Journal: The Ride

Garscube Road in Glasgow, Scotland.

Being young and in a perfect position to chase dreams can be dangerous and overwhelming all at once. When your mind is traveling at the speed of light you must gather yourself and slow down before crashing. You must enjoy the ride. Lately, I've been proving only to myself of what I am truly capable of. It's an amazing thing to be able to humbly accomplish small goals in order to further position myself to tackle the much larger ones. Rushing equals rushed work, but when you sit back, relax, let your mind rest and meditate on one duty at a time, perfection—or coming close to it—can take place. Slow down.

Don't go too fast; don't loose control of the wheel. Remember: You're in control.

Life is what you make it. Although I wake up some days trying to make the most of it all at one time—this is an impossible task. Being in the place I've fallen in love with, it moves so swiftly...causing me to believe I must move and maneuver just as fast. False. It took a phone call last night to slow me down, further humble me, and show me that in the end, I am truly in control of how every aspect of my life will be determined on how well I do in this very moment. My biggest fear is missing out on a golden opportunity. The gentleman reminded me by saying, "New York isn't going anywhere. Enjoy your family, friends, and hometown."

I'm in a rush to make my family proud. I'm in a rush to make all of my mentors proud. I'm in a rush to make my friends proud. I'm in a rush to make myself proud. I'm in a rush to make my God proud. After a brief conversation over a friendly billiards match with my cousin who is in the same position as myself (chasing his dreams only four hours away in Boston), he knows our time will come. "We can't put all of this work in for nothing," he explained. "Our time is going to come." Although on two different personal journeys, we heavily inspire each other.

I love sharing my story with those who aren't familiar (when they do decide to ask of course). I get the same response from every person: "You're young. You have time. You're only eighteen." I get a little annoyed, hoping I'd get more advice than just those three sentences. Maybe those three sentences hold much truth, but it's hard to understand when you're steadily chasing after something that may not get accomplished because of time.

When I first moved to New York, I knew I was in my comfort zone. Being surrounded by other ambitious individuals who are all working very hard to accomplish what they've set out to achieve is extremely inspiring. Honestly, I feel at home away from home. For a creative, N.Y. is a humungous playground...allowing one to be free to make the most of their visit. All one has to do is take their time and put in the necessary work.

If there's anything I've learned since I've started my journey almost two months ago, it is to slow down, take in each moment, and continue from there. I've taken the leap of faith. My journey is in God's hands. I must stop worrying, only focusing on continuing to pursue what I'm here for. However things decide to happen, I am here to enjoy the ride.

*I'm currently back home in New Orleans recharging and just taking life in at a much slower pace. It's needed. I return to the playground in a couple days, and as that journey carries on, it will only get better. My time will come.