all right I want to say something to you today
today
today your words are very powerful the words
your words are very powerful the words
your words are very powerful the words that you say has meaning behind it but
that you say has meaning behind it but
that you say has meaning behind it but what a word we use them every day but do
what a word we use them every day but do
what a word we use them every day but do we truly understand what they are you
we truly understand what they are you
we truly understand what they are you see my definition of word is a single
see my definition of word is a single
see my definition of word is a single distinct element of speech or writing
distinct element of speech or writing
distinct element of speech or writing used with others or sometimes alone and
used with others or sometimes alone and
used with others or sometimes alone and it’s used to form a sentence with white
it’s used to form a sentence with white
it’s used to form a sentence with white space on either side when written or
space on either side when written or
space on either side when written or printed now I want to ask you a question
printed now I want to ask you a question
printed now I want to ask you a question when you woke up this morning what did
when you woke up this morning what did
when you woke up this morning what did you say to yourself what came into your
you say to yourself what came into your
you say to yourself what came into your mind when you opened your eyes and
mind when you opened your eyes and
mind when you opened your eyes and realize that you had another day to live
realize that you had another day to live
realize that you had another day to live what did you say I don’t expect you to
what did you say I don’t expect you to
what did you say I don’t expect you to tell me your answers right now I raise
tell me your answers right now I raise
tell me your answers right now I raise their hand
their hand
their hand but answer yourself what did I say to
but answer yourself what did I say to
but answer yourself what did I say to myself when I woke up this morning you
myself when I woke up this morning you
myself when I woke up this morning you see the first twenty to thirty minutes
see the first twenty to thirty minutes
see the first twenty to thirty minutes of your day is very crucial why because
of your day is very crucial why because
of your day is very crucial why because what we do and what we say within that
what we do and what we say within that
what we do and what we say within that span of time determines how your day
span of time determines how your day
span of time determines how your day begins I want to take you back to when I
begins I want to take you back to when I
begins I want to take you back to when I was much much younger than I am now I’m
was much much younger than I am now I’m
was much much younger than I am now I’m 28 years old on that day I would walk
28 years old on that day I would walk
28 years old on that day I would walk down the street it’s funny I didn’t know
down the street it’s funny I didn’t know
down the street it’s funny I didn’t know how considerate I was until right now
how considerate I was until right now
how considerate I was until right now but listen to me so I would walk down
but listen to me so I would walk down
but listen to me so I would walk down the road and at some point you have to
the road and at some point you have to
the road and at some point you have to stop so you can cross to go to the other
stop so you can cross to go to the other
stop so you can cross to go to the other side so I walk and I stop if a stranger
side so I walk and I stop if a stranger
side so I walk and I stop if a stranger stood next to me this is what came into
stood next to me this is what came into
stood next to me this is what came into my head I won’t verbalize it but I would
my head I won’t verbalize it but I would
my head I won’t verbalize it but I would think it to myself so imagine someone is
think it to myself so imagine someone is
think it to myself so imagine someone is next to me I have my book pair book bag
next to me I have my book pair book bag
next to me I have my book pair book bag on my back
on my back
on my back from school I would say do you know who
from school I would say do you know who
from school I would say do you know who you’re standing next to you’re standing
you’re standing next to you’re standing
you’re standing next to you’re standing next to greatness and one day you’re
next to greatness and one day you’re
next to greatness and one day you’re gonna say I knew that girl the work of
gonna say I knew that girl the work of
gonna say I knew that girl the work of the words that I told myself which
the words that I told myself which
the words that I told myself which helped me tackle my goals head-on
helped me tackle my goals head-on
helped me tackle my goals head-on I ran for Carnival Queen back in 2007
I ran for Carnival Queen back in 2007
I ran for Carnival Queen back in 2007 dances school functions and fashion
dances school functions and fashion
dances school functions and fashion shows an audition for season 9 So You
shows an audition for season 9 So You
shows an audition for season 9 So You Think You Can Dance in New York City I
Think You Can Dance in New York City I
Think You Can Dance in New York City I got cut the round rightly walk before
got cut the round rightly walk before
got cut the round rightly walk before Vegas but I was still proud of myself
Vegas but I was still proud of myself
Vegas but I was still proud of myself and it was an awesome experience but
and it was an awesome experience but
and it was an awesome experience but words words up you can do it Ilana
words words up you can do it Ilana
words words up you can do it Ilana you’re great you have the it factor
you’re great you have the it factor
you’re great you have the it factor pushed me to fill myself with constant
pushed me to fill myself with constant
pushed me to fill myself with constant strength to do what I wanted and fulfill
strength to do what I wanted and fulfill
strength to do what I wanted and fulfill my aspirations and goals now not too
my aspirations and goals now not too
my aspirations and goals now not too long ago I used to live in New York
long ago I used to live in New York
long ago I used to live in New York after getting my MBA in sports arts and
after getting my MBA in sports arts and
after getting my MBA in sports arts and entertainment management and have my
entertainment management and have my
entertainment management and have my master’s in sports arts and
master’s in sports arts and
master’s in sports arts and entertainment management I made a
entertainment management I made a
entertainment management I made a conscious decision to move there because
conscious decision to move there because
conscious decision to move there because New York is the area and the hub of
New York is the area and the hub of
New York is the area and the hub of entertainment my plan get a job
entertainment my plan get a job
entertainment my plan get a job audition for small dancing roles and
audition for small dancing roles and
audition for small dancing roles and live the life I always dreamed of no it
live the life I always dreamed of no it
live the life I always dreamed of no it did not happen that way I was unemployed
did not happen that way I was unemployed
did not happen that way I was unemployed for close to six months but I eventually
for close to six months but I eventually
for close to six months but I eventually then get a management position working
then get a management position working
then get a management position working at a gym called blink Fitness in
at a gym called blink Fitness in
at a gym called blink Fitness in Flatbush specifically in Brooklyn area
Flatbush specifically in Brooklyn area
Flatbush specifically in Brooklyn area so I was welcomed with open arms from a
so I was welcomed with open arms from a
so I was welcomed with open arms from a relative she said come on Ilana you can
relative she said come on Ilana you can
relative she said come on Ilana you can stay with me but after a few months
stay with me but after a few months
stay with me but after a few months passed things got a little sour and she
passed things got a little sour and she
passed things got a little sour and she said you got to go you got to leave bye
said you got to go you got to leave bye
said you got to go you got to leave bye it was at that moment that the ones full
it was at that moment that the ones full
it was at that moment that the ones full of life and confident young woman that I
of life and confident young woman that I
of life and confident young woman that I was came to a halt
was came to a halt
was came to a halt and I was filled with hurt resentment
and I was filled with hurt resentment
and I was filled with hurt resentment and pain the words that I used to say to
and pain the words that I used to say to
and pain the words that I used to say to myself became my own enemy
myself became my own enemy
myself became my own enemy I turned it around and said you’re not
I turned it around and said you’re not
I turned it around and said you’re not worth it
worth it
worth it it’s because of you this happened you’re
it’s because of you this happened you’re
it’s because of you this happened you’re ugly and you will never make it as a
ugly and you will never make it as a
ugly and you will never make it as a result I never went out anybody that I
result I never went out anybody that I
result I never went out anybody that I saw I always felt that didn’t you my
saw I always felt that didn’t you my
saw I always felt that didn’t you my story and they were judging me
story and they were judging me
story and they were judging me I was standoffish and trusted no one
I was standoffish and trusted no one
I was standoffish and trusted no one I returned back home so I can start over
I returned back home so I can start over
I returned back home so I can start over and I chose to become a teacher and as I
and I chose to become a teacher and as I
and I chose to become a teacher and as I became a teacher I started to look at
became a teacher I started to look at
became a teacher I started to look at life just a little bit differently
life just a little bit differently
life just a little bit differently through the eyes of young individuals I
through the eyes of young individuals I
through the eyes of young individuals I don’t get it ready for my health class
don’t get it ready for my health class
don’t get it ready for my health class one day because I teach business and
one day because I teach business and
one day because I teach business and health that’s in student Paul downtown I
health that’s in student Paul downtown I
health that’s in student Paul downtown I witnessed a group of young ladies
witnessed a group of young ladies
witnessed a group of young ladies bashing themselves saying that they were
bashing themselves saying that they were
bashing themselves saying that they were ugly there wasn’t worth it and other
ugly there wasn’t worth it and other
ugly there wasn’t worth it and other women other girls their age was more
women other girls their age was more
women other girls their age was more important than who they were at that
important than who they were at that
important than who they were at that moment an instant connection to their
moment an instant connection to their
moment an instant connection to their words was made I understood them and I
words was made I understood them and I
words was made I understood them and I wanted to help them so I started a
wanted to help them so I started a
wanted to help them so I started a nonprofit organization to foster
nonprofit organization to foster
nonprofit organization to foster positive self-image and encourage
positive self-image and encourage
positive self-image and encourage initiatives through educational
initiatives through educational
initiatives through educational proactive incentives but what does that
proactive incentives but what does that
proactive incentives but what does that mean I have E which stands for I am
mean I have E which stands for I am
mean I have E which stands for I am beautiful
beautiful
beautiful okay me my vice-president and my
okay me my vice-president and my
okay me my vice-president and my speakers
speakers
speakers we execute events that are filled with
we execute events that are filled with
we execute events that are filled with topics about self-empowerment
topics about self-empowerment
topics about self-empowerment we offer essay award contest seminars
we offer essay award contest seminars
we offer essay award contest seminars and workshops about self development and
and workshops about self development and
and workshops about self development and growth it’s not until I started to help
growth it’s not until I started to help
growth it’s not until I started to help these young women that I started to
these young women that I started to
these young women that I started to become myself again started to go out
become myself again started to go out
become myself again started to go out meet people trust people again the words
meet people trust people again the words
meet people trust people again the words that I would said to them you’re amazing
that I would said to them you’re amazing
that I would said to them you’re amazing you’re wonderful you’re beautiful and
you’re wonderful you’re beautiful and
you’re wonderful you’re beautiful and you can do it started to become my own
you can do it started to become my own
you can do it started to become my own words I looked at myself as amazing
words I looked at myself as amazing
words I looked at myself as amazing beautiful and perfect so I want to share
beautiful and perfect so I want to share
beautiful and perfect so I want to share some words with you from a famous poet
some words with you from a famous poet
some words with you from a famous poet by the name of Maya Angelou
by the name of Maya Angelou
by the name of Maya Angelou she said if you’re always trying to be
she said if you’re always trying to be
she said if you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how amazing
normal you will never know how amazing
normal you will never know how amazing you can truly be if you’re always trying
you can truly be if you’re always trying
you can truly be if you’re always trying to be normal you will never know how
to be normal you will never know how
to be normal you will never know how amazing you can truly be and thinking
amazing you can truly be and thinking
amazing you can truly be and thinking back I did amazing things when I was in
back I did amazing things when I was in
back I did amazing things when I was in New York I was a personal assistant for
New York I was a personal assistant for
New York I was a personal assistant for an actress I was a manager for a gym I
an actress I was a manager for a gym I
an actress I was a manager for a gym I dance and then what I wanted to do but
dance and then what I wanted to do but
dance and then what I wanted to do but because of that one situation it created
because of that one situation it created
because of that one situation it created such a bad experience that my words
such a bad experience that my words
such a bad experience that my words literally became a person to me and held
literally became a person to me and held
literally became a person to me and held me hostage
me hostage
me hostage it was my enemy but I want to leave you
it was my enemy but I want to leave you
it was my enemy but I want to leave you with a message today be conscious of the
with a message today be conscious of the
with a message today be conscious of the words that you tell yourself and the
words that you tell yourself and the
words that you tell yourself and the words that you tell others because they
words that you tell others because they
words that you tell others because they can lead you in any direction when you
can lead you in any direction when you
can lead you in any direction when you wake up in the morning look at yourself
wake up in the morning look at yourself
wake up in the morning look at yourself and don’t be scared and say I’m
and don’t be scared and say I’m
and don’t be scared and say I’m confident I’m worth it and I’m great
confident I’m worth it and I’m great
confident I’m worth it and I’m great because you are standing next to
because you are standing next to
because you are standing next to greatness thank you
greatness thank you
greatness thank you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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