Determined to Get the Waffle...

When I was a young kid, one of my favorite restaurants to dine at was the Waffle House (snobbish, right?). There was something about the smell of mop water mixed with fried bacon and constant chatter that appealed to my senses. I learned about the Waffle House through my father. The first time he took me there I was not only amazed by the atmosphere, I was also impressed by the fact that every worker knew his name. I had to get back to this place by any means necessary, and my father was the key. So over grits, runny eggs (his not mine), waffles, and overly-sweetened orange juice, I asked my father what the deal was on this restaurant, how everyone knew his name, and how could I be a part of this cult. He told me he comes to this particular Waffle House every Saturday around 7ish in the morning, and he’s been doing it for years. “For years?”….I thought to myself - “and I’m just now finding out about this slice of shabby heaven?” I wanted the waffle I was eating, the smells I was inhaling, and the conversations I was hearing around me to be a constant in my life. But 7ish in the morning on a Saturday was a stretch. So I kindly asked my father to consider changing his Saturday schedule to accommodate my late sleeping patterns. Of course he rejected that suggestion. He then told me if I wanted to go with him that bad, I’d have to be disciplined and wake up. I weighed my options. I then took another bite of my fluffy, golden-colored waffle…..and that was all she wrote. I was determined to do what I had to do to get that waffle every Saturday morning, and I did just that. I made it to the Waffle House that next Saturday, and a few more Saturdays after that. My determination outweighed any obstacles that posed as barriers…sleep (one of my favorite things to do in the world) couldn’t even hold me back from this goal.

A shift is currently happening in my life, and it’s time for me to make some moves so I’ve been searching my soul for motivation/discipline. As a result of soul-searching, this story came to my memory and reminded me of the tenacity and spunk that lives inside of me. I thought about how, even at a young age, I did what I had to do to get where I wanted to be. I thought about how hard it was to get up, but how sweet the victory (or the waffle) was because I did the hard part. So as I thought about this story, I reminded myself that when I want something REALLY bad, there’ s no stopping me. I set my eyes on the prize, make negotiations if need be, map out a route to get to the prize, then I put the pedal to the metal.

Sometimes we forget about who we are and what we’ve accomplished before. Every now and then we have to remind ourselves of the beast that lives within us. So the next time you stumble upon a roadblock or need direction for an endeavor, dig deep within yourself and pull some inspiration from a past victory. I bet you’ll get at least some of the motivation you need to pursue your next big or small thing. Now if y’all will excuse me, I have another waffle to go after.

Determined,

- Samjah Iman

Be safe y’all!

Outfit Details: Shoes // Top // Distressed Jeans (I purchased these jeans from Walmart and cut them up myself.)