As we kick off the year 2022, I want to start things off on a very light note. So before we dive into the heavy stuff that characterizes the journey of being in your twenties, this post will simply just be about me. As we develop a relationship and grow this community it’s important for you to know who I am- behind the blog.

Since we are about to become a family over here, I guess I can let you in a few of my little secrets. Now of course, when I asked myself “who am I” I forgot every single detail about myself. (Has science explained why this happens yet? I truly have to know.) Nevertheless, after several hours of thinking I came up with a few interesting things that I’d like to share.

Where Do I Come From

I was born and raised in Montego Bay St. James Jamaica. I often tell my family that I can remember many details from my baby days when I lived in Glendevon before we moved to a different community while I was around age three.

Montego Bay will always be my home even though I now reside in the parish of St. Catherine. I moved to the eastern end of the island in 2016 when I began university, I lived on campus for a few years before renting places around the city and boy, do I have horror stories about renting in Kingston! But we will get to that some other time.

What My Family’s like

I come from a relatively small family. Growing up it was me, my two sisters (I am the middle child), my mother and my father. My father passed away in 2015 in a car accident and it’s been my mom and sisters ever since. We are a bit dysfunctional but no family is perfect and we make it work.

We maintain a pretty wholesome relationship with my extended family too. Most of them are no longer living in Jamaica, but luckily, Whatsapp keeps us all connected.

Growing up I saw a lot of my maternal grandmother. She was the sweetest and one of the strongest women I know. She too passed away and I miss her very much. Her love was pure and comforting and the candies she brought me on all her visits were sweet and delicious. Though I cannot recall her saying it, it was clear that her grandbabies meant the world to her. I still believe I am surviving off her prayers.

I never had a relationship with my father’s side of the family and I have not ever really processed that. I guess I’ll save it for when I can afford therapy.

Overall though, the best thing about my family is the fact that though we are not wealthy, we work hard, love hard, play hard and definitely laugh harder and I would never trade us for anything.

What I’m Passionate About

There are a few things I’m passionate about ranging from food, beauty and entertainment to self-development, good journalism and public relations. However, at the top of my list currently is helping myself and hopefully others get through this metamorphosis into adulthood.

I feel there are many gaps for conversation and fellowship that can provide guidance for persons, like me who struggle with feelings of failure, self-doubt and what feels like severe imposter syndrome. It is very easy to feel swallowed-up in your twenties but I am aiming to help as many people as I can strike a good healthy balance of growth and fun. This is pretty much the basis of this blog and it is as much for me as it is for anyone else.

An Embarrassing Story

Now, when it comes to embarrassing stories I got those covered. The real issue here is which one is cool enough to share without causing any further embarrassment and trauma.

Let’s try this one. When I was graduating from infant school, I had to deliver the valedictory speech. I was about six years old at the time and I remember the whole event so vividly because I have been scarred for years. For weeks I prepared with my mom and older sister. I felt so ready to do it until the day of the actual event.

From the moment I woke up, I was a nervous wreck. My family members were showing up one after the other reassuring me that I was going to do great and how proud I was about to make them. That definitely did nothing for my confidence. I barely spoke for the first half of the entire day. I got dressed in silence and we drove to the venue in silence. By the time we arrived, I could barely breathe but I was certainly pretending to be a strong soldier. My teacher came up to my parents and told us it was almost time.

We walked outside around to the entrance of the stage. By the time I got there, and took a deep breath, without even realizing – I just threw up. Yep. I’m even sure how or when, it really just happened. While I stood there dying inside thinking about how much I had failed, my mother hurriedly cleaned me up and all I could think was “damn, she’s still really about to send me up there. What if it happens again?”

With residue from the contents of the vomit in my shoes and on my socks I heard my name being called over the speakers and slowly walked onto the stage. I began speaking and I actually got through the entire thing without an error. To this day I still can’t believe how the whole thing happened.

Three Things I Can’t Live Without

My Phone– now if you say you can live without your phone right now, I’m looking at you sideways. I do everything on my phone, work, relax, organize, and learn. It is literally an extension of me in on a 5 inch screen.

My Journal – I don’t necessarily journal in the traditional sense but most of my ideas are written down in it and I use it to mainly flesh them out. I also have to write my posts before I type them and that’s also where the magic happens

My Blanket – I am literally not able to sleep without it. My attachment to it has become somewhat unhealthy.

Naturally there are many other pieces of me that weren’t shared here, and I do hope that through my posts and any other interactions you’ll see more of who I truly am!