I am the typical story of the girl who was sheltered in high school and went a little bit crazy when she started college. My freshman and sophomore year my priorities were out of wack. I stayed out with friends, skipped class and did not care about my grades. Well that landed me on academic probation at the end of my Sophomore year. With an embarrassing 1.84 I knew I had to do something. This was a lesson I had to learn. Here I was blessed enough to be getting to go to school and I took it for granted. I learned from my immature mistakes and get my GPA to an acceptable range. I transferred schools back to my hometown where there were smaller classes and less temptation. I was able to truly focus and applied myself to my studying and to making my parents proud. I ended up graduating with a 3.44 GPA and became a member of the History honors society at my school. This taught me how important it is to keep your eye on a goal and to work hard to achieve. No matter the temptations or obstacles that get in your way you must focus and do what is best for you and your future. With this lesson I learned not to take the opportunities I am given for granted. I have focused and applied myself to my career now and remind myself how important it is to stay on track. I am now a mom to a beautiful five month old baby girl. It is more important now than ever that I stay motivated so that I can provide the best life for my daughter and family. The lesson of how my actions have consequences is one that stays in the back of my mind. I do not want to disappoint anyone and I want to be the best version of myself that I can be. I am now accepted into Souther Methodist University, one of the top business schools in the nation. I am going back to pursue my MBA so that I can apply to manager roles at my job. I have the unique opportunity of starting with a new team at Empower and working with them to build the team into one of the more successful ones. A manager role will open up in a couple of years and going back to school, focusing and gaining the knowledge and tools I need for this will be so beneficial in going after this role.

You only have your legacy, reputation and the memories that live through other people to leave behind when you pass away. My aspiration is to be able to create a scholarship of my own for mothers that are going back to school in order to gain the tools they need to move up at their company. I want to empower women to not let the world tell them that they should take a break and focus on being a mom. That it is okay and even spectacular that they are taking that step in following their dreams and their passion. For me I am going back to school to better myself for my daughter and family. However, it has always been a dream of mine to run my own team and maybe even start a business of my own. I want to leave behind a fund and allow others to donate to it to help support these women who otherwise may not be able to accomplish that next goal in life.

Giving my daughter whatever she needs to achieve her future goals is my dream for my future. I want to go back to school to get my MBA in operations management/finance. In doing this I will be able to apply for a manager role at my new company where I am on a brand new team. This is a unique opportunity, because I am working to help build this team from the ground up. My dream is to run a successful team that will stand out in our company and to our clients. Eventually I would like to take over as Director of Operations and help supervise other managers teaching them how to lead as efficiently as possible while maintaining morale. I want my daughter to see how hard work can help you reach your career dreams and that there is always room to grow. I dream of being a role model for her and for her aspirations to be achieved.

I am the typical story of the girl who was sheltered in high school and went a little bit crazy when she started college. My freshman and sophomore year my priorities were out of wack. I stayed out with friends, skipped class and did not care about my grades. Well that landed me on academic probation at the end of my Sophomore year. With an embarrassing 1.84 I knew I had to do something. This was an obstacle I fully created myself. The obstacle of making up for my immature mistakes and get my GPA to an acceptable range. I transferred schools back to my hometown where there were smaller classes and less temptation. I was able to truly focus and applied myself to my studying and to making my parents proud. I ended up graduating with a 3.44 GPA and became a member of the History honors society at my school. This taught me how important it is to keep your eye on a goal and to work hard to achieve. No matter the temptations or obstacles that get in your way you must focus and do what is best for you and your future.

My favorite book is actually a series. Maximum Ride. These books allowed me escape from reality following Max and her siblings through their journey. Full of adventure, love and suspense it was everything a teenage angsty girl could dream of. Even as an adult I still reread this series just to take me back to a time where I immersed myself in the story. I would even have dreams associated with this book. I was escaping danger and flying with them. This was also one of the first series I got to share with my step dad and mom. I remember my step dad coming up to me and handing me the first book telling me that he thinks I would like it. I had not built much of a bond with him yet so this moment seemed rather important to me. This series gave us something to talk about at the dinner table that was different from just our every day conversation and it was the start of a great tradition. Any book my step dad read he would pass onto me after. I remember they even came out with a movie for this series. It was a B movie and we watched it and just laughed at how terrible the acting was and how that was not how we pictured it in our minds. My family and I still to this day bond over the books we read and it all started with the Maximum Ride series. I look forward to the day I get to share them with my own daughter and hear her stories of how she imagines the characters in her mind.

Ever see the show "flip this house"? Well my husband and I like to flip items. We spend our weekends driving to different estate sales and antique shops searching for hidden treasures. Items that can tell a story and just need a little extra love to be great again. From old clocks to dressers we take these items home and make them new again still keeping their uniqueness intact. At estate sales we get a peak into a persons life. Some may have collected sports gear dating back over a hundred years. One woman collected pumpkin items. Gold, crystal and plastic we were surrounded by pumpkins. Antique stores you can see the same. You find all of these treasures that were once held by someone. We like to put a story in our head together about these items and the people they belong to. It is so important to maintain the integrity of whatever we buy. We do not seek to change it only to bring it back to life. We get creative by making the old new again.

Crisp air hitting my face. Trees flowing in the wind. My husband with my baby girl strapped across his chest. The simple pleasure of being able to hike and explore nature with my loved ones brings me so much happiness. It is a Sunday tradition as long as the weather permits. We find a trail on the app alltrails around the DFW metroplex and load our things up and go and explore. My husband and I will map the trail and begin to follow it. Turning our phones on airplane mode so we are not bothered by outside sources. We immerse ourselves in nature. Our daughter enjoys watching the birds fly around and looking at the different colored flowers and shrubs. This tradition helps us clear our minds and reminds us how important spending quality time together is. In the modern age there are so many distractions. The simple pleasure of being able to get outdoors and take it all in makes my heart so full.

My daughter. I know that she is watching me every single day. She motivates me to want to be better and to focus on the things that I do and words that are coming out of my mouth. In fact, she is the motivation behind applying to get my Master's degree. I want to be able to provide her the best life possible. Getting this degree will allow me to do that. She motivates me to be a role model and the mother that she deserves. She makes me want to focus on the thoughts I have about myself and turn them from negative to positive. Why? Because she is watching. The motivation she gives me is encouraging me to be the best mom I can be. Her smile gives me that extra boost to keep moving forward if I start to want to give up. Working full time and going back to school would be a lot harder if it was not for her eyes on me. I am doing this all for her.

Is it a bad day or a bad ten minutes? I would want to share this question with the world to have them reflect. I feel like so many people tend to focus on the negative things rather than the positive. That they will let one bad moment linger for the remainder of the day. This not only impacts that persons day but anyone that person comes in contact with. My grandma asks me this question any time I start to complain or take my life for granted. Now I find myself repeating it in my head when I start to get worked up about a situation. It is usually almost always just a bad ten minutes. She says to let yourself be upset, but then let it go. Life is too short to let something hold that much power over your day. A day that you will not ever get back.

"I hope you dance" by Lee Ann Womack is a song that speaks to me now more than ever. It was a song my mom always played for me. Hoping that I never let anything stand in my way and always chase my passions. That even when times get hard that I will dance and get past any obstacle in my way. I listen to that song differently now. I look at my daughter as she sees the world for the first time. I truly hope she never loses her sense of wonder. That no matter what happens in her life she will always go to that next open door and strive to keep moving forward. That in the most difficult of situations she takes a moment to dance and be happy. Every mistake, every heartache and every failure is no reason to stop moving forward. This song is inspirational and I hope that one day at my daughters wedding it will play just as it did at mine and that her and I dance.

Joy is coming home to my baby girl smiling up at me. It is spending time outdoors with my family as my baby looks up seeing the trees, birds and sky for the first time. Joy is my husband playing with my daughter making her giggle dance through the air. Looking around reflecting on my life seeing the family I created and the memories we are creating fills my heart with so much joy I could explode. I never wanted kids or to be married when I was growing up. Looking at them now I am so glad that the experiences in my life led me to change my mind. My family brings me more joy than I ever thought possible. The face my little girl makes as she begins to recognize faces and things fills me with such love and satisfaction. She has discovered that she has hands and feet and tries to fit both of them inside of her mouth. She knows now that I am mom and my sweet husband is dad. They bring me joy. Our life brings me joy.

I am the typical story of the girl who was sheltered in high school and went a little bit crazy when she started college. My freshman and sophomore year my priorities were out of wack. I stayed out with friends, skipped class and did not care about my grades. Well that landed me on academic probation at the end of my Sophomore year. With an embarrassing 1.84 I knew I had to do something. This was an obstacle I fully created myself. The obstacle of making up for my immature mistakes and get my GPA to an acceptable range. I transferred schools back to my hometown where there were smaller classes and less temptation. I was able to truly focus and applied myself to my studying and to making my parents proud. I ended up graduating with a 3.44 GPA and became a member of the History honors society at my school. This taught me how important it is to keep your eye on a goal and to work hard to achieve. No matter the temptations or obstacles that get in your way you must focus and do what is best for you and your future.

Mental health is a topic that causes a lot of people to get uncomfortable. In recent years the subject has come up many teams, however there is still such a stigma around it. Recently I had a beautiful baby girl. A time that should have been one of the most exciting and happy in my life was not bringing me joy. Instead I felt a sense of constant worry that I was not good enough and sad that she has to have a mom like me. I finally got the courage to talk to my doctor about this and was diagnosed with Post-Partum Depression. I was diagnosed Zoloft and have now been seeing a therapist. I finally felt comfortable bringing this up to my mom. She did have a response about me taking meds, but honestly the meds truly evened me out. They have been a tremendous help, because I did have a chemical imbalance in my brain. I stuck up for myself to my mom. I told her this is not my fault or hers or my daughters. It was just an imbalance that happened after I gave birth and that is okay! My mom then opened up to me about how after her divorce from my dad she took antidepressants and felt so ashamed. We had one of our deepest conversations to date. My mom ended up crying because she was letting out how alone she felt during that time. If mental health was discussed more in our family my mom could have saved burdening herself like that and fighting it alone. So I decided I was going to have an open discussion at our next family get together about my battle with post-partum and how I was working on myself. Turns out both of my grandparents are also on Zoloft for anxiety. My mom had no idea that her own parents suffered with a mental illness of their own. My cousin opened up about how she has been seeing a therapist and is on antidepressants. Suddenly the room was full of discussion on tips and tricks that have been learned over the years for coping with anxiety and depression. Even in my workplace mental health has become an increased topic of conversation. We even have a wellness app that our company pays for that encourages daily meditations and practicing good habits to help you maintain a sense of wellbeing both physically and mentally. Before struggling with depression I never really could understand it. Having experienced this crushing weight I now see how important it is to listen. To truly be an ally to those that are dealing with this internal struggle. Support, communication and understanding is what is needed to help fight this battle. I do hope that this is a topic that continues to be discussed and that the tragedies from mental illnesses lessens due to the growth of education on the matter.

A lot of people listen to respond. I try my best to not do this, but to instead focus on what the other person is saying. Looking them in the eye as they talk and giving appropriate feedback in response. Listening to me means understanding. If you do not understand what someone is discussing or try to reflect on the discussion at hand then I do not think you are truly listening. If you constantly respond with a story to one up or take away from another persons that to me is listening to respond. In my job we have clients who have lost loved ones and others who are struggling to make it day to day. I not only help run their accounts, but I lend an ear for them to vent as needed. Sometimes all people need is someone who truly listens. Understanding where they are coming from and some of what they are going through even if they cannot relate personally they can still be there.

"The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things."-Ronald Reagan The skill that sets me apart from many others is my ability to lead. I pride myself in being able to encourage others to lean on their strengths and to partner with others to work through their weaknesses. I am improving this skill by going back to school to gather the necessary tools to use to further lead a team. I want to get my MBA in operations management. With this degree I will learn new ideas and ways to lead a team to be the best they can be. I will learn problem solving skills and how to properly analyze data. I will build on to my skill of being able to successfully lead others by creating a team of hard working, motivated and happy individuals. Driving success for our team, company and our clients.

Giving my daughter whatever she needs to achieve her future goals is my dream for my future. I want to go back to school to get my MBA in operations management/finance. In doing this I will be able to apply for a manager role at my new company where I am on a brand new team. This is a unique opportunity, because I am working to help build this team from the ground up. My dream is to run a successful team that will stand out in our company and to our clients. Eventually I would like to take over as Director of Operations and help supervise other managers teaching them how to lead as efficiently as possible while maintaining morale. I want my daughter to see how hard work can help you reach your career dreams and that there is always room to grow. I dream of being a role model for her and for her aspirations to be achieved.

Learning how to manage credit card debt. As a college student good time Charlie got me and I racked up credit card debt. Six years after graduating I was purchasing my first home. This was a lesson that I learned the hard way. It does not matter how much you have to put down or in your checking account. If your debt to income ratio is not favorable you will not get approved for the loan you want. My husband and I had to work hard to chip away at my debt. I felt so bad because his score was great and debt to income ratio very favorable, but we needed my income as well to get our dream home. I worked with a credit repair agency and was able to see what cards I needed to pay down to high utilization rates. It took us 6 months, but I got my score to where we needed to be to get our mortgage. Now I truly think about what cards I am using. I do not use them unless I have the money to pay them right back off. I am proud to say that now I am completely credit card debt free. Any time we use them we pay them off at the end of the month. Now my credit score is up there with my husband's and we truly have had a weight lifted off of us keeping this under control!

Anxiety and low self esteem has been the bane of my existence. As a teenager I really let this get to me. I would wear my hair in my face to try and hide a lot of it. I wore long sleeves and jackets all of the time even in the Summer, because I hated my arms. Now I am truly working on myself. I am twenty-eight years old and have a daughter of my own. I just ask myself when those horrible thoughts enter my head, "would you want your daughter to hear you say this about yourself"? My mindset has changed tremendously since that beautiful being came into this world. I need to love myself as much as I love her. I need to be strong for her and a role model. If she hears me say negative things about myself what will she think of herself? I am a mother. I am strong. I brought a human into this world and it is my job to be the best I can be for her. I am now reflecting on my life. My wonderful husband and family and our home are what brings me confidence.

Ups and downs, loops and quick turns. My life has truly been like a roller coaster. From a rambunctious teenager, to a naïve young adult, and now to a mother my life has been a wild ride. I always thought I wanted to be a teacher. I even wrote about how the pay and negative things I heard about teaching would never effect me. Well, turns out teaching was not the right path for me. However, I learned a lot from my years as a middle school teacher. I learned patience, how to communicate, and how to effectively analyze data during this time. I was able to apply this knowledge to my new career as a office manager for a financial firm. My goal is to become the manager of our financial operations department by getting my MBA. Getting this will give the knowledge and tools I need to run my team and help them grow. Ultimately I would like to become the director of operations, but right now my next step is going back to school. I truly believe we are life long learners and I hope that I can continue to apply the skills I pick up to my career.

Bruce Lee said it best, "Real living is living for others." From a young age I found joy in bringing other people happiness. In going out of my way to do something unexpected for someone else. When I was younger this might have been taking out the trash without being asked, or doing the dishes after my mother cooked a delicious meal. As I got older I realized that going out of my way for others can mean so much more. This is why I became a teacher. I taught at a low income school for three years. I gave the students somewhere to go if they needed to get to school early or stay late. I had one student who never had money for lunch and was embarrassed about it. I brought that student a snack every single day. Teaching overall was not for me, but caring for others especially the children is something I am still very passionate about. I serve at my church volunteering in areas where we go out in the community to assist those in need. I have been very fortunate in the life I was born into. I want to help give back to those who did grow up as well off. Bringing joy by a simple act of kindness can change a whole person's life.

Life is meant for living. That is a quote that has always stuck out to me. I believe that the meaning of life is to build and enjoy it as much as you can. Leave behind memories with your friends and family that will allow you to live on through them even after you pass away. I have a wonderful husband and beautiful baby girl and I choose to cherish every moment with them. Having a new born can be frustrating at times, but with the loss my husband I have experienced we still go to bed smiling more often than not. You truly never know when your hourglass will be out of sand so it is important to say yes often, take that trip, and tell the ones you love how much they mean to you often. I believe that hard work is important, which is why I am going back to school, but work should not be all you have going on in your life. People and memories. That is the good stuff.

My bucket list consists of lots of traveling. So far I have gotten to check off seeing a volcano in person, thankfully it did not erupt. I got to check this and ziplining over water off when I traveled to Costa Rica on a mission trip my senior year of high school. I also wanted to study at a university that was outside of the United States. I achieved this the summer after my freshman year when I studied abroad in London at Westminster University. It was so amazing to study British literature while actually being immersed in it. We read Othello and saw the play. We read The Canterbury Tales and traveled on some of the same roads that Chaucer did in his stories. Another item on my bucket list that I was able to check off was exploring a cave. I got to do this in the Dominican Republic. My friends and I went on vacation where we got to choose from a list of excursions. As soon as I saw the cave I knew that is the one I wanted to go on! We started by riding four wheelers through the forest to get there. Once we were there we hiked the cave and it ended up having the most clear water in it! Thankfully we read ahead and knew to bring our swimsuits. If you have ever played Tomb Raider I felt like Lara Croft exploring the underground water cave. I have been extremely fortunate to check off many things on my bucket list, but there is a lot more to explore!

The day my little girl entered the world my entire life was turned upside down in the best way possible. Every action and decision I make now I make with her in mind. Going back to school to get my MBA has been something I have tossed around in my head now for years. She is now five months old and I want to provide her with the best life possible. Getting my MBA will give me that opportunity! I can work my way up in my company a lot faster with the write tools under my belt. I remember looking up to my mom and being so impressed with her. She owns her own public relations firm and has such an entrepreneurial spirit. She has her master's degree and is one of the hardest working and most dedicated women I know. I want my daughter to look up to me the way I look up to my mom. To see such successful women in her life I hope will help give her the confidence to know that with hard work she can do anything she puts her mind to. My dream is that when my little girl grows up, she thinks, "I want to be like my mom". Just like I am thinking now. I used to think that there was no reason to go back to school. That experience mattered more than a degree. Having my daughter lit a fire under me to do more research. The benefits of getting a degree are second to none! You not only will be able to add the "MBA" after your name, but you will network and learn so many necessary things to apply to your job. Just as I want to be a great role model for my daughter, I want to be a manager that my team looks up to. I want both my team and daughter to know that any issue that arises we will work on it together. We will find solutions and grow together. Being a parent is hard work. Being able to provide the life that she deserves is even more difficult. However, this next step in going back to school and getting my degree is going to give me that opportunity. If she has a school, she wants to attend I can start saving for it a lot easier to help her out if my income has increased. If she finds a dream dress for her wedding, I can assist her in purchasing it. If she needs medical help or dental work, I will be able to provide that without a second thought. This degree will open so many doors for our family. I want to do this for her.