Have you ever just thought about how far you have come? or Have you ever just sat in a chair, looked around a room and said to yourself “WOW, if someone would have asked me five years ago would I be where I am today, I would have probably looked at them crazy “. Whether you go to an office or you are taking that first step into a passion of yours.   There is something to be said about growth. When you are able to see the growth, you begin to feel hope. This is called Growth comes with hope. I learned a long time ago that you need some form of hope to be able to grow as an individual.  Nothing can be worse than losing hope on something you desperately want and you fail at because you lose hope in it. 

When I first started college, I was so nervous that I was walking with less hope because it was something new. “I have never been here before” I kept telling myself. I wasn’t hopeful and I was extremely timid about walking into this new surrounds. All my life, I had my mother to push me now I had to push myself. When I say it was the scariest thing in the world. It was literally the scariest thing in the world. Walking into this big building with no friends or my protective shelter, it was just little ole me. I’m going to give you a glimpse into my first semester. My first class was an African Studies class and I had to give a speech at the end of the semester that meant standing up in front of my fellow classmate and talking for about 20 minutes.   When I say I wanted to pass out, literally wanted to fall on the floor. My heart was beating in my ears, my hands were shaking, my voice cracked. Random thoughts running through my head. I was losing hope about this college thing fast.

What made me gain hope again was due to the fact,  I was prepared before everyone else. I think we got the e-mail two nights before the presentations were set to take place and I started as soon as I got the e-mail and was done the next day.  I was not worried about doing the work. I was worried about talking in front of my classmates. These are people I’ve never met before and I had never given a speech in my life. So when it came time to give the speech I allowed my nervousness to get the best of me. So here’s how I got my confidence back, I close my eyes, gave myself a pep talk and proceeded to give my speech with my shaking hands. I was the first one which I learned in future classes that normally the first one sets the bar for every person that comes after them.  I also got my 5 extra points and by the end of the semester, I completed that class with an A. 

When I saw that A, I had never wanted to kiss a grade so badly. Lol. I was so sure I did terribly,  it did take me a moment to get those words flowing. I was so sure he was going to take points off. Here’s where the growth part of my story comes in. After I conquered the African Studies class I was determined to not let my nervousness get the best of me again.  I found out that I had to take a speech class as an elective, As a way to prepare myself,  I signed up for it my second semester. I grew skills to prepare for anything.  For every semester after that, I pick up new skills to help me complete college within a two-year period.  This is why I say growth comes with hope. If I had not done that speech and stood in front of my fellow classmates,  I would probably have let my hope dwindle little more each day. Out of all the things I’ve done I have to say college has taught me the most. You have to be willing to take that first step and allow yourself to believe you can do anything. 

Hope = Growth. 

DON’T LOSE HOPE YOU HAVE THE STRENGTH TO KEEP PUSHING ON.

Tell me a time when you felt hopeful and tell me how has it helped you grow?