My Journey To The New York State Bar - One Step Closer

As my character and fitness interview was scheduled for 9:00am on Wednesday January 17, 2018, I decided to fly out to New York on Monday so that I could give my body clock a few days to get used to the 5 hour time difference! I flew out with my mum. My sister who was at an art festival in Germany at the time and my friend Selena who was living in Florida, joined us on Wednesday evening, in time for the Thursday's swearing in ceremony. 

In order to be sworn in on the Thursday, I first had to pass the interview on Wednesday. I was a little nervous, not knowing what questions they would ask me but I was not worried about not passing the interview as I didn’t believe they would have me, and my family fly out to New York from England if they had an issue with my application or if they didn’t think I was fit to become a lawyer!

When I reported to the "The Egg" of the Empire State Plaza in Albany just before 9:00am, I expected to be in and out of there fairly quickly. How wrong I was. As my last name starts with P, I was right at the bottom of the list and had to wait in line for two hours before I was interviewed. During this time I got to know a few other people and we shared our career journeys. I spoke a lot with a lovely lady from St Louis who was already an attorney in her home state, but was now wanting to practice in New York as her teenager daughter had started boarding school and she wanted to move closer to her. 

When it was finally my time to be interviewed, I literally spent no more than 15 minutes with a member of the committee. He was intrigued that I was working within Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as an Aviation Adjudicator as New York, as well as London are both central forums when dealing international ADR, including arbitration. He then spent five minutes talking about the British and New York weather, his family and why he loves Albany, before shaking my hand and saying "welcome to the New York State Bar."

All the while I was upstairs, my mum was waiting downstairs in the foyer. I felt sorry for her, having to wait two hours for me, but when I went downstairs after my interview, she had made friends with other mothers from Arizona and Canada. They even exchanged numbers to keep in touch :)

I took my mum to the New York State Capitol which just across the road for a hot drink and something to eat at Dunkin Donuts as we were really hungry! I wanted to take a walk around the New York Court of Appeals but my mum was really cold. It was already -9 degrees Celsius which we were not used to! The hotel was less than 10 minutes walk so I took her back then headed to the court myself for a tour! 

The member of staff who met me at the reception was actually a Londoner. He was raised in Islington and shared how he came to New York. As the court was not in session, he showed me around and even allowed me to sit in one of the associate judge's seat, judge Jenny Rivera (who I would end up meeting a year later at a function in New York City).

My Journey To The New York Bar - Each one Teach One

Securing legal work has never been easy. When I reflect on my time at university, law school and preparing for the bar exams, I cannot remember a time where structured and direct career advice and guidance was given to me. I had to navigate finding work in the legal sector by myself and at times, I found myself working as a cleaner, administrative assistant, waitress and call centre agent just to put food on the table and pay rent and bills. Although these jobs come with transferrable skills, you still need the exposure and experience of working within a legal environment to put into practice your legal knowledge and to develop important skills needed for a career in law.

My university wasn’t very helpful at all and I was never accepted onto any mentoring programme! I had to find my own legal internships and volunteering opportunities at law firms, barrister chambers and my local advice centre. To raise money for a certain cause, I took on a temporary Christmas job as a waitress working at Christmas dinner parties. I met a lot of graduates with master’s degrees and some even studying for a PHD and they were frustrated because they were finding it difficult to secure paid or unpaid work placements, internships or voluntary work. 

At the time I was working as an Aviation Adjudicator and shared my personal experiences and how I could relate to them having to do any job just to make ends meet because you can't find work in your preferred field and what you had had spent years studying for. All of them were from Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME) backgrounds which hit closer to home because I could see myself in them!

As I knew some people who worked in their field of interest, I took their contact details and tried to connect them with people who could mentor them in some way. Then for the law students and graduates, I started to think about what I could do. I had a desire to start some sort of program to help them, but I just didn’t know exactly what and how I would do this!

A year and a half later, I was finally able to materialise my desire to give law students and graduates, from different backgrounds, the opportunity to gain practical legal experience, working on real-life cases through the legal and social justice organisation I set up, United Legal Access. 

I initially focused on recruiting volunteers from BAME backgrounds, especially for the EU Settlement and Windrush Compensation work we were doing. It just seemed appropriate at the time to have volunteers who looked like the people we were helping. However, I knew that others needed the opportunity to gain legal experience and I did not want to restrict it to only those from BAME communities.

So, a year later, when we launched our virtual legal advice clinic at the start of the pandemic, we created opportunities for volunteers from all backgrounds. Today, we have 25 law students and graduates volunteering with us (as well as 20 volunteer solicitors and paralegals) from different backgrounds and from different parts of the country. Three of them have now gone on to secure legal jobs.

It’s amazing how our own personal struggles, misfortunes and experience can later be used to help others. I don’t believe in coincidences but we are placed in certain places and go through things for a reason. I am grateful that I am in a position to help young aspiring lawyers gain valuable learning experience that will help them in their future career, along side doing good for the community 😊

My Journey To The Bar - Embracing The Journey

 

Finally, all my documents were submitted to the attorney admissions office by October 2017 after several hiccups and delays. I was notified in November that my character and fitness interview was scheduled for Wednesday January 17, 2018 and if approved by the committee, I would be sworn in on January 18!

 

It was all becoming real now, especially knowing that in a couple of months I would have finally achieved one of the goals on my dream board! I was not worried about not passing the interview as I didn’t believe they would have me, and my family fly out to New York from England if they had an issue with my application or if they didn’t think I was fit to become a lawyer!

 

At the time my application was submitted, I also started a new job as an Aviation Adjudicator. This role gave me insight into working on international law cases. I had to assess claims made against airlines and airports and write decisions and recommendations based on EU legislation and regulations as well as international treaties (when dealing with claims outside the EU). The great thing about this role was that it was remote. Although the head office was in London, we could work from home and create our own work schedule. I loved it because it meant I could volunteer and do other things outside of this and, I did not have to worry about getting up early in the morning and commuting to work! Also, we could work from anywhere in the world, and some of my colleagues did just that!

 

Things were now starting to fall into place just in time for January 2018. I did a lot of networking during this time too, attending legal networking events and talks in London and learning about the career journey of some successful lawyers, especially female and black lawyers.  Their stories were inspiring and encouraging, and I clearly saw that no one’s career path is the same. Although we can draw inspiration from others, we must also embrace our own journey and own it! Do not get anxious or even envious when you see others progressing to a certain level. What is for them is for them and what is for you will come, at the right time.

 

My Journey To The New York Bar - Job Searching

With every new achievement comes the decision of what to do next and passing the bar exams back in 2017 was no different.

Whilst I was collating all the paperwork and documents needed to submit my application for admission, I was also planning my new career and job searching like crazy.

My job search for a newly US qualified lawyer role or associate role in an American law firm started even before I passed the bar exams. I am a person of faith and live by faith so I started applying for jobs as soon as I returned to England after sitting the bar exams in February 2017 and before knowing whether I had passed the bar or not!

I wanted to move to New York so badly and had applied for a visa but was unsuccessful twice. Another option I had was to secure a job offer in New York in the hope that the firm would then sponsor me for a green card. I had received a couple of interview invites. I was interviewed via Skype but as soon as the firms discovered I didn't have a green card, they informed me that they couldn't offer me the role.

My focus then was to secure a job at an American or international law firm based in London, then after a while transfer to their US office. I had seen some job opportunities that provided the opportunity to transfer to their US office after 12 months of working with the firm. I also spoke to different people in the US who worked for a global firm in their respective countries and were later transferred to the US.

I was offered a job as a US lawyer for a business immigration law firm based in London. However, when I received the contract and saw the low hourly rate, I queried this before signing. They didn't reply to me. When I chased them up a few days later, they claimed they had now offered the job to someone else. I didn't believe that and believe that because I wasn't willing to work as a lawyer but get paid as a paralegal, they were no longer interested in me. I reasoned that if I am going to get paid as a paralegal, I might as well work as a paralegal and that's what I did.

I did freelance paralegal work assisting small companies and a nursing home with legal, regulatory and compliance matters. Within a few months I managed to secure a temporary paralegal role at a top tier global law firm and worked with them for four months. From this, I started getting job offers from legal recruitment agencies for contract attorney and contract lawyer roles working with other top tier international law firms in Birmingham and London and all the cases I've worked on have been US/UK cross border cases, mainly New York or DC state law or federal law cases.

It might have seemed crazy turning down the first job offer as a qualified lawyer, especially because at that time I had already handed in my resignation after in Local Government for four years and would now find myself unemployed. But I also knew my worth, the amount of money, time and effort I had spent on qualifying as a lawyer. There is a different level of responsibility when you 'level up' professionally and it is only fair to be paid a salary that reflects that. Had I just accepted the first job offer, I may not have encountered the opportunities that followed.

My Journey To The New York Bar - Admissions process

After passing the New York Bar Exam and all over prerequisite exams, the next step was to apply for admission to the New York State Bar. For this I had to complete a very through application process which included providing references from all law school and universities attended, a ten year history of all legal work whether paid or unpaid, two character references, verification of 50 hours of pro bono work, any debts, convictions, mental health information and a list of other things.

I started off by contacting the university I attended for my undergraduate law degree. It was a complete nightmare trying to get them to send the correct information off to the NY State Bar. The admin team sent off the incorrect information twice which caused delays and was quite frustrating!

I then went to Nottingham Law School, where I started my postgraduate studies. I actually took this picture (above) in July 2017 when I entered inside the law school. At that time 7 years before, I walked out of that place feeling ashamed because I had to discontinue my studies due to extenuating circumstances. I had been kicked out of my home and was a homeless young lady living in a hostel. I could not continue with my Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC) because of the financial hardship I was experiencing.

After graduating from university, I opted to do the LPC part time. This was back in 2008 when we were in a recession and training contracts where difficult to secure. I could not get a professional graduate loan from the bank to cover my law school fees due to having a very bad credit score. Therefore, I had no other choice but to fund the course myself by working full-time and studying part-time. When I became homeless, I had to leave the role as a housing adviser due to potential conflict of interest - advising people who may be placed in the same hostel as I was staying at.

I then got a full-time job as at a call centre but when you are living in a hostel and you work, 60% of your income goes towards the cost of staying in the hostel. After a few weeks of paying 60% of my wages to the hostel, my support worker advised me that it was not worth working full time and that it would be better for me to claim benefits. At least that way, the government would be paying for the hostel and I only need to contribute £28 every fortnight. I was then left with around £35 to live off.

Relying on welfare benefits meant that I could not save any money to contribute towards my law school fees. I had applied for bursaries, scholarships and hardship funds and managed to raise only £300. This was nowhere near the £2,500 needed to complete the final semester. I had managed to pay for the first one before losing work and becoming homeless. I was told I could not sit the end of year exams with fees outstanding. As I knew I could not clear the outstanding balance, I had to withdraw from the course. This was after spending 7 months on the course.

Before I went to visit the law school, I actually emailed two lectures who I always remembered. I was so happy when they replied to my emails. I reached out to them to let them know how I was doing. One of them said she always wondered what has happened to me so she was relieved to know I was doing well. When I had to discontinue my studies, they were very supportive. They went above and beyond for me and even donated some of their spare furniture and a computer to me, once I had settled into the apartment I was given after 7 months of living in the hostel.

It was a bitter-sweet moment, returning 7 years later to drop off a form for the law school to complete and send off to the admissions office in New York as part of my application to be admitted as an Attorney and Counselor-At-Law in the state of New York. I couldn't help but smile as I walked along the corridors because I could see just how faithful God is and that when we believe and do not give up, we will make it in the end.

My Journey to the New York Bar - Fully focused

In the last few weeks before the bar exams, I literally said no to everything that had nothing to do with preparing me for the exams and anything that wouldn't contribute to my spiritual and general well being. I took the entire month off work (unpaid leave) and cut down on volunteering activities, TV and social media because my focus was preparing myself for the exams.

I didn't care about the fact that I would not be paid for an entire month because my vision and goal for what I wanted to achieve was bigger than those concerns. I didn't think about all the things I was turning down and not being involved in because it wasn't the time for me to be engaged in such things! It was time to put more of my time and effort into preparing for the biggest exams of my life!

I spent a lot of time studying, resting and eating well, having moments to clear my head and to think. Physical, mental, and emotional preparation is so important. Being stressed out and frustrated will not help at all.

When I sat the bar exams for the first time in 2016, I was still keeping up my daily routine and doing all the things I was doing before I started my journey to the bar, which looking back was not wise at all and was one of the reasons why I didn't pass the exams. I wasn't disciplined with my time as I should have been and I was still saying yes to things that really, I knew I shouldn't have said yes to. At times, I would use pre-planned study time to do certain things because I didn't want to say 'no' and thought I could do it all. Big mistake!

During deadlines, crucial moments in our lives, new phases and endeavours we embark on, we will have to say no to things that will not contribute to or keep us in line with what we are doing or where we are going, and that's okay. We may even upset or disappoint people because of it and that's okay too but because we can't please everyone.

My Journey to the New York Bar: The Slight Hiccup at the Beginning

Once I had enrolled onto the 4 month Bar Review Course and received the course materials and books through the post, I was excited to officially start my journey to becoming a New York Attorney. 

I had more or less organised my time which was to work 30 hours a week (Monday to Thursday) and dedicate Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to review the pre-recorded lectures and work through the study plan provided by Bar Bri International. I was fortunate that my managers at work were flexible and allowed me to cut my hours down and not work on Fridays. 

The course started on Friday 4th of March at 6.30pm and I was so ready for it....until I started to feel unwell and experience chest pains. During the day, I felt so bad I had to go to the walk-in health centre to get checked out and ended up spending a few hours in the waiting room, waiting to be checked out. I was told I had strained a muscle near my chest that's why I was in pain and I needed to avoid movement for a few days. I didn't leave the medical centre until after 8pm and on my way home I found a very drunk lady on the street with vomit all over and in need of help. As we called for an ambulance she stood up and walked into the middle of the road and laid flat on the floor to sleep! This caused a fleet of cars to line up behind her because she was blocking a very busy road and me and 3 other passers by kept trying to get her off the floor but she wouldn't budge! One of drivers came out to see what was happening and was surprised to find out that that the lady was her neighbour! She managed to get her up and take her home! I'm glad she got home safely. An eventful day!

Going back...this was not the start I planned and I had to play catch up with the few days I missed to rest. I also had a lot of adjusting to do, becoming a student again and juggling work and knew I had to put aside things that were not a priority, to invest more time into my studies. 

One of the first things I did was contact those closest to me to explain to them that for the coming months, I would not be as available to do things, meet up and even socialise as I usually was because I would be concentrating on my studies. I asked them to be considerate and to bear with me. It helped so that those around me wouldn't expect too much from me! 

Choosing the home program was ideal for me because of my work schedule and distance from London...but it also feel somewhat lonely because I would be doing this alone, without anyone to consult or feedback too (apart from the tutors). This is what I thought until I received an email from one of the course leaders....

My Journey to the New York Bar - In pursuit, silently and discreetly.

My decision to sit the New York Bar exam and qualify as an Attorney in the U.S was solely based on the dream and vision that had awakened within me, one that I truly believe God gave me.

I didn't consult anyone when making the decision. Once I was fully decided and registered for the Bar Review Course, I told a select group of family and friends and my manager (as I would need to reduce my hours at work and have time off to sit the exams). I decided to keep this as private as possible. I used to be the kind of person who would seek approval from others. Whenever I had an idea that seemed good or I was thinking about doing something or travelling somewhere, I would always consult someone, either a friend, family member, or one of my peers.

Looking back, there were things I wanted to pursue but was talked out of it. Due to not being defined and knowing what I wanted and also because of my respect for the person advising me and my belief that they knew better, I listened to them. But later, I felt frustrated because the other option given didn't produce much and I regretted not doing what I believed was good for me.

There are people who out of love and concern for us, advise us not to pursue something because they think it's not in our best interests. They mean no harm. And there are others who try to put their limitations on us because they do not have the same mindset, vision, courage or faith to do what we are doing or want to do. They think we are being overly ambitious and the risk is not worth it.

In both situations, we have to be very careful not to allow other peoples opinions to interfere or divert us from the calling we wholeheartedly believe we have or the career path we have chosen.

I didn't keep silent about my plans just to avoid people coming to me with their opinions or suggestions of what I should or shouldn't do, but also because I learned that when we talk too much about something, most of the time we get little or nothing done. The energy we put in discussing what we want to do could be put into actually doing it! When I started doing this (and it's something I continue to do) things actually starting happening and moving forward.

I remember there was a period where people were making comments to my face and behind my back, saying that I was spending too much time travelling to America and other places, spending money, instead of focusing on investing and building my life. Little did they know, that's exactly what I was doing! The times I travelled to the U.S was either to sit the different exams required to qualify as a U.S lawyer or to gain work experience out there. I was very selective of what I posted on social media, not to disclose everything I was doing, so a lot of the time it looked like I was just sightseeing and having fun. But in truth those touristic places I visited were usually while on a study break, on my way to and from the library or a meeting. That's why you shouldn't believe everything you see on social media. It's not always a true reflection of what a person has or what they are doing.

My Journey to the New York Bar - Redeeming The Time

Redeeming the time for me at that moment was to go to New York and do a legal internship.

Several years before, which was during my second year at university, I chose to study a  module called The Justice Process. It was focused on studying both the criminal justice system and the civil justice process in North America. We had an option to do an eight to ten week  internship in a law firm in the U.S or to write an essay about a particular topic. I chose to do an internship in New York and secured one at a Brooklyn law firm that practiced criminal and personal injury law.

From what I recall, everybody else on the course chose the southern  states like Indiana, Mississippi and Texas but I chose New York. It just appealed to me more and I remember my professor telling me that I had to find my own placement because they did not have connections with places in New York. I contacted a lot of different law offices and firms in New York to secure a placement myself.


I was preparing myself for this once in a lifetime opportunity, however about 5 weeks before I was due to go, I cancelled the whole thing. It was a personal decision I made due to a particular situation I was facing at the time. No one around me understood, especially my dad who insisted I went, "even if he had to drag me on the plane", but I was adamant I was no longer going. It was not an easy decision to make and I had to contact the law office to inform them, as well as other people who were going to assist me during my stay there.

Fast forward to that Saturday morning in September 2014 while cleaning the house,  when it came to my mind that the time had come for me to redeem the opportunity I 'gave away'. Two months later,  I went to visit relatives in Maryland for Thanksgiving and spent a few days in New York to get a "feel of the place."

Before the trip I was just thinking about  doing an internship to finally do what I always wanted to do and cross it off the 'bucket list', but God had now opened my vision to  actually qualify as a U.S lawyer and practice law internationally. I went to the United States with a purpose, and everything I did from that moment on, I did to work towards the dream that had now awakened within me.

I went back to New York at the end of May 2015 for three months and did an internship and also pro bono work, providing legal advice and assistance to low income families and residents of New York City.  During that year, the New York Bar Association had implemented a new requirement that applicants had  to fulfil 50 hours of pro bono work as part of their application for admission as an attorney.  I found out that I could use the pro bono work I was doing, as part of the 50 hours requirement for my application. Without even knowing, I was doing certain things to assist me on my journey to the New York Bar.

My Journey to the New York Bar - That pivotal moment

I'm going to take you back to 2014 which was the pivotal moment where my vision opened and my career started to steer in another direction.

During that year I was very dissatisfied with my career. I had already recovered from certain personal issues I had experienced, finally got a decent paying full time job and had a regular steady income to pay my rent, bills and daily expenses and even travel. But I felt restricted. I was dissatisfied because I knew there was more to me and for me than this. I'm not knocking the job or company I was working for at the time, but I reasoned with myself that I didn't go to university, study law and even train as a paralegal just to do admin work.

Although I was paralegaling on the side, it still wasn't enough for me. But I didn't know what to do or where to go. I knew that I didn't want to go back to law school and resume the Legal Practice Course (LPC), which is the course you take before becoming a trainee solicitor in England and Wales, because the course fees were so expensive, around £10,000. I previously had to leave the LPC  half way through due to experiencing homelessness and I was not in a good way emotionally. I was 'ready' to go back and finish what I started, but at the same it was not what I wanted anymore. I was also finding it hard to get a full time job as a paralegal because whenever I had interviews I would be questioned about having a stammer and they (not me) saw it as an impediment for me to work directly with clients; even though I had previously worked in a call centre and as an advisor, and had no issues with that.

So I started paralegaling independently. I found my own clients which were charities, organisations, businesses and individuals. Still it wasn't enough for me. I remember during that year I did a lot of "soul searching". I spent a lot of time alone, figuring out who I was, what I liked, what I was good at and what I wanted.

I would spend time alone at the park, go for walks (this is where my love for nature was awakened), spend time researching online. I was really seeking what to do to. I had a mentor at the time and she is the one who helped me to develop my relationship with God and be defined in my faith because both would be crucial in establishing true happiness, being stable emotionally, spiritually, mentally, financially and in all aspects of my life really.

It was June 2014 and I had reached a point where I was ready for a change. I didn't know what exactly but I wanted a change. I remember speaking to God saying that I wanted Him to do something new in me and in my life. I wanted new things. I wasn't specific because I didn't know what to ask for but it's like I just gave everything to Him, in words and in deeds. I was always seeking what to do and one morning while I was cleaning a house (I used to do house cleaning at the weekends to make extra money), I heard the words "redeem the time because the days are evil", while listening to an audio message, which caught my attention. I even remember the room and what part I was cleaning, until this day lol.

After listening to the message I started thinking about what this meant for me and how I could do this.... It was then that an opportunity I had been given but gave up during my second year at university, came to mind....It was now time for me to redeem the time and go back and do that very thing...

My American Adventure: Being Independent

My first morning in New York and I was up at 4  o'clock in the morning. My body and mind was clearly still in UK mode. I kept myself busy by reading, doing some work and watching Law and Order:SUV (my favourite show) before nodding back to sleep 6 hours later lol.
I didn't plan anything for the day as my main focus was to rest.

I had a nice stroll around the neighbourhood in the afternoon. At the end of the street there are a variety of cafes, restaurants amd bakeries. 10 minutes by foot and I was at the local shopping area that has department stores, more restaurants and shops. Everything is so close.

I loved how people who were sat in their gardens or leaving their houses, waved at me to say hello. It really is a friendly and diverse neighbourhood.

I was thinking about my personal journey leading up to my trip here and how I kept my plans secret until nearer the time. Even then, only my parents and siblings, people at work who needed to know and a few friends were aware that I'd be coming here for the summer.

Not many people knew until I posted it on my social networking sites yesterday. And with some things, it has to be that way. Staying focus on the goal and not boasting about it.

I have learned from experience that there are moments in life when we have to keep things to ourselves and not speak much about it.

When we talk too much we don't get a lot done. Not everyone will be rooting for us or believe in what we are doing. However, when you know what you want and you have the faith to conquer it, nothing and no one can stop you.

Life as a singleton

I’m single and I’m loving it! Yes that’s right – I love it! Contrary to what many people think, being single is not a curse! It’s not a shameful thing or something to feel sorry about! For me being single is a time of self discovery. It’s a period in my life where I can invest solely in myself and in my personal goals. I get to know myself, what I want in life (and what I don’t want) and do me really!

There was a time when I used to feel the pressure of having to be in a relationship, settling down with someone and starting a family. A lot people would ask why I wasn’t married yet; why hadn’t  I settled down with anyone and they’ll tell me to be mindful that the biological clock is ticking (even though I’m still in my 20’s)!

Many people end up frustrated and bitter because they give into the pressures of being single and jump into a relationship with anyone who gives them attention. They end up losing themselves into something that is not good for them just so they don’t have to be alone!

When you know and believe in your value and your worth, you don’t settle for this! In fact you don’t settle – you only go for the best because you know you deserve the best! You enjoy being a singleton not because you can date as many people as you want  but because you get to invest more in yourself . You become independent, build up your confidence, have personal achievements and experience life in a way, that when you do find your other half, you will have so much to give to the relationship. You won’t be needy, highly dependant on the other person or always hiding under their wing – but you will add to their life!

Moment of reflection: Blessed

Welcome to a new month!

How was the month of March for you? Good, bad, so so?

March was a very blessed month for me! I experienced some wonderful moments but a lot of things didn't go according to plan. I had set backs, disappointments and struggles. However, none of these diverted me from my goal, neither did it steal my happiness.

I chose to rise above them all and to keep moving forward. With this mindset and attitude, I could see a way out the struggles! Things became clearer.

You see, sometimes we think we are only blessed when we achieve something materially great, such as a new job, career opportunity, become engaged, get married, receive a lump sum of money we weren't expecting and get the all clear from a health problem! All these are wonderful but being blessed is not limited to what the eye can see.. Maybe none of these things happened to you last month and this has made you question your faith, and self belief. Everyone around you seems to be progressing, taking leaps of faith, soaring to new heights, gained new responsibilities and promotion and you didn’t receive any of that. No well done, congratulations, praise, and recognition came your way.



But look deeper! Was there a bad feeling or resentment you were harbouring against someone who had hurt you in this past but this month you decided let it go, forgive them and move on? You are blessed because you have set yourself free, you're no longer heavy burdened and have found inner healing – which many are craving for!



Was there a secret you were keeping to yourself and it was eating you up inside, making you feel guilty, but you opened up to someone about it and bringing it to light took you out of the inner darkness you were in and now you feel as light as a feather? You are blessed



Were there people in your life who only brought you down, undermining your worth and leading you to a destructive life but you broke away from them and removed them from your life? You are blessed because you realized that to live a positive life you need to stay away from negative people. You raised your standards and respected yourself!

Were you in a relationship that seemed to be going no where and you or the other person decided to call it a day? You are blessed because that relationship wasn’t right for you and now you can concentrate on investing more in yourself  and  when it’s time, the right person for you will come in to your life. If you had carried on with that relationship, you’d still be frustrated, insecure and unhappy!



As the quote says, “everyday may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” It bottles down to the way we choose to look at things and the attitude towards what life throws or does not throw at us!

To be blessed is to be happy!