Word Of the Week #564: Reality
May 27, 2015 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word Of the Week #564: Reality
Reality: the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notional idea of them.
Do you have an idealistic notion of how your life should be? Or do you just accept things as they are? Do you believe you have the power to change your current reality?
This week’s WOW is courtesy of Sade who I have known for over nine years. She writes, “I love this definition because it allows us to create our own notions of what that reality looks like to us. As someone who was told more than once, ‘The reality is that you probably won’t graduate from high school because of the circumstances you have come from,’ it has always been difficult for me to accept what others thought to be true for me. And I refused to accept their reality of who I was.
I have a strong belief in creating your own reality. That means that you have power and authority over your life and with that power and authority you can choose to make your new reality as grand as you want it to be. There are no limits, no boundaries, no restrictions; it’s your reality, your life and you’re responsible for creating it.
With my own reality, I decided I wanted the best life possible. Less than 10 years after being told I wouldn’t graduate high school, I not only graduated high school but I also earned three degrees, including a Masters from the University of Southern California. (She graduated on 5-15-15)
Being a person who was once in the foster care system doesn’t mean that I have to accept the statistics about foster youth, it simply means that I’ve come from unfortunate circumstances and can still choose to change my life that’s more fitting to my notion of a new reality.”
I have been so lucky to have been one of Sade’s mentors and so proud of how much she has accomplished! I am on the board of FOS – Fostering Opportunity Scholarships – and thanks to the generosity of so many people we now have 26 college graduates. In case you don’t know, less than 50% of former foster youth graduate from high school and 80% end up homeless. Only 3% will continue their education past high school and of those only 1% will graduate from college. Sade’s story is so compelling she has become a highly sought after speaker. Check out her Reality clip.
This week’s focus is on your reality. What does your idealistic life look like? Have you placed limits on yourself based on what others have told you? Are other people’s opinions creating your reality?
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