As I reflect back on 2018, it was a year of change for me, personal and professionally. In 2015, I purchased my first home it was a beautiful home, but the home was away from my support system. I had to commute to work everyday, waking up at 4:30 a.m. and leaving my home by 5:45 a.m. my son had to get up each morning at 5 a.m. it was a brutal commute. The commute took a lot out of me physically. I was in three accidents, one I dozed off and hit someone while on the freeway thank God no one was hurt, the last accident the driver hit me from the back because she dozed off and my son was afraid and so I said no I can’t continue living this way. I had a conversation with my beloved and we both agreed we should sell the home and move back to where are family was and where we have support.

Thank goodness the market was in a great place, so we sold our home quickly and we recently moved back to where we were living before we purchased our home, we are now back in the city where we both work and where my son always went to school. It has made such an difference on my my well-being in a good way, for the last three years I literally had no energy from driving two hours in the morning and fighting through traffic to drive another two hours to get home. It was grinding I wasn’t able to give and do my blog the way it deserved my attention. I was afraid to sale the home because  I was worried about what people would think, you got this home and now you’re back in a nice apartment, and I realize that was my ego talking and I had to do what was right for my family and our wellness. In the  next year or two we will purchase another home and that’s okay it may be more costly, it’s costly to live in the Bay Area, but to know that my mom, grandmother, and my place of employment and being  being home in fifteen minutes where I can still enjoy my family is what’s most important.

Often times we hold on to things because of our ego and not realizing that that’s not what’s in our best interest. It doesn’t matter if you have a big beautiful home, if you can not enjoy it,  because you’re driving all day then what’s the point. When I had that aha moment that was the moment I knew what to do. I knew I had to let go of my ego and do what was in the best interest of my family.

The professional change came when I decided to leave my job that I’ve been at for almost 11 years where I was a boss and now I’m in the same profession, but I’ve been humbled because now I have a supervisor and I’m not the one giving out directives. I’m learning, I’m asking questions, and the transition was hard because I was leaving people I enjoy working with, but it was needed for me to grow in a different way. I’ve been taking care of people for a long time now, I think it’s time for people to continue to support me. I have new goals and a different vision for where I want to see myself professionally. My goal is too work less and do more things I enjoy, and still make the money that I need to make to enjoy life.

Over the next year, there’s one particular goal that I won’t share right now, that I will pursue starting today. I’m just going to take one day at a time with this goal.  I’ll let you know where  I am and how I am doing on the goal, when I am ready to share.

In closing, I want to say to people who are allowing your ego to dictate what is best for you take a step back and really listen to your spirit and allow your spirit to lead you to what you know is best for you, whether that is letting go of a unhealthy relationship, friend, or job, there is a saying everything that glitter is not gold. Buying a home and being a homeowner is such a blessing and I know I’ll be a homeowner again, that’s the least of my worries, but in my current home, I feel so much at peace and my family’s happier and for that I am grateful.

Ms. Culture Keeper-