As I sit back and reflect over the past year I can truly say that I am bless. I can recall this past June when I was told that my position was being eliminated and I would basically be jobless was such a shock. My instant reaction was how will I survive? How will I be able to make my mortgage payment? How will I feed my kids? Honestly it took me a few weeks before it actually sunk in that for the second time in my life I would find myself unemployed. Even as I write this post I sit back and thank about my dedication to Corporate America. How one can sacrifice so much building another person dreams. Really? Is this what I was created for? These are often the questions that flow through my mind. You see I am one of those people whose brain never shuts off. Even when I am asleep my brain is in overdrive. It never shuts off! My brain works overtime while I am resting so that when I awake that fresh idea is there for me to implement.
After weeks of unemployment trauma I realized that I had saved enough money just as I have done the majority of my life and decided to utilize those finances to stay at home with my kids for the duration of their summer break. I had already been blogging seven months and although I was fairly new to the game I decided to combine my marketing & sales experience, my gift for engagement along with my social media expertise and drive my presence through my blog and social media outlets. It was during these beginning stages of working towards building my brand I learn many lessons in the blogging world quickly. I am thankful that my parents always instilled in me to believe in myself and not be concerned with what the next person is doing but work diligently towards my goals.
I soon found that my determination and attention to detail lead me to work with some amazing brands. I was bless to have several sponsored post throughout the past six months to help aid in making mortgage payments, household bills and small expenses. I know that I have not reached my full potential as a blogger/journalist but my blog affords me the outlet to be myself, share my travels, interact with celebrities & politicians and share my life lessons with my audience. I realized very quickly that I prefer the freedom of coming and going as I am pleased, having the ability to take my kids to school every morning and picking them up at the end of their day. Although these may seem simple they are memories that my kids will always remember. I can recall when I did work in Corporate America I missed out on so much. I made the decision to remain a WAHM (Work At Home Mom) and work towards building my brand and my social media marketing business. Although at this very moment I am not sure where my next payment may come from sponsored post or a speaking engagement I am determined to continue to work towards my goals. Blogging is no walk in the park. Trust me its work, and hard work at that but with dedication and determination you can make a decent amount of money blogging.
This post serves as my testimony and affirmation. I am often asked where do I see my blog taking me and the answer is simple and remains the same since I started vlogging many years ago. I see myself landing a freelance position with a magazine that will afford me the opportunity to live abroad in London, Paris, Dubai, Jamaica or South Africa. I see myself along with my kids sitting at Bistro talking while I sip on my English tea. I see myself on the beautiful beaches in Jamaica working on articles. I see my blog affording me the opportunity to travel the world and sharing my experiences with my readers. I see my blog as a full-time job that provides for my family. I see my blog as one of the most recognized International Lifestyle Blogs in the world. If you’re going to Dream, why not Dream Big!
~Turkesha