Taking Flight: Destination determined yet uncertain.

“I am not who I was, but I am who I was always meant to become.”

The sound that the engine of an airplane makes as it passes overhead nearby has always had the power to send me into a euphoric daydream. It’s a brief yet blissful escape that may result in one of two ways once I’m jolted back into the reality of my daily responsibilities; I am either deeply motivated to take action on the plans I have for my life, or I am taken aback by the “fantasy world” I have created for myself, as if there is some firm distinction between who I am and who I hope to become. I mean, is there, really?

When we impose a sense of separation between the person we are today and who we aspire to become in the future, disparities arise that cause us to highlight our deficits, or whatever we are lacking in that moment. A major fallacy is that the two (who we are and who we hope to become) are not one in the same. This train of thought can be a major hindrance that leads to being unprepared for opportunities when they arrive. Once they present themselves to us, there’s a great chance that they will slip between our fingertips because we were not yet ready to receive them.

It’s pivotal that we behave and perform now for the roles we hope to attain. We’ve got to stop planning to get ready and just focus on BEING ready to flourish now and being prepared for that next big step, whatever that may look like for each of us on an individual basis. For some, it may mean taking the initiative to write an action plan for your business start up, even though you may not have funding or assistance with your organizational goals in the present. It could also be volunteering or shadowing someone in the field that you hope to break into, even though you aren’t able to secure a job in that industry right now. For someone who has hopes of becoming an actor, for example, it can be as simple as attending more plays, reading scripts, or practicing the lines of your favorite monologue in the mirror every morning. Whatever it is that you want to do, the best way to be the person you hope to become is to simply BE that person every moment of the day and to become the embodiment of who you were already created to be.

At times I know that I can be my own worst enemy, right along with the fears and doubts of others that I allow to be projected onto me and the way I feel about my own capabilities. We have to make the decision to put an end to self doubt; to erase the distinction between “me today” and “the person I am becoming”. With this entry, I am proclaiming a new personal credo: “I am not who I was, but I am who I was always meant to become”. I am a mother. I am a scholar. I am an educator. I am a writer and a linguist. I am a model in EVERY essence of the word. I am a leader. I am an entrepreneur. I am an activist. I am a philanthropist. I am all of these things, and none of these things because ultimately I decide when, how, and if my life is going to take flight. I know where I am headed and the destination I want to reach, but will I get there?

Join me on my journey as I rummage through the trials of life and share with you my triumphs and defeats. It is my hope that through blogging and vlogging on a weekly basis I will:

• Encourage readers to take control in the areas of their lives that are manageable as I navigate through my own endeavors.

• Inspire others to engage in meaningful discourse that has otherwise been seldom discussed in a public setting.

• Promote awareness for social, cultural, economic and political issues that exist causing the disparities that so many of us face in our day to day lives. And,

• Create a sense of mutualism between myself and my readers so that you may gain insight and learn from my life experiences.

Thank you for reading, for your continued support, and for your insightful feedback via comments or connecting with me via social media.

Signed and sealed,

Tenacious T

Photographed in Charlotte, NC at the first annual Inspire Model's Inc. Flight 1118 Runway Show. (2013)