You could be one meeting, one chance
encounter, e-mail, phone call, or connection away from having your entire life
changed in extraordinary ways. I've been writing for a long time and I can
remember different times when I tried reaching out for different writing and
publishing opportunities and kept getting rejection after rejection after
rejection. I'd get discouraged and think maybe I wasn't meant to be a writer nor
had what it takes to be a successful one. Then something wild happened. I
started meeting different people and when they asked me what I did, I’d say,
"I'm a writer." Suddenly, I’d find myself in touch with someone who
knew someone, who knows someone else that's into writing and could help me get
published. And that’s exactly what happened to me at the end of 2017. I was
face to face with a published author who gave me all the information I needed
to get published. See how God works? When I started taking more meetings I felt
like, "Wow, how did this all happen?" Once I started taking more
meetings I got business cards made (and I honestly got laughed at from
different people for having them) but I wanted to make sure people I met had
the chance to get in touch with me if needed. Having those business cards in
place even landed me an interview once. The woman showing interest in hiring me
was impressed and excited to see I had a card in place before I even had a job.
Because when you believe in yourself, no matter how ridiculous other people may
think you sound or seem, other people will start believing in you too and many
doors will open up to you. In fact, you’ll begin to be sought after. And the
same people who rejected you could be calling you, just hoping to have a moment
of your time. Keep grinding and give it time. Where a lot of people mess up is
in having the mindset that the preparation happens once you get the
opportunities you want. Preparation begins long before you’re given opportunities.
You’re already what you will be before you become it and where you begin is not
where you’ll end. Behind the scenes and day to day of working a regular job,
I’m always reading, writing, studying, and getting inspiration to improve my
writing, branding, and other gifts and skills, so that if and when I find
myself in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, I can be
ready for the opportunities I’ve dreamed about and worked for. I’m doing what I
have to do now, so I can do what I want to do later. It's important to be
prepared for the kinds of opportunities you want before they even happen. You
never know who you'll meet that can change your life.
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...