My Story - Money, Part 2.

I grew up in a rough situation, dealing with a mom who had mental health struggles and a dad who wasn’t around. It was all about tough times and just getting by. That’s my story.

I was frustrated with my parents for not being more successful. I wondered, “What were they doing while other parents worked hard to avoid this struggle for their kids?”

I felt embarrassed when my mom asked family and neighbors for food or money, but the school feeding programs helped ease our worries during breaks. They even sent food parcels home, so we always had something to eat.

I've been praying a lot, but things have actually gotten worse. I believe in prayer and love God, but right now, I really just need some cash to feel like I'm making progress.

The pastor is hinting at wanting cash from me, which is stressing me out as I manage my finances. I just want to see some serious money! Right now, God and money are my only hopes for feeling free.

Poverty is no joke. Growing up with it affected my self-esteem and caused trauma. As a kid, I stressed about food insecurity when I should have been focused on toys and other fun things.

Not having enough cash made us miss out on chances that could've really lifted our self-esteem.

I always felt out of the loop in high school because I didn't have cool clothes. It made me super nervous to talk to girls since my wardrobe was pretty terrible. It was a tough time.

I recall reading "My Parents Kept Me Away from Children Who Were Rough" in primary school. It reminded me of my brother and me, reflecting our background well.

I couldn’t hit up parties, go on school trips, or just hang out with friends because I was tight on cash and didn’t feel safe or comfy at all. I was always stressing about what we ate, what we wore, and where it all came from. Being more of an introvert made it even harder.

We didn't really think we'd actually pull it off; someone even straight up told me I’d never amount to anything. I’ll never forget that.

I'm doing pretty well at the moment. Just wanted to share a bit about my background. My drive to make money comes from growing up with hunger and wanting to make sure I never have to deal with that again.

Getting a good spot in life isn’t easy. I’m glad I’ve avoided selling out or being shady to get ahead, despite hearing that honesty doesn’t pay off. I'm still figuring out if that’s true.

I can see this coming because it's about belief, not just sight. I'm grateful to everyone sharing their thoughts on my story. Knowing I'm not alone in dealing with tough stuff gives me hope.

Let’s connect on social media! You can find me as @MgiveZA on Twitter and Facebook. Peace.