So there is just something climactic about Fridays but at the same time it brings a certain air of freshness to it as well. When the idea of Driven struck me one of my thoughts was to feature individuals like myself who are motivated beyond words to accomplish their inner most desires. Individuals who have that fire burning deep within and who will not rest until that flame is shining for the entire world to see.
As such today and for more days to follow, I will be featuring individuals who are on the road to greatness.
Lauricia Henry is currently in Taxco Guerrero, Mexico pursuing a first degree in Special Education with the hopes of further attaining a Masters in Educational Psychology and finally a PHD in Education.
Her desire isn't to be rich, but to live comfortably. To possess the things she wants and not having to worry about money is her ambition. A primary and secondary education at the Antigua SDA School has placed this talented spirited young woman in the position that she is in today. Being a fan of English, poetry, science, history, and at times biology has allowed her to see the bigger picture of life and created within her the desire to live outside the status quo. Her passions for self expression lead her to amass a plethora of poems that she hopes to one day share with the world around her. Her inspiration at one point came from the “drama” that is our teenage years. The soul searching, gut wrenching days that lead many of us to the brink of insanity, conformity, rebelliousness and reckless abandonment caused this butterfly in flight to create original pieces that she hopes one day will inspire other youths on that road to freedom..
When asked about the driving force in her life Lauricia had no reservations about crediting this remarkable source as her grandmother. In Lauricia’s own words “In the times I feel like giving up I remember all the things that she's given up and I'm determined to make her proud. Her sacrifices have allowed her children and grandchildren to have the kind of lives we do now. She inspires greatness and so I will be nothing less than GREAT”.
The one word that would describe her life experiences thus far would be extraordinary. “Extraordinary because in my 21 years, I've seen good go to bad and back, felt like giving up and fought through difficulties all in one go. But hey I survived and I wouldn't trade it in for anything”.
When asked if she could give one word to a primary/secondary school student to motivate him or her to reach for the stars, her answer came back as a resounding “YOU”. “I remember going through high school especially and trying to live my life to please every other person. It was like a war and the sad part is I never really won. Don't live your life to please anybody else, live so that YOU are proud of YOU. If you are second guessing something it's probably because it's not really who you are. Sure it's nice to want to make other people proud, but set boundaries. Don't overburden yourself with making others happy, you often lose yourself in the process. Don't be afraid to let others see your talents, you're awesome and you know it, just try to let others see your awesomeness. If somebody didn't like what you had to offer it's ok. There's nothing wrong with you, just do YOU whole heartedly. Try to accept criticism and grow from it, think of it as a way to make you even better than you already are. Just stay true to you!!!!!!!!!”
Lauricia sees school as a stepping stone. She believes that a lot of what you do in school, especially secondary school shapes the person you become in the real world. Like many others, she knows that reaching for the stars is always a sure bet to success. “If you happen to fall short you land on a cloud. A cloud is a good place to land. Always have a back up plan, make choices that will ultimately lead to your bigger goals in life and be sure to make them realistic and work towards them with all you have. Never lose sight of the big picture and have fun along the way. Live your life responsibly making wise decisions, if there are hiccups get up learn from the mistake and move on wisely”.
Like many individuals Lauricia too has a few things she wish she would have done like sharing her poetry with others, writing more, and taking up singing and also dancing. Being concerned with what other people think of her was her main concern but with age comes insight and now she knows to live her life for herself and herself only.
“I've said lots so far and I'd probably like to end by saying read. Read as much as you can, as often as you can. Explore the world through books”. Her favourite and most inspirational book is "Think Big" by Dr. Benjamin Carson. “You might hear the title and think hear we go again one of those speeches, but all I'm going to say is use your imagination, let it run wild. Don't prohibit your thinking capacity by preventing yourself from dreaming. Every good thing starts as a dream. When you dream write them down keep track of them. Think outside the box you've been given, let your creative and intelligent side lead to some greatness. Who's to say that you won't be the next Einstein or George Washington Carver or maybe even the next Dr. Benjamin Carson”."Think Big" "Be Happy"
"If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you
develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an
exception; it is a prevailing attitude.."
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