ground on what I believe and I will never ever be ashamed of who I am and what language I speak An advice I would give my younger self is to slow down and breathe It gets better Speak up if you don’t understand what somethings means Have faith in a higher power, and do more things for yourself rather than others Put yourself before anyone Love yourself and thank the universe for the things you already have ”
“Ariana is a multi dimensional person who doesn’t like constraints She lives life openly/freely without many regrets Ariana is loved by a lot of people even though she’s a flawed individual Yes, she is a good person, but Ariana has room to grow when it comes to a number of things As mentioned above, she is multi dimensional Good people are flawed too Two things can be true
Nervousness and fear influenced me as a person When I was younger, I was always afraid of what other people thought Whether it was the opinion of a peer or conducting a class presentation, I was always nervous about my perception Overtime, I developed a very liberated attitude about life I embrace outward critiques from people I feed off the attention that I receive when I am being my authentic self. This is how I became so good at presenting information to a group of people I trained my mind to believe that I wasn’t truly nervous or scared I turned my weakness into a super power It was hard I’m still learning, honestly
I’m so thankful for my growth If I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her a few things. First, I would tell her is that someone will hurt her immensely one time (in her teen years), and she will spend every day of her life trying to protect herself from ever being hurt again Life doesn’t work that way. She needs to know that. Second, I’d explain that she is shy right now, because she doesn’t feel comfortable expressing herself When she gets older, Ariana will gain the confidence to expand on her eccentricity and find comfort in it She will be so comfortable with herself that people will ask her for advice on how to get to this place Finally, I’d say, “ …you ’ re fucking bald now. ”
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W h o i s T a y l o r ? A m o t h e r , a l o v e r , a b o s s , a n d a b e l i e v e r ! T h e b i g g e s t o b s t a c l e I ’ v e o v e r c o m e w a s g o i n g t o s c h o o l w h i l e c a r r y i n g m y s o n a n d g r a d u a t i n g 9 m o n t h s p r e g n a n t I t t a u g h t m e p a t i e n c e a n d d i s c i p l i n e . P r o v i d i n g m e w i t h a n e n t i r e r e v a l u a t i o n o f m y l i f e a n d a n e w c a r e e r p a t h A l l t h e a d v e r s i t y I f a c e d d u r i n g t h a t t i m e a l l o w e d m e t o b l o s s o m i n t o a n a m a z i n g m o t h e r / w o m a n w h o i s l e a r n i n g , h e a l i n g , a n d p r o s p e r i n g d a i l y ! A d v i c e I w o u l d g i v e t o m y y o u n g e r s e l f ?
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed."
Booker T WashingtonSuccess requires a certain level of humility as a reminder that you are forever a STUDENT
Plant the seed Write down whatever vision you have for yourself Before any step of execution, one must envision themselves doing it Nurture You need food to live, cars need gas to drive, and plants need the sun to thrive Apply this concept to your goal Nothing will get done if you keep on looking at your goals on paper Do a small task every day to contribute towards it Study. Knowledge is indeed power, continue expanding. Observe & Learn Observation is a key ingredient to success You must take time to build knowledge in whichever field your goal is categorized under Do your research find out the history and analyze the market Understand the ins and outs Fall Down With every success story comes the many tribulations of failure It's inevitable, embrace them Pray Sit in silence Collect your thoughts, and seek guidance from whatever you believe in Self reflect Self awareness is a major key to improving in all aspects of life. Everything is done in moderation. Stay humble and keep hustling
Remember Your Why Don't get lost in the sauce trying to do too much Keep that original goal in mind Don't let this superficial world lead you to stray or blow your head up from a taste of success If you are in a rut, allow yourself 24 hours to feel discouraged Your feelings are valid, just don't dwell on them Tomorrow is an opportunity for a fresh start Get Back Up Dwelling on the past is like withdrawing all of your money from your account and flushing it down the toilet Time is the most precious currency in this life Spend it on things that improve you as an individual. The present is truly a present. Pray Sit in silence Collect your thoughts, and seek guidance from whatever you believe in Begin Again If you find yourself at a stagnant stage in life, go back to the drawing board It is okay to stop adjust and reset It's not how you fall, it is your courage to stand up You got this
"Robby is a King waiting for his Queen.
Robby is warm Hearted Soul
Robby is Only Son.
Robby is Adapt, Adjust & Overcome.
Robby is first College Graduate.
Robby is Leader, who Leads
Robby is Sightful, Peace & Determined.
Robby is Unconditional Love.
Robby is be Yourself.
Robby is P
Robby overcame the system of Foster Care.
It is You VS You Robby
Stay focused & make smart Investments now. "
"I would define myself as a pragmatic go getter who strives to achieve their dreams I really want to be successful in life, so I'm at a place where my life is defined by building, whether that's career wise, in my relationships and friendships, etc ; I'm pushing to be the best version of myself
A major obstacle that I overcame was probably graduating from undergrad There was a lot of trauma that occurred during those years, and I look back at the strength that I really had to have in order to survive It reminds me of how strong I can be and to fearlessly keep going even in the face of adversity
I would tell the younger me to speak up sooner I used to let a lot of people treat me any way that they saw fit, and I would give younger me permission to stand up for themselves and to establish boundaries with people If younger me knew that, I feel like I wouldn't have encountered a lot of the issues that I had in my early 20s ”
“Who is Jordan? That’s a loaded question. Let’s say I’m a child of God, a work in progress I’m Jordan, an aspiring postpartum nurse. I feel like my purpose in life is to bring people happiness and spread love and positivity ” What is an obstacle you overcame that influenced you as a person today? This is a cliché answer, but I swear it’s learning myself after getting over a traumatic breakup. I’m blessed that’s the most traumatic thing that has happened to me this far in my life. Being in healthcare has exposed me to other forms of traumas and that’s what put a lot in perspective for me. I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel I’d channel that hurt and anger; redirected those negative feelings and the end product was learning to give myself grace and love. The advice I would give to my younger self is to give yourself time Jordan. Don’t compare yourself to anyone. You are walking in your purpose! There’s no race, or no competition Give yourself the love you wish to receive ”
M e d i t a t e o r s i t i n s i l e n c e f o r 1 0 1 5 m i n u t e s
D r i n k a t l e a s t 8 g l a s s e s o f w a t e r
P u t d o w n a l l d i s t r a c t i o n s a n d d o s o m e t h i n g y o u e n j o y w i t h 1 0 0 % u n i n t e r r u p t e d i n t e n t C r e a t e / p r a c t i c e y o u r d a i l y m a n t r a R e a d a b o o k
B e a w a r e o f w h a t y o u a r e f e e d i n g y o u r s p i r i t , f i l t e r t h e n e g a t i v i t y
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Describing myself is equivalent to describing a young woman whose embracing her life and all that comes with it I’ve found power in knowing that I am a kind woman I am someone who stands in the principals of balancing out injustices through love. I live to break generational curses and pour into my community. Ways that I enter myself include cooking, traveling, and spending time with my loved ones. The greatest obstacle in my life that’s helped me cherish the life God gave me is surviving a terrible car accident. My ankle was broken and my right hip was completely shattered after my accident and it took more than medicine to heal me. I thank God it was me and not anyone I loved because I truly believe I was used as an example for my loved ones. With my faith and positive mindset, I was able to bounce back from my adversities and still embrace what was ahead of me.
The best piece of advice that I would give my younger self is to not stress how qualified I am to be in any space If the space is meant for me, I believe that God qualifies the called instead of calling the qualified My best work has been keeping my faith in God ”
“Dionté is divinity personified. Through the highs and lows of life, I continue to be relentless I am phoenix with the most unapologetic flames I have always felt alone in life and with that lingering over me,
I believe that has influenced me to be someone who leads with love and warmth.
Advice I would give to my younger self, is that everything will be okay That assurance would be such a comfort.”
“Who is Hannah? I wish I had a real answer to this this is a question I’ve asked myself repeatedly and have been trying to figure it out for the last few years, especially since Covid I think Been trying to find things I’m passionate about things that make ‘ me ’ me I’m still working towards an answer for myself, but I think if you asked my friends “who is Hannah?” They would say I’m emotional, colorful, crazy, chaotic good I don’t think a person ever truly overcomes the obstacle of self doubt At least not in my experience It’s a constant thing you ’ re fighting Spring 2021 I decided that I HAD to get away from my then current job and abusive boss and find something better The amount of rejections I received in the span of 4 months, even after I landed interviews, all to still be getting yelled at by my current boss in between brought my self image dowwwnnn I was thinking “maybe this is the job I deserve, no one thinks I’m good enough to do anything else.” It really took a toll on what I thought I was capable of After months and months I finally landed my current job and it felt like ‘maybe someone does believe in me ’ I know I shouldn’t put the responsibility of making myself feel better in the hands of other people, but it was nice confirmation that I had potential, and someone saw it in me The whole job hunting experience taught me a lot about how I’m able to push myself, even when everyone is saying ‘ no ’ Advice for my younger self? DO NOT BE AFRAID TO SET YOUR BOUNDARIES! SET THEM AND UPHOLD THEM! You’re only hurting yourself in the long run if you let people cross your boundaries Also, sometimes self love = discipline Having the discipline to see something to the end; having the discipline to make the right decision, even if it isn’t the easiest one "
“ D e s t i n y i s a s t r o n g , o v e r a c h i e v i n g , d e t e r m i n e d p e r s o n . S h e p u t s o t h e r s f i r s t e v e n w h e n s h e d o e s n ’ t h a v e i t B e c a u s e s h e k n o w s w h a t i t ’ s l i k e t o n o t h a v e a n y t h i n g
T h e b i g g e s t o b s t a c l e I ’ v e o v e r c a m e i n m y l i f e w o u l d b e e n t e r i n g a v e r y a b u s i v e s i t u a t i o n a t s u c h a y o u n g a g e a n d b e i n g s t r o n g e n o u g h t o b e a b l e t o l e a v e i t I t h a s t a u g h t m e t h a t e v e r y o n e c a n ’ t b e t r u s t e d o r h e l p e d a n d e v e r y o n e d o e s n ’ t d e s e r v e y o u r n i c e n e s s I t h a s a l s o t a u g h t m e t o t r u s t m y g u t
T h e a d v i c e I w o u l d g i v e t o m y y o u n g e r s e l f w o u l d b e t h a t i t ’ s o k a y t o n o t b e t h e h a p p y o n e a l l t h e t i m e I t ’ s o k a y t o h a v e b r e a k d o w n s a n d s h a r e y o u r e m o t i o n s B e c a u s e i f t h e y l o v e y o u , t h e y w o u l d h e l p "
“I define Israel as a creator The past year has been more so a season of recreating, and finding myself But beyond that, I enjoy putting my hands to work whether it’s making music or making clothes; I’ve always been into building things from scratch in privacy.
Adversity whether it was mental or physical health is something that shaped my perspective and influenced my tendencies to never give up on myself My environment fueled my enlightenment.
My advice to a younger me would’ve been to listen to my gut every time and never wait on anyone else. Be on my own time If you want something go get it now because you’ll wait months , years for the perfect moment and realize you don’t want to do it anymore, question if you even are capable still Why wait, go ”
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““Esther I am a woman who doesn’t let my struggles define me. I love life and all that comes with it, good or bad I think that who I am is constantly changing with time, but always for the better I'm a very private person and enjoy the company of my close friends that are more like family. I can get along with almost anyone which doesn’t always help the introvert in me, but helps me to understand people that come from different walks of life I’m true to my character and beliefs, with a very strong faith in God I really enjoy the simple things in life like a good meal, a good song, or a good blunt My truest passion in life is to sing and write music I’ll be dropping my first single before the end of the year. Overall I think I’m a kind person with great resilience I look forward to growing and becoming even better with time
I’ve dealt with a lot of struggles in my life, but a major obstacle I had to overcome was learning to deal with anxiety It caused a lot of issues for me and the people closest to me in my teen years, and would manifest into anger When I finally decided that it was not a way of life
I was willing to accept, I became very conscious about what I was thinking, saying and doing I prayed constantly and became very intentional about creating a positive environment for my mind which carried over physically It was not easy and is still something I continue to work on everyday But, making those changes has influenced every part of me since. It has made me much more calm and understanding, Even though it’s something I’ll likely always have to deal with, it’s made me a better woman because of it
I would tell my younger self to always be confident in my gut feeling To trust the bad parts of the process almost even more so then the good It’s worth it, and makes the good so much greater To be kind to myself and always be smart with my money ”
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