Tell Your Story

When I look back to who I was growing up, the person I was 10 years ago would not know the woman I am today. My standards in life have changed as I have grown into an adult. When I was a teenager, I never imagined myself working at a University, having a family, and working on a Master’s degree to better my future. The standards I had for myself at 18 years old are not the same I have today. When I was 18, I would have stopped at a Bachelor’s degree if I had gone to college then because I would have been satisfied; I was not concentrating on the future and where my life would be in 10 years. I have increased my education standards in order to complete the Masters in Leadership for career progression; I want to show my children hard work will pay for their future. Setting a low standard for oneself, one will only achieve that level. Setting a higher standard for ones-self is not unattainable, it is a matter of what we are willing to put into our future to push ourselves to reach the higher standard. 

Another standard I continue to work at daily is being an honest and sincere person. I struggle with personal frustration when I am around dishonest people. I have always felt that honesty will get you farther in life because people will have more respect for you. However, being honest is not always easy because it leaves us vulnerable to criticism and persecution by those who do not agree with us. I have found over the years that honesty will cost friends, relationships, and business with companies. I hold companies to the same standard I hold myself and when they lie it usually involves money, which is unfair for the customer. I acquired this standard as a child because I never was able to tell a lie with a straight face, rather than force something that was impossible for me to do; I decided that telling the truth was easier than trying to lie my way out of a lie. Overall, as I have matured into an adult, I keep honesty set high in my priorities because I have children of my own and want to teach them to be honest as well.

Finally, I keep my spiritual standards in check. My husband and I are raising our children to go to church, pray, and be kind and respectful to others. I do my best to uphold my spiritual standards but I will fail because I am human. When I was a teenager I thought I knew who God was and thought I was living my life spiritual standards. However, as I have aged and learned valuable lessons in life, I realize now I was keeping low standards of myself spiritually. Becoming an adult has taught me to put my faith in God and stop taking on the world alone. I do realize the spiritual standard is not for everyone and I respect those who do not wish to practice spiritual standards but I will continue to allow my standards to grow in order to improve who I am as a person.

I have become the mother, wife, employee and youth group leader because the standards I hold myself to. If I did not set high standards for myself, such as being honest, I would not be who I am today. It is important to evaluate our standards continuously to not lose focus and lower our standards. Individual standards should be raised, never lowered to satisfy others.