Overcoming Obstacles Even Personal Ones

Graduating college was always a goal for me but never did I realize how hard that obstacle was going to be. After leaving the Army with an injury, I started noticing things about myself things that well just did not make sense.  After carefully research and a lot of self-evaluation, I decided to see my pediatrician, (Yeah I was over 21 seeing a kid’s doctor ROFL let us not judge). It was rather interesting to find out I had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder better known as ADHD.  Yes, it can go undiagnosed as well as it is very common in adults some famous as well as well-established people in history have had it.  My family just thought I was a busy body never did they realize it was not that it was something within me that kept me in this state of hyperactivity. The reason it was not found out in the Army was because I had a structured life and that structure life is what helped me stay focus. I write this particular blog today to help people realize that no matter what your circumstances are goals are attainable.

Here I was a single mom with ADHD and a new baby who had a whole set of special needs of his own while I knew medical school was out the question I still wanted my degree in something to show myself that I still had a chance.  For me that opportunity came with online college the day Jonathan came home from the hospital had I began my research and within 2 days I was enrolled in Kaplan University as a Business undergraduate and I was starting completely over not transferring any credits.  I set goals throughout the whole process I was determined not to allow this program to take more than two years. I’m proud to say I missed my deadline by only six months and that’s because let’s just say I don’t know how to simply let things go. So I failed a class because I couldn’t see eye to eye with an instructor. 

After achieving that I wanted more I was a thriving entrepreneur with a company that was doing well and I was itching to get more in tune with the business side of life so I changed things up in graduate school and I decided to get my MBA but to challenge myself and get a Project Management Degree. This time I gave myself another 3 years to complete the courses.  I am happy to say I started my MBA in 2008.  I did take a year off to take care of Jonathan who had to have some major surgeries during 2009. However when I restarted in 2010 at Strayer University not only did, I finish in 2 years but I also graduated with honors and within the top 20% of my class.  

I was competing against myself and no one else I had goals and I wanted to achieve those goals. Therefore, before you let someone tell you what you cannot do tell yourself what you can do. You just have to want to and you have to know yourself well enough to know how to achieve it.  My way was online school with structure that may not be the case for others. My redeeming quality was a PDA, a schedule, and simple the energy to just do it.

Let me blow your mind here is a few famous people who had or have ADHD: 

Jim Carrey       Prince Charles (yes that Prince Charles of England)     Bill Cosby        
  Tom Cruise            Walt Disney    Dwight D Eisenhower           Danny Glover        
Whoopi Goldberg                       Magic Johnson                        Michael Jordan                   
  Anna Eleanor Roosevelt                     Will Smith                         Steven Spielberg

  

                    “Tell me and I’ll forget. Show me and I’ll remember. Involve me and I’ll understand.”

                                                                      - Confucius  

~Truly Blessed,

Misherald "Missy" & Jonathan "JB" Brown