Shortly after I graduated high school in 2008, I gave birth to a baby girl I named Esme. Esme was born with heart defects and was extremely ill. Unfortunately, in 2009, at only 11 months old, she passed away, shortly following open-heart surgery. A miracle happened when a part of her lived on when she saved a 67-year-old man's life with her kidney. Subsequently, a decade had flown by, and my dreams of going to college faded. That was until 2018, when I gave birth to my second daughter, Jade. Again, being a mother made me realize that it wasn't too late to begin college. I decided I needed to enroll in college right away because Jade's father had been sick on and off for a while. My biggest fear is something happening to him, and I won't be able to take care of my daughter the way she deserves financially. I enrolled in college in 2021 to become economically independent and show my daughter how important it is to get an education. Since attending college, it has brought forth a feeling of accomplishment and potential I thought I no longer possessed. Furthermore, I can proudly say that I'm a 31-year-old stay-at-home mom, a full-time college student, and the first person to graduate high school and attend college in my family. It is the first time since high school that I have goals for the future. There is no doubt in my mind that I'm going to graduate college with an associate's degree in Health Administration and community development. Afterward, my goal is to continue to a bachelor's degree program. I am excited, and I am hopeful for the future. I'm going to honor Esme's memory by getting into a career field where I can help others. I couldn't picture what my future would be like before I enrolled, but now that I'm attending college, there's an infinite amount of opportunity for me. I love being a mom, but I have way too much potential to be known as just a mom. I will set a good example for my daughter and enjoy every minute of it. With my daughter by my side and a special angel protecting us, the sky is the limit.

I have to take a few small steps before the beautiful chaos that is my daughter has a chance to wake, before I grab my phone to scroll social media, and before I let negativity into my mind and body. I cleanse the negativity from yesterday by showering, brushing my teeth and hair, and dressing in fresh clothes. Those small steps are so vital to my well-being. If I skip even one of these steps, I will feel heavy all day. Kind of like I'm carrying an invisible weight all day. I also am sure to make my bed because a neat bed feels better than a messy one. Afterward, I go to a room I call my "peaceful place" and meditate. While I meditate, I let go of all of yesterday's stressors, and before I allow any negativity to bring me down, I remind myself it's a new day and a fresh start. After letting the negative energy I absorbed yesterday, I begin thinking positive thoughts, and slowly, I allow my mind to become quiet. I do that by imagining a magnificent light of pure love. This mentally and emotionally prepares for the day to come. Meditation rests my mind and body and makes me feel invigorated and ready for anything that day could bring. Of equal importance to my well-being is setting boundaries. I believe in the law of attraction wholeheartedly. Negativity is not welcome in my life. These things have impacted my life exponentially. I went from being a depressed, negative person to a fulfilled, happy person at peace with myself. I feel good about my life and myself and feel a sense of peace that I truly love. If I do not care for myself, I am useless to anyone else.