Makingmistakesis a very human thing, even if some of them are quite a bit bigger than others. However, most of the time, the moral of these stories is not about how someone messed up but rather about how they learned and improved.
A great example of someone truly learning their lesson and making the most out of it is this one single mother who recently went viral online. Around 13 years after herincarceration, she managed to pass her bar exam on the first try, becoming not only a great lawyer but also an inspiration to a lot of people worldwide. Scroll down to read the full story!
More info:TikTok
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There are a lot of good come-back stories out there, but not many people manage to go from being incarcerated to becoming a great single parent and a lawyer
Image credits:afrika.owes
Afrika Owes was sentenced to jail when she was just 17 after pleading guilty to several felony charges
The 30-year-old Afrika Owes likely never planned for her life to turn out like it did. But the future is nothing if not unpredictable.
After getting out 6 months later, she swore to turn her life around, and in the following years, she became a mom, finished school, graduated from college, and got into law school
While her promises might’ve been a little too ambitious at the time, her current achievements are no less impressive. A short while after regaining her freedom, Afrika became amomto a beautiful boy, and she returned to school, graduated from college, and got into law school.
The woman managed to pass one of the most difficult bar exams on her first try, and she became an exemplary lawyer
Thousands of commenters came in to deliver their congratulations, sharing their amazement over how she managed to do it in New York, which has one of the most difficult bar exams in the country.
She later returned to the correction facility where she was incarcerated to share her experience with other inmates in the hope of inspiring them to make a change
For the woman, returning to this jail did not bring out the most positive memories, but it was a worthwhile experience nonetheless. “I’d been through something very traumatic, and then I came back in a much more powerful situation, and it felt like I healed a lot.”
But her main mission in returning to this place wasn’t about her. Afrika came back to Rikers aiming to spread some much-needed hope for the other inmates, sharing her life experience and hopefully inspiring them to follow in her footsteps. “Life isn’t just linear. There’s ups and downs, there’s circles in it, and as long as you continue to choose hope, as long as you continue to believe in yourself and dream big, you can accomplish anything that you want to or close to it,” the woman summarized perfectly.
Image credits:New York City Department of Correction (Facebook)
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Stories like Afrika’s are always pleasant to encounter. But at the same time, these situations always have quite a few lessons to them, too. So, to take a closer look and dig a little deeper into all of this,Bored Pandareached out to a certified life coach,Vanessa Marie, who was happy to share her expertise.
“This bias makes us feel as if we have unlimited time and that our current state will continue indefinitely, leading us to delay necessary changes. It’s only when we face the harsh reality of rock bottom that this distortion is shattered,” explained the life coach, adding how the urgency of the situation provides us a very strong motivation, making it clear that the transformation is necessary and that it must happen as soon as possible.
Image credits:Pixabay / Pexels.com (not the actual photo)
However, turning one’s life around doesn’t happen overnight. At least not completely. Even if you already feel like you’re walking on a new path, to truly leave the old one behind, you must first face your past, as this part of the journey is essential for healing, understanding yourself, and getting a sense of your progress.
Vanessa explained that one of the best ways to do it is through sharing your journey with others, just like Afrika did. “This act of openness reinforces your own progress and creates a sense of connection that strengthens both your transformation and the impact you have on others.”
Life coach Vanessa Marie said that turning your life around is rarely easy and requires starting with small steps, but ultimately, it all begins with believing in yourself
Seeing or hearing a story like this can definitely make you realize that turning your life around is absolutely possible. But while it’s clear that no one who wants to do something like this is truly happy with where they are, it also doesn’t mean that you necessarily have to hit rock bottom to be able to do it.
And yet, arguably, the most important part of this process is building up your resilience to be able to bounce back and keep going even if things are not as easy as you’d like. “It’s not just about getting through difficult times, but [it is] also about gaining the strength to face future challenges confidently,” summarized Vanessa.
Image credits:Tirachard Kumtanom / Pexels (not the actual photo)
Ultimately, Afrika’s journey is a perfect come-back story that likely brought a smile and perhaps even somehappy tearsto everyone that it reached. And yet, it’s also a great example of how changing your life is absolutely possible.
Everyone makes mistakes, and many of us want to change something about our lives. But time doesn’t stop and wait for the right moment. So why not start now? All you really need is to believe in yourself.
Thanks! Check out the results:
Wholesome
