Sunday, March 14, 2010

Proactivity Blog Entry #10: Living My Life on My Own Terms

Today is the first day of daylight savings time, I am awake all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Also I realize that I do not owe anyone any explanation for anything. I will simply start living my life uninterrupted. Channeling all of my energy into receiving my promotion and being a better person every day enables me to be further along this year than last. Each day I want to accomplish something significant and by focusing on myself, I will be more beneficial to everyone around me. This newfound feeling of serenity comes from some developments that force me to reexamine everything. I realize that I will be not just okay but better afterwards. So hit me with your best shot! I can take it!

Proactivity Blog Entry #9: Premonitions of Good Fortune

Sometime a while ago, I had this premonition that I should put my black sweater and Ann Taylor slacks in the dry cleaners because something good will happen to me; and, that Friday I received a phone call scheduling me for an interview. It was amazing because I did not know where it came. I aced the economist interview and sometime later that week, I received another email for the second statistician position. It just seemed that everything was coming together two weeks after four feet of snow froze everything. However, this good fortune was not mere happenstance but a whole season of hard work. In 2009, I enrolled in summer school to complete the six statistics credits to qualify for the statistician position. I realize that combining my mathematics credits, I also qualify for the mathematical statistician occupation. I was happy that now I was eligible for three mission-critical occupations; thus, giving me three avenues towards becoming a Senior Executive Series worker. Receiving this promotion was the first step towards achieving one of my career objectives, and, something told me when the time was right another premonition would come my way.

Proactivity Blog Entry #8: Being a Blessing

This week while doing my taxes I realize that I will receive the largest refund of my entire working life. This directly derives from my Dress from Success donations. When I was donating my ill-fitting shoes, I wanted them to go to women wearing a size 12AA. It was rough finding shoes for 12 narrow. The organization would give them to poor women wanting to work, earn a livable wage and feed their families. I did not think that putting them on EBay was appropriate because this recession ravaged the poorest people who could not afford decent shoes yet needed them the most to keep their jobs. The District's 12% unemployment rate proved this. Throughout 2009 I donated over thousands of dollars in shoes.
This year I will expand my charitable giving beyond Dress for Success to include Suited for Change, Goodwill and the Salvation Army. I already have my stuff mapped out. This week I will donate two evening dresses to the DC Public Schools' Annual Prom Donation Drop-Off. Originally I think I would only give the black evening gown I would had worn to the Southern Inaugural Ball; but, after learning that I am a size 8 in strapless gowns, I will give my size 10 silver sequined cocktail dress, too. In addition, I will give my White House Black Market dress and three Forever 21 dresses to either the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Finally, within two weeks I will donate some more shoes to Dress for Success.
Giving to others makes me feel better because I am contributing to my community. This is not a single isolated event. For instance, the old National Coalition of 100 Black Women chapter has sent me the DC Public Schools email. Social change is the cornerstone of all of my social memberships. I refuse to join any group that does not serve the community.