Be You!!!!

My entire life every adult that I have ever know told me "BreAuna, you're either going to be a teacher or a lawyer". Those were the only two things that people continuously told me that I would/could be. My parents made it very clear that I could be whatever I wanted to be BUT they made the lawyer/teacher comment a few times as well. 

Becoming a teacher became my goal. Throughout grammar school, high school and even most of college I thought I wanted to be a teacher. I went to NIU(S/O to my set #TeamNIUAlumni...Shameless plug lol) to major in English so that I could become a high school English teacher. For years I convinced myself that I wanted to be a teacher. 

On July of 2011 I lost my great grandmother and in August of 2011 I lost my other great grandmother. Losing those two women made me question EVERYTHING  about my life. I felt LOST. I felt like I had no guidance. I didn't know what I was really doing with my life. I was alive and breathing but I wasn't LIVING. In November of 2011 was my last straw. I lost another good friend (RIP Steve Agee) and I couldn't take it. 

2011 changed my life. I lost sooooo many people. I felt like I was drowning. BUT I remembered the conversations that I had with the people that I lost. I remembered their lives and how they were all living up until the their last breath. 

I walked across that great big stage in December 2011 knowing that I no longer wanted to teach. In losing many of my loved ones, I found my true passion...WRITING! I have always been a writer. But when I lost my grandmothers I didn't want to talk, all I wanted to do was write. When I was in the most pain, I didn't want to cry, I wanted to write.

A lot of people are wondering what I am doing with my life after graduating. They ask me why I am not teaching and what changed that I didn't want to teach anymore. When I tell them that I am a writer and about some of my dreams and goals they don't support. They can't seem to wrap their heads around the fact that I no longer want to teach. They tell me that I would be a great teacher and that I should think about my decision to be a writer. SMH. What about saying that I'll be a great writer? SMH

My entire life I let people tell me what I was good at. I let people tell me who I should be, what I should major in, what career I should have and sooo many other things. I got to a point where I got tired of waking up everyday and "living" for other people. I got tired of putting other people's wants and dreams for me, in front of my own wants and dreams. I finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life and I am doing it. NO my life isn't perfect. No, I am not exactly where I want to be with my career at this point BUT I can guarantee you that I am working towards MY GOALS, MY DREAMS and I AM LIVING FOR ME. I love to write. I am a writer. I will have published work. I will write a book. I will write more songs. I write...and if you have a problem with that, oh well! Writing is what I love to do and I am pursuing a GREAT career in WRITING...NOT TEACHING! SO DEAL WITH IT!  

Do what you want. Make YOUR dreams come true! Step out on faith! Believe in yourself even when other people don't! Keep working. Keep dreaming! Keep reaching for your goals. Nothing beats a fail but a try! 

Act Your Wage!!

I hear a new song about "checking a bag" or "getting money" almost everyday. While those rap songs may work in the club or in your car, applying them to reality is becoming a problem. What I am noticing is that a lot of people seem to be more content with looking like a million bucks rather than actually having a million bucks.

There is nothing wrong with wanting and getting nice things. There is nothing wrong with looking nice and treating yourself. BUT it becomes a problem when you are able to buy a Gucci belt that cost $500 but are aren't able to put $40 worth of gas in your car. It becomes a problem when you have a $1200 purse on your arm yet your bank account has $7.50 in it. Where are your priorities? 

Impressing the person next to you should never be your main focus. Some people can't seem to find employment because they are too worried about impressing the next person. "STUNTING" is not a full time job! "Stunting" does not pay the bills. The people that you are trying to impress are probably about as broke as you are or have less than what you have.

What people fail to realize is that those Gucci belts go out of style every season. That Gucci purse will be out of season in two months. There is will be a new purse or a new belt and then you will expected (by those same broke people you are trying to impress) to have the new belt and purse. 

Too many times we think of temporary success or of temporary things in general. So instead of saving up money to purchase a house or something that would be more permanent in our lives we spend money on things that will come and go. Can you pass that belt down to your children? Is that purse going to put a roof over your head?

Instead of thinking of the temporary satisfaction, think Longevity