Journey of Self-Discovery and Empowerment

1. We don’t know what we don’t know

2. You don’t have to be a victim of your environment

3. Attitude is everything

Broke2Rich lifestyle is a love letter, a journey, a diary to my younger self. As I amass revolutions around the sun, I learn more and more we don’t know what we don’t know. This awakening started senior year of high school realizing I had no idea how to navigate scholarships. I graduated valedictorian of my high school, was active in the community, had extracurricular activities, personal struggle and I had maybe only 1 scholarship going into college. Student loans and eventually Pell grants paid for college. Pell grants was another ah ha moment of information I knew nothing about but learned as I had a balance and no one way to fill the gap until my mom connected with the right person in financial aid and they shared the information about Pell grants. The we don’t know what we don’t know applies to more than just financial literacy. It applies to physical and mental literacy and knowledge. Proper nutrition, exercise, meditation, dealing with stress, therapy, you name it.

Growing up I saw everyone working 2-3 jobs but still robbing Peter to pay Paul. TV and society gave me the impression college was the next step after high school and I figured and was hoping college  would provide me with opportunities to be able to be in a better financial situation where I could breathe financially. I couldn’t afford college without student loans as there was no family preparation or planning or available funds to pay for the shortage. Again not completely knowing it all or even the type of salary available, i figured with going into STEM I should be to afford my debt and pay off my school loans. LADIES AND GENTS!  That bet, that gamble, that HOPE paid off. I recognize this isn’t the case for everyone, but it worked for me! Even while in college I realized  there was so much I didn’t about know or have proper guidance, I kept moving forward one foot at time and asking questions about the things I had time to consider and influence.

If I knew what I learned later during matriculation, I would have started looking for internships earlier and for a study aboard program. I’ll talk more about  internship experience and the confirmation & encouragement that gave me when I questioned the path I was on and was unsure of later. I had no examples to follow or saw anyone navigate going to college and post collegiate life, but I moved forward, asked questions, and figured it out along the way. Remaining positive and focusing on what I could control.

My village couldn’t help in a major way financially or guide me along the way, but they did what they could and it’s more support than what some other people may not have gotten. My dad and grandma helped me with my cellphone, car insurance, and portion of car note and my mom was an advocate for me making phone calls to find out additional information. I am forever GRATEFUL for their support and pay forward with my family and nieces.

I can’t stress enough how my attitude throughout this journey has played a big part in where I am and who I am today. I recognize there are certain points  in my life I could have made the decision to act out, be disruptive or negative. But I CHOSE not to! We all have choice. How we respond and our actions are what separates us.

I remember making good grades, being on honor roll consecutive semesters, helping around the house, just being an overall good kid without any request or instructions from adults and seeing other kids who were not performing well in school or were bad - be given the material things I did not have and at a point I did want (until I realized we couldn’t afford it and that’s not my life). I questioned WHY multiple times when I was younger but I didn’t dwell on it too long because it was something I couldn’t control.  Early on somehow (I cant recall or remember a who or why), I focused on what I could control and move in the notion the situations could always be worst so having gratitude for what I had.  (Gratitude I believe being a superpower for me.) Realizing and focusing on this helped RELIEVE me from wanting to fit in or comparing my life to others.  I always look for the good out of EVERY situation and am a glass half full type of girl! Remaining positive is the goal, I don’t want negative energy and thoughts in my space or body, it’s consuming and exhausting.

Me not knowing what I don’t know but being humble, motivated, yearning for more, believing life had to be better, easier was HUGE and influential for me not becoming a victim of my surroundings and lack of knowing. All of my adult life I‘ve been saying we don’t know what we don’t know and Broke2Rich lifestyle is me putting my money where my mouth is. I’m striving to do my part to share what I know and connect us with those who know more so we can grow mentally, physically, financially and move with unrelentless freedom in our thoughts and actions. 

KB