Deferred Dreams to Bold Realignments

I’m setting aside the usual format to share something deeply personal — a story I once felt ashamed to tell. I’ve come to realize that sometimes our mess is our message. By opening up, I hope my journey resonates with you and help you to feel less alone.

The Rough Start: A Dream Deferred

My career journey began with a dream that was abruptly deferred. I was accepted into Virginia State University before even graduating high school, but I never got to attend. As the daughter of a self-employed single parent, I couldn’t secure the financial aid I needed because my father hadn’t kept up with his tax documentation. Overnight, my future was reduced to two choices that didn’t feel like choices at all: I could become independent student or try to pay my own way, which was impossible given our financial circumstances.

Feeling defeated, I stopped hoping for more; it was too painful. Instead, I accepted life as it was. The dream of becoming a psychologist, a career that I wanted since I was 12 years old no longer seemed possible. From there, I drifted through life for years, not because I wanted to, but because I didn’t believe I was capable of anything more. I doubted myself -always feeling like I was never enough, like I was always a few steps behind everyone else. I went from one low-paying job to another.