Congratulations Graduate! You have Arrived at the Beach
navigating from the Beach to the Boardroom
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
What an exciting day! You have accomplished so much over the years. You are now moving to your next life’s adventure. How does that feel? Are you numb without feelings? Are you feeling energized? Are you excited to leave school? Are you happy that there will be a big celebration in your honor? Today may also be a bit overwhelming. You may wonder, “Have I made any choices that affect my future? Did I make the right choice?”. Whatever the answer, you have time to make different choices. Be bold in your decisions. Whether you choose to further your education through college, technical school, career, or being an entrepreneur, you can achieve greatness. Your attitude determines your altitude. How high you fly in the parachute of life depends on you.
Steve Jobs spoke at the Stanford University Commencement ceremony in 2014. His most notable statement was (Garnett, 2019), "I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle."
Toni Morrison was the commencement speaker at Wellesley College in 2014. Her most notable statement (Garnett, 2019) was, "Being your own story means you can always choose the tone. It also means that you can invent the language to say who you are and what you mean ... I see your life as already artful, waiting, just waiting and ready for you to make it art.”
These tips may help you remain focused on your journey. How will you serve the world? What is it in you that the world needs? You have something that the world needs. Grab it and never let it go!
Prayers and blessings on your graduation and in your future life.
CREATING YOUR INTEGRITY BRAND
Each of us are uniquely different and represent a standard of being that is exclusive and compelling. You have a lot to offer the world and the world will embrace the goods and services that you bring that represent what you are about. Too often we compare ourselves to others and want to be more popular, more attractive, more charismatic and more gifted. The most important thing is to simply be you because no one has what you have, and no one can do some of the things that you can achieve or bring to the table of life. Respecting who you are, owning who you are and empowering yourself is the greatest gift that you can give to yourself.
In order to create your brand, you must first own it as Daymond Johns (Shark Tank) owned the company FUBU. He had a determination to go beyond the walls of who he was to create a dynasty that also reaches back and pulls up others. Branding is important because it shows value and it shows ownership. Farmers brand their cattle so that if they wander to new territory, there will be no mistake that the cow belongs to his farm business. Without branding, you could develop and incur cost of living to raise up a herd of cattle and another person can take possession, own and sell what you nurtured and cared for.
As a brand of integrity, you should honor yourself, have dignity, honesty and never take advantage of others. As a person with integrity you must be careful not to allow others to sell you out because you are not property and should never be sold. Once you know, create and take a stand for who you are, there is an invisible brand surrounding your disposition that tells people that you are comfortable with yourself and you are strong in the essence of who you are created to be. There is an unspoken countenance that says, “I accept myself and I have no qualms about who I am and there is no comparison to who you are”.
Branding includes self-awareness, self-knowledge, ownership, fortitude, dignity, purpose, power, planning, perseverance and overflowing. A strong brand is well nourished, nurtured and becomes imminent and a perpetual trend setter. Some brands are bold and compelling, and some brands are quiet and focused, yet still effective human beings.
You were created as a brilliant idea, so it’s important to know that you exist to manifest the greatness that you were designed to project.
1. Look in the mirror and know who you are internally and externally.
2. Accept who you are and learn to thrive in it.
3. Stick with the plan of who God made you to be.
4. Continually empower yourself to learn and stand firm in your beliefs.
5. Ensure that your power is directed towards an arena whereby you can support a legacy that extends who you are born to be.
6. Make daily plans to walk in your brand of humanity and pursue until you overflow, and the goodness is birth in others that surrounds you.
Congratulations, your brand looks good on you!!!
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
We are presenting a unique idea to provide inspiration to graduates using an innovative idea of a card book that can be sustained as a lifetime resource. We are urging parents, mentors, family and friends to read this book and share it with every graduate they know as it will be a book that keeps on giving for the duration of their lives. It is a card book that recharges your thought process. It causes you to ponder and think beyond just one day but every day of your life.
Congratulations Graduate! You Have Arrived at the Beach shares the excitement of going from the Beach to the Boardroom. It shares practical tools and steps to branding yourself, the importance of spiritual relationships, and steps to becoming a goal-oriented person.
This book is important for retention in school, building better employees, a reduction in violence, improvement on your spiritual journey, and lifelong learning. Through this card book we anticipate that graduates will be proactive with their physical and mental healthcare. We feel certain they will be focused and structured on their dreams and ambitions in life. We compel, employers, corporations, parents, family, teachers, administrators, neighbors, mentors, co-workers and friends to keep this book in your library and share copies with all graduates to support their successes in life. Join us on this journey to the Beach.
About the Author
MEET DR. TAMERA FOLEY
Dr. Foley began her professional career in education in Unit District Number Five in Normal, Illinois as a Special Education Resource Teacher in 1981. She then moved back to her hometown of Rockford, Illinois and spent fifteen years in the Rockford Public School District in various roles: Cross Categorical Special Education Teacher, Fifth Grade Teacher, and Assistant Director of Saturday School, Director of Saturday School, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Special Education Coordinator. During the fifteen years, she continuously participated in and conducted trainings. She also completed her Masters’ Degree and her Administration Degree. Dr. Foley was awarded with the Golden Apple for Excellence in Teaching, Distinguished Educator Award from the Rockford Branch of the NAACP, Special Thanks for Special People Award from the Parent Council of Rockford Schools, and the For Kids’ Sake Award.
In 2005, she was afforded the opportunity to join Clayton County Public Schools as the Secondary Director of Special Education. As a life-long learner, she has presented to students in Limon, Costa Rica through an invitation from the United States Embassy. Dr. Foley spent a month exploring special education supports and services in Hungary and the Czech Republic through a Fulbright Scholarship. She has held various positions in Clayton County to include Director of Learning Support, Director of Student Services, and served as the Executive Director of Teaching and Learning. Dr. Foley has lead district initiatives such as the implementation of the school-based health center-The Family Health Center at North Clayton High School, Asthma Friendly School Initiative, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Implementation of Kurzweil to improve student and parent literacy, dropout prevention, literacy, and others initiatives that have a direct impact on the teaching and learning of students in Clayton County Public Schools. Dr. Foley has also worked as Regional Director for the Alabama Department of Mental Health Division of Developmental Disabilities since leaving the school system.
Dr. Foley is a life-long learner. She currently is an Independent Consultant who is passionate about her work and is an advocate of all students.
MEET DR. SHARON WADDLE
Dr. Waddle reside in Athens Alabama and she enjoys country living, beautiful trees and flowers blooming in all colors. She likes sitting on her back porch with friends talking and watching her neighbors’ roses in full bloom while talking about the sweet things in life. She likes to sing, plan parties and create unique ideas. She likes writing because it is relaxing and takes her to a sovereign place of peace. Her best ideas come when she is resting and spending moments meditating and trusting God. Dr. Waddle enjoys helping friends become successful, when they have projects bigger than themselves. Gospel music and jazz gives her joy and lifts her spirit. She is a woman of faith and she believes in and demand freedom and liberty for all humanity.
Dr. Sharon Waddle completed a terminal degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Capella University. She is proud to be a two-time alumnus of Alabama A & M University where she earned a masters’ degree in Clinical Psychology. She worked diligently as a Psychologist for the Alabama Department of Mental Health for 30 years. She is a member of the Society for Industrial Organizational Psychologist, the National Association for People of Color and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.
She is founder and owner of Simply Sovereign Consulting Firm, started in 2014 with a focus on inspirational book writing, behavioral and psychological consulting and assisting community organizations with ministry programs and conference planning. Dr. Waddle is the author of “How Companies Manage during the Healthcare Crisis (2012); Simply Sovereign: Birthing out the Promise (2014) and Whisper: Word to the Wise (2016). Her forthcoming book is a devotional entitled “Pray Mightily: Your Prayers Have Kept Me Alive.