“I am a professional dreamer.” – Dorothy Tene Redmond

Wow. It’s amazing to watch this young lady evolve from a once depressed Detroit-factory worker/college student to now a young woman who is living the life of her dreams.

How did she do it? She found purpose. She found her passion. She connected with the right people.

Dorothy Tene Redmond was just getting through life when I met her about 12 years.  She was at a Valentine’s event of my mentor where I was giving a “talk” about love.  I remember rambling on about purpose, passion, love and visualization.  I also remember looking over at her and seeing how BORED she looked. I thought to myself – I better shut up because this girl is going to fall asleep and start snoring. LOL.

Essentially I wrapped up my talk that went over:

1. Pursue your passions
2. Plan & prepare
3. Be optimistic
4. Possess an “I can do it” attitude
5. Set purposeful goals
6. Be a person of prayer
7. Visualize your future outcome
8. Take exciting vacations
9. Maintain an exercise routine
10. Develop a regular reading regimen
11. Have a sense of style
12. Realize the importance of your network

After I finished, “Sleeping Beauty Dorothy” awoke. She started to speak – and went on to tell her story to the group.  She told of how she always wanted to be a journalist, travel the world, give back to her community and do it with style.

What was stopping her? She told me it was the “haters” in her life and how her self-esteem was in the toilet because certain people didn’t believe she could do any of the things she dreamed about.

Really?  My advice to her, “You don’t need anyone’s permission to live your dreams.”

Funny, sometimes you can say things to young people and you never how that outcome of those words will translate into their lives.  But  for Dorothy Tene Redmond – something happened that even surprised (and inspired) me.

These are some of the highlights of what has happened:

1. She graduated, quit her factory job and began her journalism career.

2. She is now a full-time “freelance” writer who has written stories for Heart & Soul Magazine, numerous travel magazines and black publications across the country.

3. Interview celebrities like Beyonce (her first cover story), Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Ciara, Usher, Trey Songz and tons of others! And she has met and taken tons of photos with the world’s most famous folks -  (check her facebook page out).

3. Wrote and produced six successful plays, the first one, “Magahogny Dreams”. (LOVED IT!!!!!!!!)

4. Co-Director of  Hal Jackson’s “Talented Teens” where she mentored tons you young ladies and taught them glamor tips.

5. Been given FREE cars to test drive and write about for months at a time and traveled the world writing — on someone’s else dime!

6. Traveled to Australia to Mexico to Portugal  to Antigua to Africa and tons of US cities plus covered President Obama’s inauguration…..as a journalist!  (Can you believe someone told her that she couldn’t WRITE. Haters!)

“I remember the one’s that didn’t help me – that inspires me to always try to help others.   Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you and encourage you to be all you were meant to be,”  said Dorothy.

She went on, “I remember when I met you Pam. I was in a dark place. I felt hopeless. No one was encouraged me – but what you said stuck with me. And you continued to pour into my life. You always gave me inspirational books to read and report back to you about.”

Paying it forward. That’s what it is all about. I was at my mentor’s home doing a “talk” and from that I gained a “mentee” in DC that I am so, so proud of.  She is living life like it’s GOLDEN!

So, go live YOUR dreams girl! Glam it up too!

You don’t have to great to get started – but you have to start to be great.

Eat. Love. Pray. Dorothy Redmond, you go glamgirl!

Pam Perry is a rebranding. She is an award-winning, certified social media strategist and PR coach. She is the new President/CEO of Social Media PR Solutions, LLC. You can find her social media bread crumbs at http://about.me/pamperry