Make Yourself a NECESSITY.

The word NECESSITY, according to the Cambridge dictionary, means something that you need, especially in order to live.

As the world navigates through this pandemic, we are forced to prioritize what is a necessity in our lives. Several times I left my home and had to turn back because I forgot my mask. Prior to March 2020, the only time I wore a mask was when I’m cleaning my home and using chemicals. Now, wearing a mask has become a necessity; not just for me, but for everyone worldwide!

Several food prices have increased in the supermarkets due to the lack of imported foods caused by the pandemic. As more people drink ginger and turmeric tea; and cleaning their hands and surfaces more often, the prices for such items have increased. However, people continue to pay the prices because these items are now considered Necessities; items we need in order to live.

Recently I listened to a book titled “Acres of Diamonds”. The author encourages the reader to “make yourself a NECESSITY to the world and the world will pay you your own PRICE!” As I pondered this statement, my heart ached with many questions. Having first-hand experience of things that are considered a necessity, how does one make him/herself a NECESSITY in these times?

Being in the Beauty Industry for twenty-two years, I constantly had to defend my prices or prove to clients/students why they should pay my prices. I believed I had a great product and my services were excellent. However, that did not seem enough for persons to just pay the cost when I quote a price. The statement from the book has haunted me for days.

Finally, a light bulb went off in my head! The secret to becoming a NECESSITY is Self-development. We cannot change the world around us, but we have 100% control over changing ourselves.

“Change equals self-improvement. Push yourself to places you haven’t been before.”
– Pat Summitt

Today, every moment of my days are different. It is said that if you want something you’ve never had, you will have to do things that you’ve never done. So, I read much more now and apply better principles to my life to build my emotional being. I spend more time working out, swimming, and eating better to develop my physical being. I spend more time meditating and praying to develop my spiritual being. I spend more time studying my craft so I can be an expert in my career. I am learning new skills and gaining more certifications. For example, I have had a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology for many years, but I never bothered to apply for a Professional License. Now, I do. Not only did I apply for my professional license, but I also joined the Association of Psychology.

The pandemic has forced many persons to closed their businesses or many have lost jobs. The one thing that became very evident for me is that your success is not in the things you lost. If that was so, God would not have allowed you to lose such things. But your success is aligned to the things you have left. Having to close my business was devastating for me. But that experience forced me to look at what I have left; all these degrees that I never used! My entire adult life has been in the beauty industry. But now, I look around me and recognized how many persons are depressed and have lost hope. What people need more than ever right now are encouragement and hope. As a Professional Counselor, I can give that to many people worldwide.

So, I will end with the statement,