Hey beautiful people,

As you can tell, my post have been far and few in between. Waiting for Time Warner Cable to come and install my internet and that stresses me out! I really need it since a lot of my life is on the world wide web.

But let me tell you! I won the lottery yesterday, well it felt like I did. Really need the financial blessing but one day.

So at work, I am a College and Career Planning Coach for high school students and their families. People say, “Why would someone pay to get help? I am like, some people may not understand the process and I definitely could have used them when I was in high school. We are pretty much a supplemental program that fills in the gaps where high school counselors and parents cannot reach. Growing up, I was a floater kid, right in the middle. I did not do exceptionally well where people were watching and helping me in the process and I did not do bad enough for extra help either. My mother didn’t help because she did not know either.

But anyways, I work with students from all over the country helping them with questions like, “Would this be a good career?” or “Is this a good financial aid offer?” Or “What is the FAFSA?” and I am so glad to help! I love having those conversations where I can let them know, you might want to know what you want to be when you grow up before going to college and changing your major 5 times like myself. Or do not take out those loans and live off of them because you are going to have to pay them back.

The situation:

I talked with a young African American girl and her mother about ALL of her award letters from universities. This girl got accepted into about 8 universities. She received a lot of aid from some and a little from others. Single mother of two and she just got laid off. The girl used the program like crazy for tutoring, test prep and more. She wants to be a Neurosurgeon. They were short though $10,000 for the year.

The Goal:

So, my job gives a scholarship to one student who uses the program a lot and their overall experience. The coaches had to nominate a student and I am new. I was like who do I nominate? So after speaking with them, I looked at the calendar to see if I met the deadline and I had one day to submit it. So I did! I literally almost cried while writing it and when I was speaking to them.

How I won the lottery:

Yesterday, my coworker came over asking if I knew how to pronounce her name. We had a pretty awkward conversation and then he said she won the scholarship. Tell me why I felt like I won the scholarship! I got up and had a praise break on behalf of a girl I have never met. I never knew how excited about someone I could get. I was loud and everyone around me was like, “Cicely calm down” I am over here thinking, I was a part of helping this one lady get to college and do some amazing things in her life. I had been struggling feeling like I was not doing much and that my work wasn’t making a difference. Reminds me of the Starfish Story–  I may not be able to save everyone but I made a difference to that one!

How you can win the lottery:

No matter how big or small if you can make a difference to someone DO IT! You may never know how great the affect but giving, celebrating, promoting, encouraging whatever it may be do it without expectations. You will feel like you won the lottery!

This is why I love promoting and interviewing small businesses, it may not have the hugest reach but it is reaching somebody.

I want to congratulate all the students that will be graduating and heading to college! I am so excited for you and I am excited that you are the leaders of today!

Well I am off to work to change lives! Thank you for reading and I hope it is encouraging!