Words I Still Carry

Father’s Day always makes me reflect on the people who have shaped me, and for this episode, I wanted to take some time to honor my dad.

Instead of telling stories or sharing memories, I’m reflecting on three quotes he has said to me over the years that have had a lasting impact on how I see myself, my dreams, and the way I move through life.

“The sky isn’t the limit, it’s only the beginning.”

“Rob the grave of your dreams.”

“Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.”

These are more than just words. They are lessons that have challenged me to dream bigger, keep going when life gets hard, trust myself, and remember who I am when doubt tries to convince me otherwise.

In this episode, I reflect on the meaning behind these quotes, how they’ve shown up throughout different seasons of my life, and why I still carry them with me today.

Whether you’re celebrating your father, a father figure, or simply reflecting on the people whose words have shaped you, I hope this episode encourages you to think about the lessons that have stayed with you and the impact they continue to have on your life.

Because sometimes a few words can become the foundation you build a life on.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Alright, alright, alright. Oh yes, I yes oh yes. Alright, oh yes. Oh, this we are the best test. We all passed every test. Oh yeah. I don't know what that was. Let's go ahead and get it started. Welcome to if you are returning, welcome back. This is Her Path, Her Pace, where growth meets Grace, and I am your host, Shay. Did you guys miss me? I missed y'all. How is everything going with everybody? Hope you guys are lovely and doing well and splendid and all of the good things. So let's go ahead and dive right in with live daily. So I want to start this off by saying I am checking things off of my summer bucket list. Okay, I went to Nashville and I spent the spent some time with my sister and we did the dare mission thing. So one thing checked off of my summer bucket list. How was you guys summer bucket list going? If you ever made one, are you guys checking things off? I hope you guys are because I sure am. And it's been a ball. Like we had when I tell y'all, we had a ball of a time. I ain't had a time out like that in so long. Like that was such an amazing, like it was just fun. I just felt so free, and I just was having a ball, and I was just going with the flow and doing so many things. Like, I can't, y'all. It was a night. I just can say a time was had. A time was had. Um, but beyond like all of that and like checking the stuff off my bucket list and things like that, I got to spend time with my baby sister, and it was so fun. It's always a good time when me and my baby sister get together, and then I got to spend time, like before that, I got to spend time with my other sister. Um, we had a game night here, and that was just also cool because it's like it's kind of hard, you know, getting our schedules and things together and making things work and just life being alive. Like, oh my goodness. So that was just amazing time, and I look forward to because I have a family reunion coming up, and so I look forward to um seeing my older sister and spending some time with her and not just her, but my brother and everything, and just having family time and spending it with my cousins and my aunts and uncles, but you know, really my sister, because she doesn't live here. I mean, yeah, she doesn't live in the same, she doesn't live in the same place that I live in, and so she's all the way on the other side, and so you know, we don't get to spend as much time together as as you know as I would love to and as I would like. So I'm excited for our family reunion this coming up because I get to spend some time with her, and it's just you know, I love my siblings. I am a like family-oriented person, I love being around family, like family values matter to me so much, family matters to me so much, and so I've been enjoying this time with my people and just uh yeah, I ain't nothing like a sister. Oh, love my brother too. Shout out to my brothers, shout out to my broskies, because they dope, they dope too. Um, but you know, I'm not talking about them, I'm talking about my sisters right now. Uh, but yeah, that's what's going on in my world. And let me tell y'all, let me tell y'all, school. I know y'all probably tired of hearing me saying this, but this term is about to come to an end, and I am so so so so so so so happy. Like this marketing class, this is the first time that I'm taking a class where I am using both sides of my brain simultaneously. I'm using the creative side and the logical side because that's what marketing is both creative and logic. Like, it's like the best of both worlds, honest and truly. However, comma, the challenge comes in that this is the first time where I have had to use both sides, like truly use both sides, like you know, and performing, yeah, you use some logic in terms of like staging and you have to remember techniques and things like that, but it becomes very sexy, it's a different type of logic if that makes sense. Um, and then all my like when my other classes where it's just like you know, stats or you know, building business leaders and just strictly business classes and like broad general business classes, or it's like a lot of math involved and things like that. That is strictly logic, strictly logic and probability makes sense, it's just numbers. You don't have to really be that creative to put together a plan or an executive summary or whatever I'm having to put together or build out a framework or anything because you're going based off of facts, you're going based off of KPIs, you're going based off of like actual trends and things like that. That is logic, logical, logic thinking, marketing is both, and oh my goodness. I I I've enjoyed the challenge, so I'm not gonna say and lie. It's actually been very eye-opening and like seeing the different parts of marketing and things like that and things of that nature, and just also like seeing the things that I already naturally do and that I naturally gravitate to, and where my like once again learning and learning the education and having the facts and stats to back up my intuition. It's just been chef's kiss, it's been a great old time, and so like I'm not complaining, but this class has been a challenge, so I am kind of happy that it's almost there. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, y'all. Whoo! Yeah, but that's what's going on in my world. What's going on in yours? I would like to know. You can always comment down below and share all of the exciting things going on. Like, let me know if y'all are checking things off y'all's summer bucket list, and let me know what's on your summer bucket list. Do we have some of the same similar things? Are any of y'all in class like in school still at this moment, right now, who's taking summer classes, all of the jazz, all of those things. Let me know what's going on in your life. I wanna be a part of your life. Let me know. Just let me know. Cause I want to know, but yeah. So now that we are all caught up with each other, let's go ahead and talk about them glow up. So uh, we have uh taken a week off, we have rested from our 75-day challenge. We took the time to reflect over our 75-day challenge. I hope everybody is well rested, and uh, you know, you had some strong and great reflections and some eye-opening moments and things after the fact, during, and all the beautiful things that come with doing a 75-day challenge. And even if you didn't learn nothing, you made it to the end, and that is congratulations in itself, and you earned that rest, enjoy that rest and all of those things. And so, this week, in honor of it being Father's Day, Father's Day has passed, and it was this past Sunday, and so this is the Father's Day episode, and so I would like for my the glow-up goal is to simply keep the good and release the rest. Okay, I know parental relationships can be complicated, fathers, absent fathers, father figures, you know, can confusing father figures, confusing fathers. Everybody got their own story, everybody's story is not the same, and all of those things. Um, however, I do believe that all of us have learned something, and you know, the it is important and it is an opportunity for growth and an opportunity for grace for us to take the time to identify one thing from the men in our life, from fathers in our life, father figures in our lives, even if your father wasn't in your life, you still should know and have something that he has taught you because you can learn something in life through absence. So, yeah, so the glow-up goal, the glow-up challenge is to identify one thing that they have taught you and that you have learned and that you will carry forward in life, and then one thing that you are choosing to release and leave behind and to let go, whether that's simply for giving a small act or whatever, honestly, whatever lesson, like because just because you're parent, you might have had very you might have had a very strict father. I know for me, myself, there's some things that the ways my daddy is, I'm definitely not gonna be that way with my own kids if I ever have kids and all of those things. So just take the time this week to choose one thing that you have learned from them, and then choose one thing that you are releasing and letting go and leaving in the past because this is an opportunity, like I said, for growth for grace, and that's what we're gonna take this time this week to do. So now that we are all glowing, growing and going, let's go ahead and see who we are in step with on today. So, like I said, this week's is the Father's Day episode. Father's Day was this past Sunday, and I just want to take the time and the moment right now to say happy Father's Day, and that is what our shared steps moment is for this week. We are gonna take the time, take the moment to give flowers to the men and to the women who have been fathers in our lives, to father figures in our lives, and just say thank you. And this is a a moment of gratitude and appreciation for all that you have done, all that you've sacrificed, all of the things that you have instilled, all of the life lessons, and so many things that I could just go on and on about. This is the time I want to take and just say thank you, and once again, happy Father's Day to all of the men who have stepped up to be a father, all of the men who are fathers, and all of the women who also stepped into that role and was a both a father and a mother, okay, because that is also not easy, they are also there, they're also there, okay. So, yes, happy Father's Day. Thank you all for all of your sacrifice. Thank you all for your time and all of the things that you have instilled, all the life's blessings, and so many things, and all of the things. Just thank you. And here are your flowers. Okay, so now that we are all in step, let's go ahead and set the mood with some tunes. So, like I said, this week's episode is Father's Day episode. So I have taken the time and I chose two songs that I feel reflect, you know, my relationship with my dad and how I feel about my dad and everything. And both of the songs are Beyonce. So you should I mean, if you are a true B fan, really, if you're not even a true B fan, you should know these songs. It's kind of pretty, yeah. But um, the first song is Daddy by Beyoncé, and just all in all, that song for me just there's no one else like my dad, and I love my dad, and I'm truly a daddy's girl, and just all of the things, like, yeah, there's there's no other way to just describe, or like I can't really put into words how I truly feel about my dad and the way he's stepped in, the way he has been so active in my life, and and regardless of anyone else, and it how anyone else feels, and all of those things, my dad chose to be a dad, because like it's a choice, like you can walk away, you can get like it's a choice to be a parent. Okay, and my dad chose his kids, and that's not the story for everybody, and that's not everybody's case. And I am very grateful and I'm very blessed, and I feel very honored to be able to say that my dad has been a positive role model, positive, has left a has left a positive imprint on my life, impact in my life, and has and is still he still is today, and he is very much so someone that I admire and that I look up to, and like, yeah, I just love my daddy. I love my daddy, and so and I feel like Beyonce's daddy, Beyonce Daddy, the song, um, you know, kind of puts um my feelings and things and how I my appreciation for my dad into a song. So the next song is Once Again by Beyonce and it's Daddy Lessons. And I chose this song because you know, I get told quite a bit, by quite a few boys, I should say, because they're not men, um, that you must not have no dad in your life, you must not have no father in your life because you're so strict, you always you got this expectation and did it. Actually, sir, for your information, FYI, my daddy's the one who told me that if you can't do XYZ, you have no reason to be in my life. Hello. My daddy already told me what all you little boys want and what all you little boys expect and the way you guys are gonna act the moment you don't get it. Hello, and that's what my dad, like my daddy, yeah, my daddy has been very active in my life. My daddy was the one who told me how to operate with men. My daddy already told me the game, he already told me what to look out for. So, no, no, contrary to popular belief, my daddy is very much so in my life, and my daddy's the one who told me all of these things. Thank you very much. And so, yeah, daddy lessons, by Beyoncé, yeah, because I don't know, I don't know where they got. I don't understand where that storyline came from. I don't understand why that's a belief, why people say that, but no, no, my daddy did teach me that. Actually, my dad is very much so in my life, and he was the one who probably said, You ain't worth a good doggone. Thank you. Okay, so now that the mood is all set with the tunes, let's go ahead and walk through this thing, y'all. So, the main topic for this week's episode is simply I want to take the time to talk about three quotes that my dad has said, and he probably honestly doesn't even remember one of them that he said before to me, and like and giving advice and just inspiration and things like that that have impacted me and have let have left a lasting imprint on me. And when I get down and now, I just I always am reminded of these quotes, and so I wanted to take the time to share them with you. Um, so the first quote is not my it's not his original quote, it's not his original, however, it is a quote that he says all the time, and it has changed and impacted my perspective on life and things of that nature, and it is the sky is at the limit, it's only the beginning. And you know, for me, and the way he's always said that is just you know, never box yourself in, never limit yourself, don't allow other people to limit you, don't allow the world to limit you because there's so much more out there, and there's so much more for you to achieve and to just have courage and to just believe, like, don't count yourself out, basically. Don't count yourself out, and that's how that quote has that's how I've interpreted that quote throughout my life. That's how I've just been able to move through life, and even when you know, fear be a knocking that quote comes to mind, and it's just like the sky isn't the limit, it's only the beginning. I can continue to climb, I can continue to grow. I as long as I am willing to go, like I can continue to grow, I can continue to climb. I just have to have that faith and belief, and like I said, to not count myself out and understand like and having and having the support of my dad, and having the support of your parents just in general, um, but having the support of my dad in like that way is a rare thing because like a lot of people's parents they try to box them in. And my dad was like, Don't let anybody box you in, but don't you box yourself in, don't ever let me box you in. Like the sky is not the limit, it's it's only the beginning, and yeah, that's just yeah, you just continue to go because you can go and you can grow, and then there's no limit to how much you can grow and how far you can go. So, yeah, that's one of his quotes that have that has had a very impactful um that has been very impactful for me and in my life and all other things. Now this next quote I'm pretty sure he honestly probably doesn't ever remember even saying this. Cause uh he's only said it like I wanna say once or twice. Really, I want to say once. And it was at the time, it was at a time where I was truly not in I I wasn't understanding what I wanted to do with my life, where I went like for school, and you know, I was doing all of these auditions while also doing like general applications and things like that. And then um, no, he did say it twice. He said it, he did say it twice, it was twice. So that was actually the second time he said it when we were having a conversation and I was like just crying because I wasn't sure what should I do. I like going to school for music is kind of like a big reach. Like, that's kind of like what am I gonna do after? Like, there's like it's not a real job, but also um, not there's not a real job, it's just you know, just this the fear of it, um, being a creative and going out, like I didn't want to be that broke artist, you know, type of thing, and just that. But I still had dreams and I had plans and I like all of the aspirations and things like that. So that was actually the second time he said it to me. The first time he said it to me um was actually when I was uh struggling with all west and not because I wasn't I had this point in time where I wasn't making the all west honor choir, and I just was almost like reaching a brick brick wall and just like I really wanted to give up on music and I was kind of being melodramatic now that I like looking back on it, kind of but not at the same time, but that's a whole nother story for another day. And um, he simply said, Rob the grave of your dreams, and I'm not gonna lie, when he said that the first time, I didn't understand what he meant, but when he said it the second time, which is probably why the second time really sticks with me more, um it makes total sense. Like rob the grave of your dreams, don't leave this earth, don't leave this world without trying to go after your dreams. Don't like chase your dreams because the dreams are worth chasing. Rob the grave of your dreams because so many people in this world die because all they did was work, work, work, work, work, and they let fear hold them back, and they didn't go after the one thing that they knew they loved, and just understanding that I had my dad support to chase my dreams, that I had my dad support to go after music to perform and to be an artist, and it's so many things because like my dad's also my pastor and all of that, and so not too many preacher kids, not too many pastor kids can say, or people that grew up in the church can say that their father truly supported them all the way around, regardless of what genre of music they wanted to go into, um, understanding how the industry is, and like my dad has been there full throttle, full support, as long as far as I can see, as far as he has shown me, then during and now, even now as I'm still figuring things out, he has been my one of my top supporters, him and my mom right there. And just him saying, Rob the grave of your dreams was like when it really stuck with me and really hit home with me that you are not alone and that I believe in you too, and I want you to go after whatever it is you feel and. And desire and your passion, and I will support you, and I am here to support you, and it's just it's very reassuring. And like I like I said, I know that that is a blessing, and I am very grateful, and I feel very honored to have that support and that kind of like true support. Because even when my daddy didn't understand, my daddy still don't understand sometimes. He's he he's doing his best to understand. But even in his confusion and him not understanding, he has been there supporting me the best way that he knows how in the best way that he can. And when he doesn't, he's still he just he's there. He's there. And so yeah, that that quote Rob the grave of your dreams has yeah, it has lit a fire under me. It gave me the fire to go to school for music, it gave me the fire to continue on and to just keep going, even though like I've fallen so many times and I've received so many no's. Um, but yes, I'm always reminded to just rob the grave of my dreams. I don't want to leave this world not trying to go after my dreams, not believing in my dreams, and that I I can truly and honestly say that came from having the secure security and the true support of my dad. I mean, I have it from both my parents, but of my dad, because this is the Father's Day episode, so of my dad. Whew, so yeah, that quote. Um, and now I'm sharing it with you, and I'm telling you to rob the grave of your dreams. Whoo! Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so now we're gonna move to the last quote that has um stuck with me. And um my dad actually bought me and my sisters, I believe, yes, or no, me and all my siblings. He bought this necklace, and um it it's a quote that he actually we recently had a conversation and he had to remind me because I was going through this, you know, moment of you know, feeling rejected and not understanding what which way I'm supposed to go and all those things. Um and the quote, it's it's a winny, it's not once again. This is not an original quote. Um, it's the winnie the poo, it's a Winnie the Pooh quote. Um, and it is always remember that who always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know. Because like just to tie it all together, I believe it both like this quote wraps it, like ties everything together and wraps it all up and just believing in yourself and having the courage and understanding that you're not alone no matter where you go, no matter what you do. Um just always having that reminder that, like I said, regardless, no matter where you go, no matter what you do, no matter the mistakes you make, um, because you're gonna have mistakes, you're gonna make mistakes, um, you're gonna fall down a few times, but it's okay. Um, and to just continue to believe in yourself, to have courage, to give yourself grace, to not allow anything to stop you from continuing on to go after whatever you set your heart and mind to. Um, because I'm we're here, I'm here, and no matter what it looks like, no matter if you feel alone, you're not alone, and you'll never be alone, and you have more inside of you than you realize and um to just continue forward and to continue on, always just always remember that there's more in you, that there's more people around you that love you, there's more love around than anything, and to just no matter how dark it may seem or how dark it may get to just always remember that and like I said, it just I feel like it's the best quote to just tie up and tie it all together and sum up the type of person that my dad is, and the type of father that my dad is uh because like I said, even if there's things that he doesn't understand, he does his best to try, and he's the support system, and he really is there, and has been there and continues to be there, and I I'm just forever grateful for my dad who chose to not just be a father, to just to not just have me, but to truly be there and to choose to raise me the way he has and to encourage me and to support. Um, because honestly, without him, I wouldn't even be here. Like literally, uh I wouldn't uh had the lessons and things instilled in me to have the courage to even finally have a voice here and to be here on this podcast and to be able to share these things with you guys. And so thank you, Gaddy. Um, because I really uh Jesus because um it truly has all made me who I am and I like I said I wouldn't be here without him, I wouldn't be the person that I am without him, the independence, the intelligence, um the the the curiosity, the passion, the the bravery, um just so many things the courage, the faith, the willingness to grow. Um just so like just so many things. Uh just thank you, dad. Thank you, Pops, thank you, daddy, uh, for it all. Huh. And yeah, I'm I am proud to call you my father. I am proud to have you as my dad. And I love you so much. And I hope that these quotes have like resonated with you guys as well. And even if your interpretation may be different than mine, I hope it has left an imprint on you, a positive imprint, an impact on you to like just all in all to remember to have courage and to believe in yourself and that don't don't leave this world, don't you know, without trying, without going after whatever it is your heart and like mind has a desire to do uh because you matter, don't limit yourself. There's so much more out there, you always have room to grow. There's so like to just to just believe and having her have courage and have faith, and through it all, give yourself grace, yeah.

unknown 30:04

Ooh.

SPEAKER_00 30:13

Okay, okay, okay, okay. So now we have reached the point in the episode where I want to hear your stories, your testimonials, your life lessons that you would like to share here if you'd so please. And honestly, if you don't want to share any of the and you would like some advice from me, not licensed, not certified, but I can truly and honestly give you the best big sis advice that I can muster up. I will do my darn best. Okay, you can write those letters into letters along the way at gmail.com. That is L-E-T-T-E-R-S A-L-O-N-G-H-E-W-A-Y at gmail.com. Hope to hear from you guys really, really soon. Okay, so now we have reached grace notes, and the grace note for this week, for this episode, is just simply to understand and believe that the things that make you different may be the very things you were created for. So don't let fear convince you to bury what God has placed inside of you. That is the all-in-all note takeaway from these quotes and what I want to share with you guys and where you should give yourself grace. Don't hide, don't let fear beat it out of you, don't let the world beat it out of you. Whatever word you want to put there, don't let it beat it out of you. Go after it and do it. Just do it. Like Nike said, just do it. So we have reached the end of another episode, and I just want to say once again, happy Father's Day, and shout out to all the fathers, the men and father figures in life, and the women who've stepped in to be fathers and so on and so forth. All of your sacrifice, all of your lessons, all of the dad tax, all of the all of the things, um, have been greatly appreciated, and we are grateful and thankful for you all. Um, because fathers make the world go round too. Huh. So if you like this episode, if you want to keep on trucking along with me, with us, you can just like, comment, share, subscribe, and turn on those post bell notifications so you are notified every time a new episode drives. Once again, thank you all for tuning in and sticking it out with me. And I just want to say to remember pause, breathe, take a beat. And as always, guys, give yourself some grace. Until next week.