I am so flattered and inspired by the many emails I receive from readers who have gained inspiration from my story. People have written in to tell me how they stepped away from jobs they hated and have now found happiness in the workplace. They share how my testimonies of my engagement in abusive relationships helped them to recognize those same patterns in their lives and how my faith leads to building more faith in their lives.
But I have to warn anyone who is thinking of stepping out like I have…DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME…unless you are really ready to grind it out.
This situation is breaking me from my old ways. Growing up, I realize now how spoiled I was. I never had to ask for anything twice. I didn’t have the latest fashions because I was not really into all that, but I always had money and new outfits and hair do’s for every event. I never went without. Even in school when I had new ideas I wanted to implement, I can’t remember anyone ever telling me NO.
Because of this I began to understand that I could do anything I wanted to do. But now…it’s not so easy anymore. If you ask God to increase your faith, He will give you a tough situation that you will have to trust Him with. That’s not fun or easy. This is hard. This is lonely. Living like I do means that I have to face criticism on a daily basis. I’ve lost close friends who don’t approve of my decision making and I miss my family so much.
For those who have written to tell me that they quit their jobs and have found better ones, I am so happy about that! There are others who are thinking of doing the same thing but please understand that you may not be able to do what I’m doing unless you are going where I am going.
For my vision to come to pass, I HAVE to make these bold moves and stick to my principles but the ONLY reason why I was able to begin this journey in the first place is because God made it possible for my sons to be well taken care of by their father. I don’t have to worry about whether they are doing okay, he’s a good Daddy and I know he is doing a great job with them.
Before you step out on faith because you are unhappy where you are, please make a plan. Craft your vision for your life. Draw it out. Put it on paper. Then find others who have accomplished your dream and reach out to them for advice. If you can’t find anyone, please write to me and I will add your dream to my editorial calendar for my website and we can explore it together.
I am able to move around and jump from city to city because I have developed a skill set that is valuable in any city. I have educatied myself. I have had plenty of practice at marketing myself and I know how to impress a potential employer. The most important part of my ability to jump up and do what I want to do is the fact that when I have the opportunity to work, I DELIVER on my promises. I have a solid track record with exceeding expectations in the workplace and even though none of my past positions worked out where I could stay, no employer could ever complain about my work ethic or tenacity.
I am living according to how I feel God has led me to live, but my journey may be different from yours. You’ve seen me grow from a hopeful journalist into a professional but it’s taken YEARS for me to get here and I’m still not where I want to be. I do know that my gift is valuable and I have the paperwork to back up my claims.
Please remember that although you may have lofty dreams, there’s a lot of hard work that must be undertaken to accomplish them and if you have a family, you have to have the proper support systems in place in order for you to break away and take such a big risk.
A big part of my vision is to set up a foundation for dreamers like you and me. I will allow people to participate in my training program and have a chance to apply for a grant to allow them the stability to create their vision. But until then I feel helpless because all I can offer you is prayer and an encouraging word. I really want to be able to do more but I can’t right now.
Let me reiterate, this is NOT EASY. It takes a strong mind and a strong faith to do what I am doing. You have to be able to shut out all of the naysayers and humble yourself. Sometimes I think about rejecting the blessings that God sends my way because I feel like I shouldn’t have to accept donations of food and clothing. It hurts me that I can’t be a blessing to my friends right now but the end will justify the means.
I do enjoy coaching the people who write to me for advice, but I’m seeing a pattern in their frustration. They are dissatisfied with their current life but they have no vision for a better one. All they are focused on is running away from what they have, but when you decide to run away, you have to be running toward something.
Don’t make a move unless you are confident with where you are trying to go. Set a clear vision and then map out the steps necessary to achieve them. A solid education is a great place to start. Volunteering is an excellent way to get in on the ground floor of your vision. You have to have PATIENCE and you have to FOCUS on your fantasy. You must lay a proper foundation and you have to do the work.
Your testimony may not be the same as mine. I hope it’s not, I don’t like to see people struggle and waver in their faith. It hurts me when I can not help them through it but one day I will be able to help. My vision is to position myself to help you achieve your dreams, but for now all I can do is share the tough lessons that I am learning while I am pursuing my own.
Visit my website over the next few weeks and I will attempt to walk you step by step through crafting your vision and setting a foundation for your success.
May God be with you during your quest to achieve your fantasy life. Don’t be disgruntled by your frustration. As Kimora Lee Simmons wrote in her book abulosity, High expectations lead to frustration and frustration leads to action. Allow your frustration to motivate you to lay the ground work for your dreams.
Good luck!