The Box

“Everyone lives in a box, you just have to figure out how big, small, or defined you want your box to be…”

This is a quote from my husband this morning. He asked me, “What’s the point of your blog?” and I told him, “I just want to be free. I’ve lived my life in a box and I don’t want to do that anymore.” Just imagine me standing with my back straight, head tilted at about a 45 degree angle, arms reaching out to the sides as if I were going to fly like a bird, all while standing with my feet flat on the floor.

Our conversation exploded from there. We concluded that most men are usually focused on one thing, one job, and one goal; while women have multiple passions which potentially lead to multiple distractions. Guilty!

I’ve spent my adult life building my career and accolades as an accounting professional in the non-profit and education industries. Meanwhile, I find myself staring out of the window, watching everyone seemingly enjoy their lives - without me. Imagine the kid with strict parents watching from his/her window as all of the neighborhood kids play and laugh in the streets. That’s how I’ve felt about my career in accounting.

In undergrad, while I strived to stand out from my fellow graduates, who mostly pursued public accounting, I still graduated top of my class with a degree in Accounting from the illustrious North Carolina A&T State University. I even went as far as to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Meet Professor Nance

My first attempt at liberation from my chosen field. She’s fun, entertaining, and most importantly, she knows her stuff!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my career in accounting (and still do). Something about the organization and predictability of numbers brings me joy. Yet, I’ve always felt like something was missing - or that I was missing out.

Going back to that kid on the window seal, I think my feelings of confinement go back to my childhood. I grew up with strict parents who only wanted the best for us. Accounting was never pushed on me as a career, but I remember the distinct feeling that I had to do something worthwhile. Maybe I inferred this from something that was never said - but it helped to form part of my box nonetheless.

“You have to think outside the box, but only for the purposes of creating your own box.”

Another quote from the hubs. I wasn’t too happy to hear this after finally breaking free of the boxes that didn’t serve me, but unfortunately, he’s right. Thoughts, goals, and dreams all have to organized. I don’t like it, but I’m willing to do the work to figure out what my new, shiny, sparkly, box could look like. Ohh the possibilities…

As I embark on this journey of blogging, finding my box, and filling it with only the things that serve me, my God, and my loved ones, I invite you to join me. Let go of all the things that you’ve been told you HAVE to do, and think of all the possibilities of things you could GET to do. If 2020 taught me anything, it’s that life is short, unpredictable, ugly, and messy - it’s up to us to create the spaces that we want. And that’s EXACTLY what I plan to do!