Build a better future by examining the past

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of MassMutual for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Life is a journey that we are all fortunate enough to travel. The roads we walk have been paved by the vision, hard work and perseverance of those dreamers who have come before us.

Today we have the opportunity to build upon the legacy of those who came before us and establish a better path for future generations. Nobody said it was easy. Often times meaningful growth and rewards come along with risks and challenges. On this bumpy road full of ups and downs it helps to travel with someone who has the back of you and your family. MassMutual is here to help people protect those that matter most in their life.

I’m excited to join MassMutual in celebrating Black History month and sharing my 

#JourneyOfYou story.

For those of you who do not know I have a fairly diverse ethnicity. Not only am I African American on my father’s side, but I am Polish and Ukrainian from my mom’s side of the family. I recently heard an emotional story about a bi-racial girl who didn’t feel like she fit in with the black crowd because she was not “black enough” and was made fun of by her white acquaintances because she was too ghetto. She felt as if she lost her sense of self by constantly trying to adapt and be something that she was not. Though I experienced discrimination at times, I never lost my sense of value and self.

My parents instilled many characteristics in me that I hope to instill in my children as well:

• The value and satisfaction of hard work as well as the results it brings
• The ability to delay gratification and invest in a better future
• The power of hope and a clear vision
• The importance of taking time to “smell the roses” and enjoy life.
• The appreciation of wisdom and joy of learning new things
• The power of reflection and learning from your mistakes
• The ability to be articulate and conduct yourself in a professional manner
• The importance of having integrity and being kind to yourself as well as others.
• To not ignore problems that arise in the hopes that they will go away. Small ones can turn into big ones if they are ignored.
• Take accountability for what you have the power to change and work to change it for the better – Continually strive to improve yourself and your world.
• The importance of being there for your family when they need you

These are characteristics that I truly value. I am thankful that my parents have passed these great gifts on to me. All of the lessons they learned throughout their life and instilled in me have helped me to become who I am today. I look forward to building upon my family legacy and passing on lessons such as these to my children one day.

Regardless of your ethnicity we can all learn from the great trials and tribulations that African Americans have been through. I appreciate all those that have come before us, the challenges they have faced and the lessons they have taught us. Their wisdom, inspiration and foundation gives us the ability to create a better tomorrow.

What about you?

Remember, you can build your future by discovering your past. Visit Building a Financial Legacy to learn more. I also encourage you to share you own story in the comments below or with MassMutual on Facebook or  MassMutual on Twitter using #JourneyOfYou.