Kenyatta Young - L.I.T.E. It Up, Sis

L.I.T.E. TM

IT UP, SIS

7 Secrets

FOR DOMINATING THE WORKPLACE

WHILE LIVING OUT YOUR PURPOSE

Kenyatta Young

Copyright 2021 by Kenyatta Young

www.pencilskirtproject.com

ISBN: 979-8-9851180-0-1 (paperback)

ISBN: 979-8-9851180-1-8 (hardback)

ISBN: 979-8-9851180-2-5 (ebook)

ISBN: 979-8-9851180-3-2 (audiobook)

Library of Congress Number: TXu 2-290-176

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For more information on purchases in bulk or speaking events, please contact Kenyatta Young at .

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Publishing Support Services By: Motivational M.D. Publishing

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Dedication

To my kids, Autumn and Aiden. You are so special to me. You bring me joy, a sense of peace, and happiness. You are the main reason I work as hard as I do. You serve as an inspiration for me to achieve greatness. I want you to have a role model you can look up to and want to mimic; not because I am your mother, but because of the impact and legacy I desire to leave on earth. The special message I want to share with my children is:

You can do anything you put your minds to. Life is not worth living if it is not lived with purpose.

H ave you ever felt like there must be more to life? When I was growing up, the people in my life always encouraged me to go to school, get a great job, and escape from the dangerous neighborhood I grew up in.

As far as they were concerned, the only way to do that was through higher education and intense work ethic. But when I took that path and reached the destination they had set out for me, I was empty and exhausted. I felt like even after everything I had worked for, I was still waiting to come alive.

Do you know what that feels like? Dont worry, I found a better way, and I want to share it with you so that you, too, can stop waiting to come alive.

In this book, Im going to help you realize what you were really made for: what your purpose is. First, were going to talk about how you look at yourself and how you can finally feel free from all the outside expectations. Those discouraging moments that the world uses to push you down and limit your options. Then, Im going to help you conquer your fears, overcome exterior obstacles, and clear out any internal distractions.

Youll learn how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals and go after what you really want in life. And finally, youll learn how to be kind to yourself and give yourself grace in between slaying your goals.

Are you in? Do you want to find the freedom youve been searching for to live out your purpose? Then lets do this. But first, I think introductions are in order. Who am I and why am I the expert youve been looking for? Its all right here in my story.

Who is Kenyatta Young?

It was 5:00 am in the morning when the loud, annoying alarm startled me awake. Outside it was still dark, but I couldnt wait for the sun to come out if I wanted to start my day on time. The dew hadnt even formed on the buildings or plants yet.

Every day before high school, I had to go on a grueling two-hour commute. I was willing to do it if it meant I could escape my reality to reach something higher. I knew that I hadnt fully come alive.

After I forced myself out of bed, got dressed, and did my hair, I would take two buses and a train from the south side of Chicago to the Hyde Park areajust in time for my first class at 7:45 am.

If that wasnt exhausting enough, after the school day ended, I worked thirty hours a week. My day didnt stop until after 10:00 pm. Then, I had yet another exhausting commute home. This would be soul-sucking for an adult, but I was just a kid. I was still growing. I was still learning. And deep down I knew that there had to be a better way.

At that point, I was focused on one thing: survival. I was always told to go to school and work a job, which became my reality at the age of fourteen. There were no other options. From my perspective, it was a way of life I was groomed to live and settle for. I was just another human robot, living a life that was mandated to me by others instead of thriving in a work environment of my choice.

My mother was the single parent of two kids. She only had a high school diploma and had to work all the time to support our family. She, along with others who were close to me, were always stressing to me that getting an education beyond a high school diploma and landing a good-paying job was the recipe for success. It was the only way to a better life, to exit the ghetto I lived in: the Wild 100s.

I grew up in a Chicago community called Roseland, where crime and violence manifested into limited possibilities of earning a college degree or securing a white-collar job. For this reason, I was determined and motivated to get not just a bachelor degree, but also a masters. I knew this would lead to a great nine-to-five career, which I thought was the ultimate marker of success. I considered it my exit ticket to find a better life, one that could ultimately lead to financial freedom in hopes of avoiding the struggle I saw my friends and family go through. But I didnt know what I didnt know.

Fast forward to now. I have since earned my masters degree and performed exceptionally as a human resources executive. I have received many accolades. Unfortunately, even with those wins, I felt like I fell short in achieving real success: I wasnt living out my purpose in life.

Earning my degree and working a nine-to-five job hadnt provided a sense of internal fulfillment. Eventually, I began to wonder if life was only just about working a nine-to-five job. Or was there more?

I began to ask myself questions like:

Would you be happy working this job/career for the rest of your life?

Is this your divine purpose in life?

Are you satisfied?

Many times, my responses would be no. Answering no to such basic questions was devastating. I was disappointed and unmotivated because I realized that before I had laid out the blueprints for my life, I never took the time to think about my purpose or fulfillment.

No one taught me to ask me such questions about myself or to focus on my life desires. In college, I recall my school counselor and professors paying close attention to what major I wanted to study and what career path I wanted to pursue. However, I dont remember any conversation or a class being offered about my own sense of well-being, happiness, or overall purpose in life. It would have been great if someone had asked me:

What makes you happy?

What are you passionate about?

What is your purpose in life?

Once I realized focusing on myself and my own desires was key to personal success, I was able to change the narrative. I was able to find a sense of purpose in the work I did every day, even if it was working a nine-to-five job.