My name is Monique McCray -Jackson, and I am a Speaker!
Being a Speaker was not a part of my original plans. I decided to become a Speaker after reflecting over my life one day trying to figure out what I really wanted to do at this stage of my life.
Life happened fairly quickly for me after high school. I became a mother immediately after I graduated. Three years later, I became a mom for the second time. Immediately after my second child I became a wife. Two years after that I got married and I gave birth to my third child. Six long years later I gave birth to my fourth child.
As you could see, I really didn’t have time to focus on identifying my God given purpose; because I was too busy taking care of my family. I knew it was there, but to pinpoint it and birth it, I just didn’t have the time.
After giving birth to my last child I decided it was time for me to continue my education, so that, I could advance in my career, to pay for all of those children.
After completing graduate school, I advanced in my career as planned, but I wanted to continue learning and growing in a supportive environment. So, I joined a local Toastmasters Club where I currently serve as President.
It wasn’t until I joined a local Toastmasters Club, that I realized my love for speaking. I’ve always had a love for talking to people. I remember as a child one of my Aunties naming me “Mouth of the South”, because she said I talked too much, little did I know ,she was speaking into my destiny. I never been afraid to ask questions even if its sound crazy to others.
I’ve always been bold in my speaking, but I had to develop my speaking skills in order to become a Speaker.
This year, 2017, is when I decided I was going to take a leap of faith and start calling myself a Speaker. First, I started out calling myself an Aspiring Speaker. Then, I said to myself, I’ve been “aspiring” for too long. It’s time that I become who I said I want to be, and that’s a Speaker.
Before, I finally stepped out on faith; I was fearful about receiving opportunities to speak, because I didn’t have a website. I started telling myself all sorts of negative things trying to help my subconscious mind justify why I couldn’t become a Speaker.
Once, I got out of my head, and stopped making up stories to justify my fear. I became a Speaker. To date, I’ve had the opportunity to speak, and host several events, but this wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t stepped out on faith, and believe that I could be a Speaker.