Navigating Life Transitions: The Good, The Bad, The Confusing!

Being perfectly honest, my whole journey has been anything but a straight path. Which is actually very normal!?

[At the beginning of 2020 I read a book that talked about perfection - to paraphrase it said, “Nothing is perfect. So if nothing is perfect, doesn’t that make everything perfect in its own way?!”]?

I really believe that it is so important to #FailFast and to #FailForward while being adaptable to best navigate the twists and turns of life.?

My story of learning to adapt began at the start of grade school. I was fortunate enough to attend an all Native American Grade School here in Milwaukee called Indian Community School. Being surrounded by my culture, heritage and community was so special. As a form of encouraging the students to attend high school, I was able to get a scholarship that paid for me to attend a private college prep high school. Each year I needed to maintain a certain GPA, Volunteer 60 hours of community service AND write an essay.?

My high school years were interesting. I was no longer around my culture or my community with students who for the most part all went to the same grade school. A majority of them had parents with formal education, owned businesses etc… so I felt a little on the outside looking in. This stretched me to stay in lock step with my peers to whom attending college was not a question, but the expected next step.?

Here’s the tying thread between grade school to college. I attended pre-college programs every year at UW Whitewater in the summers. We did projects, visited college campuses and honestly was the right exposure I needed to keep up with my peers in high school. Each year we would tour UW Madison - I was in love! I loved the campus, being on multiple lakes and most importantly Memorial Union.?

There were many stepping stones that seemed like mountains for me while looking at college. Being the first out of my family to attend college as well as being deemed a “homeless independent” AKA putting myself completely through college was the first hurdle. Knowing how to apply, how to fill out my own FASFA, do my own taxes and navigate the entire process meant that being #stressed was an understatement - but here is the thing - I was DETERMINED to figure out how to make it work!?

I learned so much in my undergraduate journey from time management, hustle and perseverance. I learned to advocate for myself and how to ask questions to be able to make the best decisions. I got really involved and learned I loved serving others and working with them. Throughout the journey, I realized I felt the most inspired, full and honestly happy when I got to help others reach their goals.?

I followed everyones advice to the letter. I got good grades, I hustled, I worked and always asked for advice. Did many internships, volunteered and had faith that that advice would bring the success everyone talked about.?

HERE IS THE THING. It wasn’t what actually worked for me. I was discouraged, exhausted and ultimately so unsure of what to do next - I mean I followed everyone’s advice.?

Fortunately I was very open to other opportunities that would help me bridge the gap I found myself in. I started to more actively network and connected with a successful entrepreneurial couple out of the Milwaukee area who have taught me life success principles that weren’t taught in conventional education. It was through this connection that ultimately changed the trajectory of the rest of my transition into full-time Adulting. It is here where my journey really begins!?

#persistent #advocacy #determination #EmpowerHER #networking #open #education #failfast #failforward #perfectlyimperfect ?