Skip to main content

At My Age

One of the biggest excuses I’ve heard as to why people believe they can’t accomplish something is, I can’t do that at my age. I think it’s bogus, and a huge band-aid for why some people don’t do a lot of the things they could be doing to better themselves. I used to think if something didn’t happen at the age I thought it would, then I missed my window of opportunity. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’m only in my twenties and still young, with nothing but a ton of opportunities ahead of me. That thought alone is exciting! Some of the best things I’ve accomplished and experienced so far are just now happening to me, and I’m glad about that. Experiencing things later in life can be great, because it allows time for maturity and development to take place. If I had gotten a lot of the things I’ve obtained now vs. when I was younger, I wouldn’t know how to handle them.

Let’s see… I’ve written three books (they’re not published but they were submitted, and in the midst of a sea of rejections I did get some responses from publishers who were impressed that I was a college student who had already written books. Even my dental hygienist was seriously impressed when she found out I was a young writer that had already written books. I’ve finished college, I’m employed, built my own brand, and still working hard for everything I want. It’s not too late for you to work towards your dreams or do whatever else it is you want to do with your life, no matter how old you are. You can do a lot of the things you want to do at your age if you believe in yourself, and work hard enough. I’m breathing, living proof of that. I don’t let silly things like my age stop me from being dope, and doing dope things. In a lot of ways I still feel like I’m just getting warmed up. 

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts From a Black Educator: Qualified, Credentialed, and Constantly Undermined

I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space.  I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...

The Day I Made A Will

When I was a teenager, I remember writing a list of my greatest fears. One of the things I listed was death. Looking back, it was an interesting item to list because inevitably, death is something each of us will face at some point in our lives. Even though it’s no longer a fear of mine, I understand why and how it’s not a comfortable thing for everyone to navigate. But regardless, this past summer I completed a detailed will. I signed it, had witnesses sign it, and got it notarized. As I was getting everything done, one of the witnesses looked at me and said, “You know, it’s just that you’re so young…” I’ve learned that death doesn’t care how young or how old you are. You can be five, fifteen, thirty, or fifty, and it’s still something that happens. Completing my will wasn’t scary. It gave me peace of mind having documentation in place stating my detailed directives and requests. A year ago, I had one of my kidneys removed. It was a surgery that came with risks that were presented cle...

Ditching Dating And Decentering Men

Today’s current dating climate is bizarre. It’s grown so bizarre, that men barely, if ever in some cases, will approach a woman in person and ask her out on a date. Instead, the new normal has become DM sliding, creeping on social media accounts, and liking photos to build romantic connections, which honestly doesn’t sound too romantic or appealing to me at all. As a child of the 90s and a teenager of the early 2000s, I miss and prefer the time when men interacted with women without hiding behind technology. There was something special about handwritten cards and notes, thoughtful dates, serendipity, and intentionality. After having some unpleasant encounters, embarrassing moments, and failed set ups (from well meaning people who believe I need to be partnered), I’ve decided, that now, at 36, to choose me. I’m ditching dating and decentering men. I’m no longer interested in meeting anyone, dating, or creating space to prioritize a relationship. I’ve never been a male-centered woman any...