Overcoming

Many of the LinkedIn posts that I see nowadays are about job seekers having a hard time finding a job during the pandemic. I get it. My family went through a lay-off, several interviews, and two offers that fell through at the last minute. It’s hard to stay motivated when you see over 200 applicants applying for the same job that you are. It’s even less motivating when you get rejected.

This week, I was feeling the “I’m not good enough” mentality, especially with the thought of having to pass technical interviews. I’ve always had the attitude that nothing is unattainable if you try hard enough. But, this week, I was starting to feel defeated.

BUT THEN…

The picture above was my reminder that hard work DOES pay off! You see, my son Elijah is severly dyslexic. I mean, could barely read and several grades behind when we first got him diagnosed. To him, reading was like trying to decipher a message that was jumbled up a million different ways. It was difficult, boring, and definitely at the bottom of his list of priorities.

This child spent 5 years at a learning differences school, waking up every morning to travel an hour each way so he could be taught how to read more effectively. He spent 3.5 years in speech, 2+ years in a multi-sensory dyslexia program, and 1.5 years in ABA therapy. We thought progress would never be made but during this summer, he FINALLY started reading on his own. What this means is that reading finally started getting easier for him and actually enjoyable!

This is the moment I needed this week to remind me that I need to continue working hard and one day, the job will come. It may take longer than I expected, but giving up is not the answer! To all those who are struggling, feeling down, and ready to give up… remember that if a child can work hard despite all odds against him, then you can too!