Attitude Is Everything
I’ve been journaling for 12 years now. It all started when I was in high school, lying in bed one night looking out the window, thinking to myself that I wanted to commit to something. I wanted to give myself something to do every week that I could look forward to, and that’s exactly what it became. It became my emotional outlet. I’ve always been a daydreamer. I’ve always been a deep thinker with a lot of emotions. Sometimes I show my emotions in different ways, and sometimes I don’t show them at all. That night, I was listening to some music that sparked some pretty significant feelings, and I knew that writing was the best way to express them.
Fast forward 12 years, and I’ve kept it with me all this time. Tomorrow, I get to be on the news for a sit-down interview, which I consider a huge honor. It really makes me think about those nights I was in my room, wanting to achieve big things in life. It’s crazy to think about the goals I had for myself. Obviously, in high school, we are just beginning to really discover ourselves and develop our minds and thought processes as we approach the next stage of life. I turn 30 next year, and it blows my mind that 12 years ago, in those first journal entries, I was wondering what life would be like when I turned 30. Throughout my 20’s, I promised myself that I’d achieve all my goals by age 30, so that I could set myself up for a good, stable life, and a life that I would be proud of.
It's not often that someone gets to go on the news and be interviewed about their story and business. To have media interested in what I’m doing is such a boost in confidence, and its hugely flattering. As my business has continued to grow, my reviews have remained positive. Other people and businesses have started believing in me and trusting me. I’ve started to grow my community footprint, which I think is the most important thing to do when you have a business. All these years, I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do or where I was going with the YouTube videos I was posting. Seeing how my goals and priorities have changed over time is a real eye opener. You really can’t expect to achieve everything overnight or even next week. The things I’ve achieved are purely because I’ve had years to think about it and work towards it. I’ve discovered new goals throughout this whole crazy process.
I think my journey has been one with lots of obstacles. Lots of confusion, mistakes, and disappointments. Just because those things happen doesn’t mean the entire story is ruined; they are a normal and important part of getting where I want to be. My one biggest dream is having my own TV show. After all this time, the thing I love most is teaching others and entertaining others. I’m so excited to start teaching cake classes at Cooks Warehouse here in Atlanta next month, and I feel that it’s the perfect opportunity to show people why I do what I do. I always wondered what it felt like to wake up happy every day, knowing I get to do what I love for work, and to be feeling that today is perhaps the best feeling ever. It’s a feeling so many don’t get to experience, for so many reasons. To this day, I still can’t tell you exactly how I managed to make everything work the way it has. I know that my passion and talent has proven that I deserve this, but it feels so much more complex than that. I know everyone is dealt a different hand. Everyone has individual circumstances that lead them in certain directions because there are too many things out of their control. I also think that your mindset and attitude are the most important things in whatever you pursue. If you go into something doubtful and negative, the journey won’t be a good one. It will affect you every day. I will admit I am very fortunate to have a good family and supportive parents. I grew up with financially secure parents that put me through school and helped me when I needed it. That’s huge because I know so many people don’t have that. That’s when I get in my head and wonder if I deserve this or if it came easier because of my circumstances.
I think about how lucky I am every single day. I think about all the things I have, and all the things I’ve been able to do, and I never take it for granted. Even though I have all those good things, I still had to make everything happen. I had to put work towards the things I wanted and believe in myself to get where I wanted to be. No one paved the way or handed it to me. I did it myself. I talked to others for advice when I needed it and took a while to figure out what I was doing because I wanted to do it right. Life is short, and a lot of the time, you don’t get second chances with things. I treat every endeavor as my only time having that opportunity. I stop at nothing to make it happen because I want it that badly. That drive and determination is exactly how I’ve gotten where I am today. That’s exactly how I get to go on TV tomorrow to share my story. No matter how large or small the exposure is, it is something I’m extremely lucky to get to do, and I will always appreciate it. I will always appreciate how I’ve grown my business and become busy with so many different things. I refuse to put all my eggs in one basket, which is exactly why I do so many things. I do wholesale baked goods, cake orders, social media partnerships, and have my line of mixes. I want lots of pieces to fit this puzzle, so by the end, it’s a beautiful picture and story with different colors and themes. Also, I have to protect myself. Owning a business is extremely volatile and risky, and you have to be ready in case something doesn’t work out. If any one of these pieces falls, I have the others to back it up. I’ve learned that recently.
In the end, believing in myself was what I lacked, and in the last year, I finally started believing, and look at where I am now. That just goes to show how your attitude affects everything. I keep a positive outlook on everything in life for that very reason.
