FlightsInStilettos®️ Magazine July 2021

Growing up in Jonesboro, Georgia, with a loving family really set a solid foundation for me. I was grateful to have such loving parents and friendships. You can say that this chick lived a city life remixed with a bit of country life. I was a very quiet and reserved young lady who wouldn't step foot on an airplane or car to go anywhere. I was content with staying in the same place with the same people. Anything out of my comfort zone was out of the question. Little did I know I was on my way to having the bumpiest flight of my life.

After high school, I attended college for two years, but I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with my life. I would get so frustrated because I felt as if everyone had a purpose in life except me.

I had no drive, no goals, and no sense of urgency to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.

Then God stepped in.

Who knew that accepting the position as a front desk agent for a small hotel chain would set the foundation for something unimaginable. Every single day there would be a young man stopping by the front desk to explain to me how great of a flight attendant I would be. I would kindly tell him how I hated flying and how my mom was actually a flight attendant for the same airline. Until one day I heard a voice that said "Go for it" Go to the job fair. Surprisingly, I listened and went to the job fair.

There were hundreds of people at this job fair when I arrived. I couldn't believe my eyes. I almost turned around and left. I immediately got into the flight attendant's line to apply, but suddenly fear hit me. I got out of the flight attendant line and proceeded to the customer service line. That's when I heard a voice and felt a tap on my shoulder. The lady asked me why I decided to get out of line and walked me to the front of the line. She then says, "You belong in this line. Your life will forever be changed and filled with great friendships and memories. Then, she passed me an employment application and disappeared.

Fast forward, I was hired on the spot and invited to flight attendant training. The rest is history. I've now been a Flight Attendant for 18 years and still counting. I love what I do, and I wouldn't change it for the world. I am forever grateful to that one person who pushed me into the airline industry. We are still good friends to this day, and I'm forever grateful. So let this be a lesson. Whatever that is for you will be for you.

Over the next few years, I became a single mom of twin boys, and I didn't know how I was going to make it. I never imagined being a single mom at the age of twenty-five years old. I was overweight, and I immediately fell into depression. I had to take a year off of work to deal with my anxiety and depression. That was until I found my new love, which was working out. I began working out every day, and I would also meditate. I soon realized how doing those things would help me feel better from the inside out. My doctor recommended putting me on depression medications, but I refused. Instead, I began doing my own research on natural healing and ways to cope with depression. After one year of working on my emotional, spiritual, and physical well-being, I began telling people how I "worked" it out. I managed to get out of depression without medications by working out.

In life, every day, we get a chance to be different. A chance to change. A chance to be better. Your past is your past; leave it there. I also found that connecting with positive individuals helped motivate me to be the best woman that I could be. So, I'll tell anyone to get out and travel. This will help mold you into your best self.

Eighteen years later, I now reside in Tampa, Florida, with my loving husband and thirteen-year-old twin boys. I'm flying the friendly skies, still enjoying it. When Covid hit, I took some time off work. I continued to pray that we all got through this pandemic and that soon I would have a job to go back to. The pandemic was terrifying. I refused to sit around. Instead, I took the opportunity to follow my dream of becoming a certified Personal Trainer.

I love helping people make that transition to a healthier lifestyle.

To be fit on the outside, you must first know how to be fit inside. Mental health is something that we all should be talking about. Earlier this year, I was extremely sick. I was in horrible shape, but I refused to let it take over my mind and body. I was mentally and physically drained. I couldn't talk, walk, or stay awake. At one point, I began to give up. Then, on day seven of being sick, I began to speak life into myself. Sometimes we have to speak life into ourselves. We can be surrounded by people who love and care for us, but it's important to remember that we are responsible for our well-being. You must stay balanced and take care of yourself first. Otherwise, you could find yourself drained, confused, or flat-out frustrated.

I managed to fight my negative thoughts mentally and took control of those negative thoughts. Within weeks I slowly began to gain my energy back. Again, this is a prime example of how "I ''worked it out. I recently passed my Florida Real Estate Class exam, so I'll be sitting for my Florida State Real Estate Exam in a few weeks.

It's never too late to pursue your dreams. Remember, your strongest muscle and worst enemy is your mind. Train it well. So grab a pen and design the life that you love. Then, when you're having a bad day or ever feel stuck, get up and "WORK IT OUT. "

Photo: @lemack.photography

Contributor Milicent Lawson is a Flight Attendant for a major U.S. airline, personal fitness trainer, fitness advocate, wife and mother. Photo Credit: @lemack.photography

Photo: @lemack.photography