Before the foundation of the world, God created each of us with a unique purpose. One of our greatest challenges is discovering what that special purpose is. Too many of us spend most of our time trying to imitate how someone else dresses, walks, talks, and behaves, which usually leaves us feeling empty and frustrated.

Years ago I, too, was caught up in that endless cycle of searching for an identity through others and, as a result, was constantly unfulfilled and insecure. I finally discovered that no one but me could be Me!  “Always be a first-rate version of you,” said Judy Garland, “instead of a second-rate version of someone else.” 

Upon graduation from high school, I decided to find out whom God made me to be and what unique talents lay inside of me. The seeking-and-finding process was slow and required considerable patience, but it was well worth the wait. Living an authentic life takes great effort in the beginning because society places so many pressures on us to conform to its standards.

 

Here are some of the personal commitments I made as I searched for my unique life path: 

1. I take responsibility for my choices.
2. I think before I act.
3. I do something each day to develop myself.
4. I live a balanced life physically, spiritually, socially, and mentally.
5. I respect myself and the body that I live in and take care of it.
6. I respect others and the world I live in.
7. I choose to be a positive person.
8. I choose to be a giving person.
9. I choose to walk with integrity.
10. I choose to be content, yet always striving to improve.
11. I pray and ask God to show me more of His plan for my life and to give me the grace to walk it out.

I am so glad that I pressed on to discover my God-given talents. The road was not always easy; in fact, it was often lonely—but ultimately fulfilling.

 

My motto in life has been this: Study and prepare, and when I am ready, my time will come. And when nothing seems to be happening, I use that time to study and prepare some more, because if I do, my time will come, and I will be ready for it. Then when opportunity has come, at times I have felt overwhelmed by it. In those times I remind myself that I have studied and prepared, my time has come, and so I can trust God that I am ready for it—with His help. There is great peace in that place.

 

Little did I know that the unique purpose God placed in my heart would include founding a finishing school and taking that information across the United States and around the world. The people I have been blessed to meet have enriched my life beyond measure. The new levels of confidence I have seen spring up, in young and old alike, have been remarkable.

 

I fondly remember my trip to Dubai, UAE. As I concluded my presentation, Dr. Fahad, an influential attorney, folded his hands and said, “We have long had a dream that something like this would come to Dubai. Today the dream has come true.”  That moment was surreal, and I was speechless. I was humbled by the kindness and open arms of the Dubai people who hosted me. I, too, had a dream; it was a dream to equip young people with the skills that would build their confidence and enable them to fulfill their unique life path. Approximately 8,000 miles from my home, how grateful I was that I had pressed on in the daily things of life to be what God had created me to be.

 

Often I am asked why I dress or act a certain way when it appears no one else is. My response is simple: “I do what I do because this is WHO I am. I know longer worry about what anyone else chooses to do.” There is great liberty in discovering who you are and what you were created to do—no longer having to be a second-rate version of someone else!