Nevertheless
I had a speech impediment as a child. People thought I was slow.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I finally was tested, they realized I wasn't slow, they moved me up a grade for certain classes. I was shy and didn't say much.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I was diagnosed with severe asthma but I decided to play trombone, I was told I might want to look at other instruments.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I was the only girl trombonist at a summer music camp, they immediately gave me the third part to play but realized I was the only one who could play the high notes in the first part.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided that I didn't want to be a musician, despite being first chair for three years, I looked into studying economics but I was told that women don't become economists.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to go to an Ivy League school, I was told schools like that weren't for people like me.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to delay attending Cornell University to spend a year in Ecuador, I was told that it was dangerous for young women to travel abroad by themselves.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided that I wanted to work at Disney World, I was told that students in my major wouldn't get accepted.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I signed up for a third year computer programming class my senior year in college despite never haven take a programming class, they told me I would fail and it would destroy my GPA.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When my ability to speak Spanish, my programming skills and my experience working at Disney helped me to get multiple jobs offers out of college during a recession, including staying on at the university to do research, I was told it really was because I was pretty and would look good on the annual report cover.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I spent a summer following graduation consulting in Southeast Asia working with my professors, I was told they would never take a 23 year old American girl seriously in Asia.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I declined the job offer to stay in Asia and started a job in NY that I hated, quit and moved to a job in Las Vegas, I was told that I was committing career suicide and would never be taken seriously again.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I realized that I was unhappy in my career field and decided to become a stockbroker when only 15% of licensed brokers were women, I was told that I had a 95% chance of failure.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I started my own practice at 26, with $8.23 to my name and was couch surfing at my friends' homes because I couldn't afford an apartment, I was told that I needed to grow up and get a real job.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to get married, I was told that it would negatively impact my successful business.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to have a child, I was told that I would never finish my graduate degree.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to have my second child a few years after receiving my master, and I received a a substantial offer to buy out my business and declined it, I was told that I might want to reconsider because I would be more fulfilled staying home.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to continue to grow my business, I was told my children would suffer.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When my children with whom I am very close came to me because they were upset that their school was canceling activities that they enjoyed- especially the programs for the accelerated students-and I found out it was the principal who didn't want to favor the smarter students and then I found out a whole lot more from teachers and parents, they told me I couldn't get her moved to a new school because they'd been trying for 10 years.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When the new principal at their school started, I was happy because we had turned down a zone variance and as my daughter's brand new to teaching teacher struggled to maintain classroom control, I took a week off to help her and was told it wouldn't make a difference because the class was out of control and I knew nothing about teaching.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
And each and every time I've been told that I couldn't do something, somehow I persisted.
I was warned. I was given an explanation.
In interim, I traveled the world, met fascinating people, learned languages, built a business and have an amazing family.
And the naysayers have sat there and watched and judged and told me all the things I couldn't do.
The funny thing is, I can only see them in my rear view mirror, sitting where they've always been, telling me what it was they couldn't do and trying to convince me I couldn't do it either because I was the same as them.
But I wasn't. I'm not.
Because I persist.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I finally was tested, they realized I wasn't slow, they moved me up a grade for certain classes. I was shy and didn't say much.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I was diagnosed with severe asthma but I decided to play trombone, I was told I might want to look at other instruments.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I was the only girl trombonist at a summer music camp, they immediately gave me the third part to play but realized I was the only one who could play the high notes in the first part.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided that I didn't want to be a musician, despite being first chair for three years, I looked into studying economics but I was told that women don't become economists.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to go to an Ivy League school, I was told schools like that weren't for people like me.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to delay attending Cornell University to spend a year in Ecuador, I was told that it was dangerous for young women to travel abroad by themselves.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided that I wanted to work at Disney World, I was told that students in my major wouldn't get accepted.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I signed up for a third year computer programming class my senior year in college despite never haven take a programming class, they told me I would fail and it would destroy my GPA.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When my ability to speak Spanish, my programming skills and my experience working at Disney helped me to get multiple jobs offers out of college during a recession, including staying on at the university to do research, I was told it really was because I was pretty and would look good on the annual report cover.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I spent a summer following graduation consulting in Southeast Asia working with my professors, I was told they would never take a 23 year old American girl seriously in Asia.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I declined the job offer to stay in Asia and started a job in NY that I hated, quit and moved to a job in Las Vegas, I was told that I was committing career suicide and would never be taken seriously again.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I realized that I was unhappy in my career field and decided to become a stockbroker when only 15% of licensed brokers were women, I was told that I had a 95% chance of failure.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I started my own practice at 26, with $8.23 to my name and was couch surfing at my friends' homes because I couldn't afford an apartment, I was told that I needed to grow up and get a real job.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to get married, I was told that it would negatively impact my successful business.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to have a child, I was told that I would never finish my graduate degree.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to have my second child a few years after receiving my master, and I received a a substantial offer to buy out my business and declined it, I was told that I might want to reconsider because I would be more fulfilled staying home.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When I decided to continue to grow my business, I was told my children would suffer.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When my children with whom I am very close came to me because they were upset that their school was canceling activities that they enjoyed- especially the programs for the accelerated students-and I found out it was the principal who didn't want to favor the smarter students and then I found out a whole lot more from teachers and parents, they told me I couldn't get her moved to a new school because they'd been trying for 10 years.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
When the new principal at their school started, I was happy because we had turned down a zone variance and as my daughter's brand new to teaching teacher struggled to maintain classroom control, I took a week off to help her and was told it wouldn't make a difference because the class was out of control and I knew nothing about teaching.
Nevertheless, I persisted.
And each and every time I've been told that I couldn't do something, somehow I persisted.
I was warned. I was given an explanation.
In interim, I traveled the world, met fascinating people, learned languages, built a business and have an amazing family.
And the naysayers have sat there and watched and judged and told me all the things I couldn't do.
The funny thing is, I can only see them in my rear view mirror, sitting where they've always been, telling me what it was they couldn't do and trying to convince me I couldn't do it either because I was the same as them.
But I wasn't. I'm not.
Because I persist.
Comments
You rock Mama Bean!!