If you’re a fan of Barbie, you know the philosophy of Barbie was that, “Through the doll, the little girl could be anything she wanted to be.” Barbie was always there to represent the idea that a woman had choices. As Barbie has grown over the years, we have witnessed Barbie unfold not only as a beautiful woman but a woman of substance. We’ve seen the firefighter, astronaut, nurse, pilot, teacher, president, and even mother. Over the span of her existence, Barbie has had over 200 careers and through it all has remained the epitome of elegance and intelligence.

Beginning at the age of five, I always added a Barbie to my Christmas list. It didn’t matter how many I had or how much they looked alike, I wanted another Barbie and her latest fashion collections yearly. Barbie made me feel like I could conquer the world. I lived in a world full of hopes and dreams and I always believed if I wanted it, it was mine to have. Barbie had a dream house, a nice car, a good looking man and the hottest fashions. But Barbie was also created with the idea that you had to work hard for these types of gains.

For years now, I’ve lived a comfortable life. But lately, I’ve found myself so satisfied that I’ve become stagnant. Everything has become robotic and so full of repetition that I don’t feel I am doing all that I can do or all that I desire to do. I have excelled at being an educator. I am a selfless, diligent and supportive mother. I serve as a strong, determined, and dependable wife. And while I thoroughly enjoy being a wife, mother and educator, it’s no longer enough. This year I decided I was going to revisit my “Barbie” years. I decided I wanted to do more, add a little more substance to who I am, and give myself an opportunity to play by my own rules.

As things are starting to unfold, I sometimes become overwhelmed. For the last couple of years, I have said I wanted to go back to coaching next year. Well, according to God’s plan, coaching was on the agenda this moment. It has given me an opportunity to have a major influence over the direction my son is going in as it relates to track and it has also given me the opportunity to work with a group of amazing young ladies that I can impact beyond the track.

Twenty plus years later, I have also officially enrolled as a graduate student. When I graduated college, I wanted a break and said I would start a master’s program after five years. Five years later, I was an educator and preparing for motherhood. As my son approaches the ending of a new beginning, I have found this to be the most opportune time to jump in and go. While I am nervous, I am excited about the direction I am moving in. This is the next step of making all of my dreams come true. And as I move into the territory of the unknown I walk boldly in my purpose knowing that “The fate of the world is in the hands of one beautiful girl.”

Looking towards the future.

Reflecting on my past.