I booked a one-bedroom condo for five days at a resort that was on the beach.  After searching for several days, reading reviews, and comparing prices, I thought I had the best deal.  Boy, was I wrong!

When we arrived, there were no carts left for us to take our possessions up 10 flights of stairs.  This was the first red flag… but I kept an open mind.  When we opened the door to the room, the smell of must and mildew immediately hit my nose and I KNEW I had made a terrible mistake.  As I entered the kitchen, I immediately noticed the damaged cabinets and the cheap rusty appliances.  “Ahh, Hell NO,” I thought, “I did NOT pay all of this money for this raggedy place.” 

How did this happen to a resort that we stayed in a few years ago?  The pictures I saw online looked just as I remembered them being. It was under new management and the cleanliness had gone downhill.  The carpet was deplorably stained with many fluids.  I had to force myself to sleep through the night and the next morning as I sat at the outdated wobbly table in the dated living room with my son trying to support both his and my laptop, he looked at me and said, “Mom, we may need to find another place.”  The Wi-Fi sucked and overall, I KNEW he was RIGHT!  If we stayed simply because I had already paid for this trip, I would be miserable.  It was at that moment that I chose happiness over convenience. 

During the Trump administration, the news outlets did a spectacular job redirecting the focus of what Trump was doing for America to associating him with the negative history of racism that has plagued this country for decades.  I chose to ignore their propaganda and to look at his actions.  I quickly realized that he had radical ideas that have changed the lives of millions for the better.  From freeing people from prison who society had deemed second class to putting much needed capital into the hands of struggling businesses that historically would have been denied for funding through his innovative PPP loan program, this man made us question the current structure. 

When COVID came, it forced Americans to sit home with their families and to get the much-needed rest they would NEVER have gotten under the old program.  As a result, people chose happiness instead of convenience and they quit their jobs in droves.  This resulted in a mass exodus from the corporate plantations that had stolen years of servitude from its workers.  Unfortunately, the Establishment saw what was happening, and they rectified the problem by putting Joe Biden in office.

During his first term, gas prices have doubled and will triple, food prices are skyrocketing, the housing market has turned into a Ponzi scheme that has hurt renters and potential homeowners.  Families are finding themselves in very uncomfortable situations, just like I found myself when I checked into that fleabag hotel.  I took my son’s advice and I told myself, “You deserve happiness.”  I went online and searched for another place to stay.  This time I did NOT consider the price nor convenience.  Although my husband initially thought my quest was futile, I found a beautiful condo that sat on a private part of the ocean.  And right now, I am sitting on the balcony outside the master bedroom, watching the sun rise in peace. 

For the first time in my life, I chose ME, and it feels GREAT!!  When we entered the property, my children were so excited.  Their eyes lit up as we went from room to room, knowing they would get a good night’s rest on a comfortable, clean bed.  Each of them having their own bed to sleep in and their own bathroom to groom themselves in gave me a peace of mind.  This experience made me think about my life and how I spent it constantly helping others while I neglected myself, NEVER realizing I deserved better.  

When I went to check out at the other resort, the lady immediately told me I would NOT get a refund for the days I did not stay.  Normally, I would have given her a piece of my mind, but this time, I said, “that’s fine,” and I walked away. Regardless of how much money I lost, peace and safety were my primary concern and I have vowed to NEVER go back on that regardless of the price.

How do we make America great again? 

We make it great by going for self, by demanding equality and respect for ourselves regardless of the cost.  During the 1900s America spent so much time intervening in other country’s affairs beLIEving we were saving others while we neglected ourselves.  What did I learn from Trump as a black woman?  I learned we should ALWAYS put ourselves first.  Will he be re-elected?  Can’t say, but what I KNOW is that he has truly changed my mind regarding what I will and will NOT tolerate, especially at my own expense.

I KNOW times will get hard for many of you who are reading this article.  But I challenge you to choose YOU, regardless of the cost.  I guarantee you the universe will come beside you and ensure you are able to do this continually.   

Always choose YOU!