Never Give Up...No Matter What

Have you ever found yourself wanting to give up on something before you even start? Have you ever felt you can't accomplish something, or that you're not strong enough or good enough?

Well, YOU ARE NOT ALONE because this was ME in August of 2015 when I flew back to California from Branson, Missouri after my gap year to put myself through college. I was heartbroken. I had no idea what I was doing. I was so discouraged by the things I couldn't control that I wanted to drop out of college only two weeks in.

However, what I didn't realize at the time was the incredible people around me. People who breathed life in an otherwise dead soul. People who believed in me more than I believed in myself.

Somehow, through their support, I had a mental switch and change of attitude. I no longer cared that I didn't have a lot of money or emotional support. It was time for me to stop comparing myself to others and take ownership of my own life. Therefore, I set out on my dream, putting myself through college while living independently.

Trust me, these past five years have been some of the most challenging years in my life, with seasons of instability, pain, loss, and have left me in tears several times. However, it has also been the most rewarding and fulfilling time. It is days like today when I reflect on the journey, and I'm amazed that this dream is coming to an end because I will be graduating in December.

While this is not the ending that I could have anticipated, I know now, over my path through college, that regardless of what comes my way, I have the support system, faith in Jesus, and belief in myself, to conquer life's biggest challenges.

I am still alive because my life matters, education matters, and fighting for what you believe in matters. Keep pushing through whatever obstacle you are facing. Never take "NO" for an answer and always remember you have an incredible story to tell, so let your story be heard.