I am writing this with humility and gratitude.
This weekend as I packed away my summer things while Autumn in New York by Billie Holiday played in the background I came across a photo of myself from the year I had moved to this country. Now like all things instantly nostalgic, which can be either cliched or profound, a young girl in the picture stood upon the deck of the Staten Island Ferry looking at the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline in awe. And as I sat looking at that picture, I began to reflect on how far I had come; looking upon those same sights from my high-rise apartment, my small dog in my lap, it hit me that I am living my dream.
Here is what it took to make that dream my waking reality:
At eighteen I moved to the USA with a suitcase, a limited command of the English language and a $20 bill in my pocket. What drove me- like a lot of immigrants fleeing invariable oppression and lack of opportunity in their homeland- was a hunger for a better life and opportunities.
Without bitterness, but with an almost delusional confidence, that same young girl in the photo who had no money, knew she would figure things out as she navigated the various challenges that many immigrants face such as: language barriers, cultural assimilation, and simultaneous feelings of naivety and distrust.
I have been hungry, lonely, nearly homeless, resided in Catholic church centers and Job Corps housing. While my college roommates were out experiencing the “college life” I worked two to three jobs to pay my tuition. I learned to take advantage of all the educational opportunities this country has to offer and in doing so earned two bachelor’s degrees, an MBA, and MSW. In addition, I took up Transcendental Meditation to help me gain mental clarity and maintain inner calm.
For seventeen years I had the blessing to work at a Fortune 50 company in various leadership roles for which most of the time I was the only female, the only woman of color, or the only immigrant in the room. It was the most rewarding and yet challenging experience as a professional. In my journey to success, I can’t help but have a growth mindset.
Looking back, looking around, a looking ahead I am grateful for all the opportunities (and some good luck) that has come my way. I have had some great mentors, friends and work colleagues who helped me along the way. For those who are in my LinkedIn network group, you know who you are and thank you as I couldn’t have done it without you!
Seeing that photo reminds me that as we navigate our own course in this measurable world of both the professional and educational, we often don’t get to pause and reflect on how far we have come on our journeys. As an executive coach, my life experience, resilience, and educational credentials allowed me to develop and gain greater self-awareness and evoke client awareness.
If I could, I would tell my eighteen year old self to never stop growing, surround yourself with good people, laugh more, and remember that while success can be attained in different modes the only way to failure is through the regret of not trying.
Thank you for listening to my story. I invite you to take a minute to reflect and ask what would you say to your younger self.
