Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that is going to require the most from you—Caroline Myss.
I once learned that acute self-awareness is only possible after a period of chaotic uncertainty and forced reality. I can’t say that I’ve learned the ways of the world or that I have the innate wisdom of my elders, but I do know that I was broken, reborn, and redefined in a uniquely remarkable way. I want to share that strength with others. With that, I created Belle Femme Diaries.
With every experience, I’ve learned that my choices were uniquely tied to compiled research and passion. Whether it was a weekend of Google searches for that perfect study abroad program or a seminar on top careers, I committed myself to the discipline of informed preparation for opportunities that reflected my individualized passions.
Originally, Belle Femme Diaries was my psychotic database of compiled research on scholarships, internships, and programs. A database that may have never existed if it wasn’t for one fateful night when I heard my mother in tears during prayer. It hit me all at once. My parents, with all of their sacrifices, would not be able to afford my way through college. The promise to myself that night was simple: fix my eye on a goal and research every opportunity that would make it possible. College was the first goal on my list.
By senior fall, I had 63 pages of collected information that led to 17 college submissions and 37 scholarship applications. Along with several college acceptances and national scholarships, I graduated high school with two culminating letters that changed everything: an Ivy League admission letter from Dartmouth College and a full-ride scholarship from the Bill Gates Millennium Foundation. I was beyond grateful. As I turned the pages to the next chapter of my life, I realized that the little girl who spent hours researching to get those two letters had found a way to make future dreams an undeniable reality. So the list of goals got bigger after that.
As my aspirations grew, so did my heart. I instinctively got into a habit of mentoring and developed a passion for sharing my experiences to inspire others. Over time, I was invited to share my experiences at panels, interviews, and local events. My reputation started to precede me, and over the years, it hit home when students started walking up to me and saying that my advice sparked something worthwhile for them. I was honored.
Six years have passed since that high school year of promise. It’s time to extend that promise of opportunity to others—hence the creation of Belle Femme Diaries. A promise that formed from a spring diary entry that ended with, “I’m close to a quarter century old. What did I leave behind?” This is as much an opportunity for you as it is for a quarter-century project where I put my ideas, advice, and thoughts online for others to not only see but also find useful. Hopefully, it becomes an insightful open-book diary.
Pursuing meaningful aspirations is never easy. Yet, I learned that if we embrace the combined power of will and ambition, anything is truly possible. I was very much afraid to create Belle Femme Diaries, but I followed my heart and started typing my thoughts on paper. I don’t know what will become of all this, but I do hope that it serves its purpose of providing inspirational guidance, intuitive advice, and effective resources. Belle Femme Diaries was created for you. I hope it serves you well.
Yours Truly,
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