The 5 Whys

I recently viewed a series on YouTube entitled Leaving Corporate America and one of the things the speaker touched on was the 5 Whys.

Basically, if you are really trying to get to the root of why your doing something ask yourself "why" at least 5 times, or as many times as you need to in order to get an answer.

So I asked myself, Why am I going back to school?

Because I constantly preach higher education to my kids as a component of a successful future, yet I have not followed my own advice.

Why?

Because once I dropped out of school I had to work in order to survive and I just felt like there was no time. Soon, I felt like there was no need. Now I feel differently.

Why?

Because I believe my lack of education has limited me.

Why?

Because I know I can get a job doing what I do anywhere I want because of my experience. But now I want to do something else.

Why?

Because I'm not living up to my full potential.

Summary: Why am I going back to school? So I can feel like I'm living up to my full potential and so I can stop living a limited life.

First Day of School

Yay! It’s the first day of school.

I don’t think I’ve ever said that before. Ever. But here we are, it’s the first day of school and I’m so excited to be starting this journey. Add it to the list of journeys that I am currently on: spiritual journey, hair journey, fitness journey and now my educational journey.

I’ve got a lot going on. I keep wondering how this week is going to turn out. Out of the house three nights a week and working from home one day a week. My schedule is all shaken up.

I tried to relax over the weekend in preparation. I only ran eight miles. I made a trip to Target and picked up the weirdest combination of items: tea kettle, meat tenderizer, accent table, spritz, Tostitos and herbal tea. There is a chair in my living room that I have designated as the “reading” chair. But it’s kind of in the corner and there is nowhere to put my cup of tea so I got the accent table. Then I realized that if I’m actually going to have a special table for my tea I should get a kettle and some fancy tea. Chicken breasts were on sale this weekend and my old meat tenderizer had seen better days so I needed to replace that. The spritz was for my daughter. I picked up the Tostitos at the register because I remembered that I had an entire jar of salsa at the house but no chips.

Weird. Enough rambling. It’s the first day of school!

The Killas

So when I told my manager that I was going back to school and asked him to approve my request for tuition assistance he said:

"Good for you! I'll sign this right now. I'm not sure that a degree will really matter. I mean, look at all you've done."

If you're not careful someone will come in and kill your dream before you can even get it out of your mouth.

Now, I'm sure that he didn't mean anything by what he said. He probably actually believed that he was complimenting me. **eyeroll**

In the meantime, I took my math placement test today and scored 103. I only needed 65.

Oh, it'll matter my friend. It will definitely matter.

How High?

I've said since the first day of the year that my expectations for 2012 were high.

How high?

Super high.

But it doesn't matter how high my expectations are or how big my plans are ... God always manages to outdo me. He blows me out of the water every time.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD (Isaiah 55:8)

School wasn't even on my radar on January 1st. Now, it's the only thing I can think about. Truth be told, I thought this was going to be the year that I really learned to accept love and begin a relationship. **shrugs** I've been single for two years and I've been just fine on my own. In fact, I've learned more about myself in the past two years than I ever have.

God has a plan.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

It's All In The Numbers

Application Fee - $50
Tuition - $3,450
Technology Fee - $45
Total - $3,545

But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. (I Corinthians 15:10)

Application Fee - $0
Tuition - $2,105
Technology Fee - $0
Total - $2,105

Classes begin on April 2nd.

Never underestimate God and how He works. I’ll have to do a video to explain how this miracle came about. But for right now all I can say is: God is good!