Graduation Motivation...

Graduation marks a triumphant completion. For me, it marks the end of senseless early mornings and the death of sleepless nights.

I can remember my grandmother taking me shopping to find the most appropriate interview attire to downplay my nicely formed baby bump. I was five months pregnant when I interviewed for a seat in the school of pharmacy’s class of 2016.

What are we doing or giving to make things better? If the answer is “nothing,” then we are failing. The only thing that stands in the way of being is doing. It takes just one step. One foot in front of the other, left foot, right foot repetitiously, enthusiastically and persistently.

This journey was not easy, nor was it glamorous. I’ve been frustrated, overwhelmed and angry. I’ve punched a time clock more than I’ve vacationed. I’ve endured heartbreak and betrayal. I’ve felt like a failure more than I’ve felt affluent.

I was determined to stay the course. Being bold brought me to the occasion, and being humble allowed me to rise to it. I did this for the little girl who calls me “Mommy,” to show her she has a choice and to set the standard, not the exception.

On May 8, I will graduate as Dr. Charity B. Strothers. However that amounts to nothing if my greatest accomplishment serves only to advance myself singularly.

For the person with just as many doubts as dreams, I share this poem:

It Couldn’t be Done

By Edgar Albert Guest

Somebody said that it couldn’t be done

But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn’t,” but he would be one

Who wouldn’t say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin

On his face. If he worried he hid it.

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;

At least no one ever has done it;”

But he took off his coat and he took off his hat

And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,

Without any doubting or quiddit,

He started to sing as he tackled the thing

That couldn’t be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,

There are thousands to prophesy failure,

There are thousands to point out to you one by one,

The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,

Just take off your coat and go to it;

Just start in to sing as you tackle the thing

That “cannot be done,” and you’ll do it.

Don't You Ever

I have a confession.

 I spend way too much idle time on social media. It's honestly a nasty little habit I've developed.

I'll be the first person to admit to being nosey. I should probably clarify that I mean nosey in a good way. I'm a people person, most of the time anyway, I like to share in birthdays, successes, and travels. It's always interesting, to me at least, to read people's views. I guess I just enjoy the aspect of engagement. However, every so often I  find a view or a post that just so happens to ruffle my feathers.

Today was in fact that day. Not that I have a life's work. But I feel that my life's work will be devoted to [at some point in time] inspiring people to do the impossible. I think if I were to have a slogan it would be "Making the impossible, possible!" Because that's what life is about, right? That's why we experience. So, okay now what the post was actually about. A young lady took the opportunity to boast for not having children and focusing on her career, so that when the time came her children would be well taken care of.

"I chose my career instead of laying around poppin kids out...guess im selfish. .....just know when i do decide they wouldnt want for nothing....called priorities"

So, my true issue is maybe me actually being sensitive and I'm willing to admit that I may actually be being sensitive. But, let's be perfectly honest. It's not what you've really done that was right versus what someone did that was so terribly wrong. But you haven't gotten caught doing the wrong they've done.
As a parent, I'm not sure you can ever really be prepared for this experience. You can try, but there are no guarantees in this business. But as a parent my daughter has never wanted for anything, I've never not be able to provide her basics necessaties and cover the majority of her wants. I felt the post may not have been very socially conscious. We have all made decisions [ I won't say mistakes, because I don't think my daughter is in any sense of the word, a mistake] that maybe we felt in hindsight we shouldn't have. Having a child or having children is a very public decision. A decision that I tell people [mothers] all the time doesn't stop them from being GREAT!

My intent is not to take anything away from this person and I certainly don't take this negatively personally. Let me just pause for the cause:

A. I will be graduating with a doctorate in 1 month
B. I have published several articles nationally
C. I am about to embark on a very successful career with a six figure salary
D. I have been a mother the entire time
E. All of the Above

So, as you were. I am a very confident and strong person, at this point in my life. But not every mother is and my goal is to motivate and not shun. The only selffish part of that post was that it glorified a persons personal decisions over anothers. Priorities= regarded as being more important than another. If you choose your career over starting a family, fine. If you choose starting a family over your career, fine. If you choose to do both at the same time, fine. And if you choose neither, far be it for anyone to judge.

Don't you ever let someone's opinion, belief, success, words, theory, or social media post hinder you from GREATNESS you desire for your life! Social media can be excellent platform to spread greatness, but it can also be a great platform to inadvertly suppress it.

YOLO

2 years have gone by since I officially became the JOVIAL mommy. It hasn't been easy...

Actually it's been frustrating, tiresome, hectic, chaotic, and at times depressing! Parenting doesn't come with a guide, I mean there's people out there that can tell you how they did it, you know books and the like. However, that doesn't mean that you'll like every aspect of how they choose to parent. I think becoming a parent gives you a greater appreciation of your own parents. I mean because really at times it does seem as though the blind are leading the blind.

I always try my best to motivate any and every one, to give life every thing I have, because you only live once. "YOLO"

Having children doesn't mean your life is over and that you'll never be able to accomplish your life's goals and dreams. It just means: it'll get a little harder, take a little longer, mean a little more, make you a little stronger, make you a little tougher, make you mature a little faster, and much more appreciative.

As I mentioned yesterday I feel as though I struggle with staying encouraged. And more than likely that's just the Once Over Achiever in Me! But more important than the latter is encouraging people to stay motivated in becoming successful. And I'm a little biased because, I'm a strong believer in education. I don't think that you can't be seen as intelligent without an education. However, I believe  education is essential to success. Formal Education isn't for everyone, that I can understand. But knowledge doesn't come by way of only formal education. I want, especially young women, to stop settling for "whatever" is out there and to work to get the best that's available! Often times people are in a hurry to have something they over look the grand scheme.

Why is public housing ENOUGH... Why isn't working hard to own your own home the ultimate goal? Why is working your way up to manger instead of owning your own business the dream? And why are we so afraid of working together in fears someone will have more than what we will?

I was looking over my blog, and I was going to delete some posts. I was embarrassed, I felt too emotional, too exposed, too transparent. Who am I to share my thoughts, stories, dreams, and goals? Recently, I had someone to question my motives for posting my grades each semester. I was shocked because honestly before I even decided to post my grades I was hesitant. I thought: My district manager follows me, people who don't care for me or my family follow me, I've always been seen as smart and on and on and on...It's my experience when God has a task for you, you don't tend to play teachers pet, jumping with excitement to complete tasks at hand. But at some point he'll give you a peace and that's when you get prepared to move. So as I stumbled to answer the question, she threw another just as sharp as the first "So, would you post your grades even if you got all C's" I answered simply "Absolutely"

So with everything that I do, no matter how personal, I'm doing it to encourage someone that just because...doesn't mean you can't... Becoming a jovial mommy hasn't always been jovial and sometimes it wasn't jovial at all. But I wouldn't change it for the world, the love that I have for my daughter and the love she reciprocates is more than I could have every have dreamed for! You only live once, make the best of your life every day of your life!

-With Love