Everything I do is to inspire to challenge the norms, so that people feel cared about, liberated to celebrate their differences and empowered to do the things that inspire them.
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8 years ago, I left France and my island, Martinique, to relocate to Los Angeles as an international student. I wanted to improve my English language skills, learn about the American way of doing business and eventually start my own. More importantly, I was in search of making meaningful changes in my life in order to add value to my own existence while possibly making a positive difference in the lives of others.
As soon as I arrived in Los Angeles, I experienced a wide variety of feelings, such as excitement, surprise, happiness, loss of identity, anxiety, and culture shock, while facing language and integration challenges. I sometimes felt like a child.
Nonetheless, I kept a positive attitude. I fought more to maintain my faith in God and build an even closer personal relationship with him. And thankfully, some great people taught me the skills that I needed, showed me around, helped me adjust to the American culture, and inspired me. Some also provided me knowledge and methods for a better understanding of the ins- and- outs of running a business in the US. They encouraged me to challenge the status quo.
I believe that many foreign students, expatriates or foreign entrepreneurs in the U.S. face the same challenges. However, not all of them are lucky enough to receive the same attention, care and consideration to help them to improve their experience, develop a better understanding of people of different backgrounds, or even get the tools needed to achieve their career dreams. For those people, I founded “U in the USA”.
The last 8 years have been challenging, exciting and enlightening. It also felt like being on a roller coaster. I went from going back to school and learning a whole new culture, to discovering the ins and outs of intercultural relationships; from putting my dream on pause to go assist my dad, who became fully handicapped after 4 strokes; to almost loosing my own life after being struck by a car and being handicapped for months; from learning how to start a business in the USA, to loosing all my money but keeping the faith to start again; from trying not to recreate chaos despite my memories of dysfunctions, to learning how to uncover my purpose and tell my story with the help of inspirational mentors, such as Les Brown, Steve Jobs, Pastor Touré Roberts, Tyler Perry, DeVon Franklin and Simon Sinek.
I am grateful for the thousands of global minds who allowed me to serve and help them connect with other global minds, adapt to American culture and establish in Los Angeles a career and a lifestyle that inspire them.
Through my intimate relationship with God, I learned that I am enough.
Everything we need to make our dreams a reality is within us.
By building a deeper relationship with God, looking over my memories & facts of my life and reflecting on the following questions:
- Why you do what you do?
- What is your purpose?
- Why where you born?
- Why do you wake up early?
- Why do you get out of bed?
- What keeps you up late?
- What are the things that drive you?
- What is the purpose or belief behind what you do?
- What is the overwhelming cause that inspires?
I learned that my purpose in life is to inspire to challenge the norms, so that people feel cared about, liberated to celebrate their differences and empowered to do the things that inspire them.
It has been an incredible journey so far. I am thrilled to continue to use my story to make an even more positive difference in the live of others.
I would like to thank my family & friends, teachers & mentors and all the people who love me in spite of my differences and contribute to my journey.
Most importantly, I am giving thanks to God who saved my life. I am still standing here to serve You and accomplish the purpose you wrote in my heart.
In conclusion, I’d like to quote Pastor Toure Roberts, author of the newly released Purpose Awakening who said: “You don’t find purpose; purpose finds you. In fact, purpose conceived you; it was the catalyst for your birth.”
Thanks to those who read this article. I am inviting you today to reflect on this simple but important question. Why do you do what you do?
I look forward to learning about your stories and causes.
To Your Dreams and Greatness,