Mourn to Motivation by Jaynamarie

Mourn to Motivation by Jaynamarie - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

Growing up, I was faced with many challenges. My biggest struggle was the neglect from my parents. Although I had other figures to fill in the empty spaces, I still mourned the life I could have had. Going through life with the thoughts of “what if” made it extremely difficult to accept who I was and where I was heading. If I could talk to past me, I would tell her to never let her parents' mistakes alter the path she is headed on but to instead use it as a motivator.
If I had this advice growing up, it would have been a lot easier to get through struggles. Specifically when school work started to become difficult and I did not have a dad to ask for help or a mom to vent to. This state of mind would have reminded me that instead of depressing over what is happening now, I could be getting excited for my future. A future where my children have a dad to ask for help and a mom to talk to.
I believe that having goals to achieve on your way up the path is the key to success. This works hand in hand with using past experiences to motivate yourself to keep pushing. Without this idea in mind, I do not know where I would be today. I just wish someone told me sooner.