I quit my job two years ago to chase my dream. I wanted to be a full time creative: blogger, author, and digital content creator. I failed, we’ve discussed. I went back to the regular working world. My return wasn’t glorious; it was needed and necessary. Why? I was broke and broken.

Having a regular job (working for someone else) gives me structure and a paycheck. But it didn’t change my attitude. Many times I’ve showed up late or not ready to be my best at work. I didn’t want to be THERE, and it showed.

When my photographer, Christy, asked me where I wanted to shoot this month’s Jessica London style photos, I picked this amazing location in West Nashville. It’s filled with murals commissioned by the Nashville Walls Project. We stumbled across this selection filled with COLORFUL bubbles. This mural makes you pay attention. This murals asks you, “does your presence make the world more colorful?”

Looking over these photos, I see the light has returned to my eyes. The last couple of years brought major growth – with growing pains. Dealing with an immense failure caused me to dim my light and go through the motions of being an adult. Wake up, sit in traffic, sit at my desk, wait for 4pm, go home, and do it all over again.

One day, I realized that God didn’t put me here to go through the motions. He put me in this world to make it more colorful. Yes, I’d returned to work for someone else, but that doesn’t mean it has to be wretched. It was time for me to find the joy in my job and plot a course to try entrepreneurship again.

Do the hard thing first

The easiest way to get caught up in the shuffle of life is to believe what you do does not matter. I’m here to tell you that you MATTER. There is a reason why you are where you are and if you SHOW UP and press in, you’ll develop the skills to attain your dreams and help others along the way.

At my new job, I help students graduate. I work at an HBCU. Young people have a drive and determination to do things their way, sometimes with very little preparation or follow through. My job is to give them structure and remind them to do the hard thing first. Hmm, something I needed to tell myself.

In order to retrace my steps back to entrepreneurship and my dream of being a full-time Creative, I have to remember to do the hard things first. What’s hard for me:

• Waking up early and being on time
• Taking instructions from others
• Giving someone else time to shine
• Not overly criticizing others ideas
• Being disciplined with finances.

When I master these tasks, I’ll be more than unstoppable, I’ll be a game changer in any industry. I’ll have an unshakable foundation. And, when tasked with failure, I wont break, I’ll be prepared. Why? Because failure happens to everyone.

Have you failed recently? Has your light been dimmed by the loss of success? Do you show up and show out, or are you there ‘just so you won’t get fired’? This attitude can pertain to any part of our lives: romance, family issues, health, or your friendships.

I hope you read this post, then reassess you ‘why’. No, you may not be where you want to be, but remember you are where you are for a reason. Bring that personality, bring that color, and SHOW up! Success is on the other side of your salty attitude.

I’m talking to myself first!

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Photos by Authentic Photos and Designs