How I got my 716 credit score

716 

These days I say my credit score with pride but I remain humble because less than 16 months ago I had no credit and didn't truly know what it was. This time last year my credit debt was building up. The truth is that I got a taste of the addiction lifestyle of living on credit. I was 5 credits in and it still didn't seem like enough. Then like an Angel my high school teacher Ms.Daley paid for my first financial class. Every Sunday I went to the one of a class at a church on top of a hill in Bel Air. By the 4th class I was convinced to cut and close every card I had and started my financial education of getting my hands on everything that taught me about how to rebuild credit score.

HOW I PAYED OFF 3/5 credits so far. Debt snow ball. 

Line up all your credits from smallest to largest.. Put all the extra $ you made towards lowest until you pay it off. When you pay off lowest then use that old minimum and add the money that would be used to pay the credit to the next lowest credit.

All the mistakes I have made, have turned into lessons learned.

*im not financial expert but I am a sponge and I'm learning everything I can about financials. Don't take my word study and learn about credit yourself but here are my tips. 

•ALWAYS pay the minimum on time.. But If you can pay more than the minimum, pay more. Creditors make $ off of interest, the longer you take to payoff balance the more interest you will pay on the money.. 

I was paying 19% interest so that means for every $100 dollars I was paying 19 dollars just to borrow it. 

•Don't use more than 30-50% of the credit limit. Example if the creditor gives you $100 don't spend more than $30-$50 of the 100. 

•Don't open to many credits at a time and don't allow businesses to run your credit score. 

-If I could do it all over again knowing what I know now.. below is what I would do (This is also what I will recommend to my little sister if she asks how to build her score or to anyone who has no credit at all.) 

1. First thing I would focus on learning to manage my own money. I came into a problem using credit because I didn't fully grasp how to manage my own money.. So borrowing more money made it worst. 

2. Save enough to get a secured credit card. What a secured credit card allows you to do is to build your credit with your own money. It is not a debit card but a secured credit, the difference is the secured allows you to build you credit score. 

3. Then when I learned how to manage and budget my own money and use my secured credit well I would apply for a credit card.. Either use it for expenses such as gas or emergencies and pay the amount back each month. Or I would only use the borrowed credit to build assets that bring money back into my accounts and not liabilities, things that depreciate in value after you buy them.  In the words of Tom G "invest in something." Use the credit to invest into yourself by getting a new skill or education something that will benefit you and your family. 

SN: the reason the average person gets into debt is because they have no financial education and because they buy things they don't need. I will recommend to anyone who doesn't want to make the same mistakes I made to get a few books and watch a few videos on what a credit score is compile of and learn to use it to your advantage. 

The Male Version of Me #Volume1

    In all the miles we've traveled to get here, we arrived in the same city, a few feet away from one another...in this foreign city with a billion people surrounding us, I've only ever felt connected to you. We share the growing pains and our unwillingness to let go of the past.

    But everything's okay when I talk you, because every word you say reminds me that all this was destined. That 22 years ago and 24 years ago He'd already known we'd meet and how we were one and the same. 

That you would be the male version of me because we're both selfish and naive. I still think about him but you still think about her too. I'm your mirror, your reflection there to remind you all the good and bad that's in you but what I've noticed is your worst than me.

     You look at me and see your dirt that your even too afraid to tell me about. Never giving me the benefit of doubt. Still I want you to know I prayed for you. I couldn't have survived these last few years without you. You've been a constant player on my team, hiding away in my own personal locker room. Something like a teammate. A life coach too, always here motivating me, and above that putting me in my place. 

I've said all this to say that I miss you...immensely. 

How I made my first $1,000.00 in one week in 2015

2015 was a great year for me, I accomplished my goal to step up a second stream of income for myself. 
I wanted to create a form of passive of income, a term I was introduced to in Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad. Passive income is "income received on a regular basis, with little effort required to maintain it."  
My passive income came in the form of releasing my first book, Thriving Tool, a motivation book for young adults. Below I'm going to break down how I made $1,000.00 in the first week of selling my book. 

The product. I worked for a entire year to build a product worthy of consumers. I studied others books(products), and figured out how I could offer something of value you to a specific audience. Keep in mind that I'm talking about how I sold books, but the break down of how I applied things applies to anything you wish to sell.

Capitial. Every month I tackled a new aspect that would eventually bring the book to life; from paying for an editor, the cover, copyright, ISBN and barcode. I knocked out the expenses one by one, and lastly I put a down payment on the copies of Thriving Tool.

*Master P, Rapper, Business Mogul taught me via one of his interviews where he gave out some advice that I took advantage of and it was this that before you can sell a million copies, you have to sell 10, so I focused on selling one copy at a time. 

Selling. Most of my sells came from social media; Instagram, and Facebook...family and friends, and some people who had saw it on my pages, and thought it looked interesting. In the first week I stole the first 100 copies for $10 a piece. With the help of those around me, I focused on selling one at a time, until I stole every last one of them. And then just invested that money to buy more books. 

If I had to leave some valuable information with someone looking to take control of their life, and accomplish something that they always wanted to do. I would say study, study, and study whatever it is you want to do, whether it book music, writing, or boxing. So that you understand the ins and outs of what your trying to do. Next ask for help, we all want a mentor in arm's reach giving you the game to accomplishing tasks but sometimes you have to seek mentors and ask for help from strangers or take in advice for mentors far away, even if its from a TV interview. 
Lastly believe in whatever you do, we all have to start somewhere. 

When I was 13, I wanted to be Beyoncé

When I was 13, I wanted to be Beyoncé. I watched her documentaries and got a glimpse of this beautiful, ambitious woman who was so sure of what she wanted. Now after 9 more years with myself I can say finally say that for the first time in my life all I want to be is Everlecia; a beautiful, ambitious woman who knows what she wants. 

It took time to figure out who I was, and after I've spent some time alone with myself I have got the chance to fall in love with the reflection in the mirror. The part that you guys can't even see looking right at me. 

The last 3 years all I can remember was never feeling good enough, pretty enough. But these days I'm comfortable in this skin. I had to learn that the inside is mere reflection of the outside. I had to work on the inside first...  

Now I'm happy to be the bookworm,  "Daddy's lady" who thinks crying is a healthy way of life, who believes in the unrealistic, and who's a hopeless romantic above anything else.  

"I'm your comfort." The Sensations of Comfort Volume 3

They think it's you that keeps dragging me back in but no it's me. I'm the one always drawing you back in. I always do this to us. It's an impulsive text sent your way that leaves me anticipating your response.(You always response) Which then always leads into an easy 3 hour conversation that reminds us why we fell in love. In those conversations we avoid talking about reasons we both know we won't work out again for the 15th time. 

Still Like clockwork, like how the sun rises in the morning, there comes the subtle "I love you" that takes our  "friendship" to a new level.  That's unconsciously takes us back into dangerous territory, and all the months I practiced resilience against you fades away. Like how I trained myself to stop checking your Facebook, and Twitter moves where you pretend to be something your not. Still when I fall in love with you again none of that matters but just as quickly as I could throw myself in to you once more, I quickly hate you again. No, I never hate you, I hate the control you have over this mind, body and soul of mine. Your my weakest. 

The truth is that it all starts with me, but you don't stop me. I creep back in but your routine, your habit is to welcome me with open arms. What I now know is that you love comfort just as much as do. I'm your comfort.  And seconds, days, months don't change that, I'm home for you. 

Maybe I'll always be here or maybe I already left and the comfort that you feel is still here is merely an illusion. 

The Sensation of Comfort By Everlecia #Volume2

    They were magnets. She was convinced as yet again she found herself back in the arms of his comfort. Feeling that maybe they have never skipped a beat on their many months apart. But the truth was that they were on a ticking time bomb that intensified the moment. She knew better because they'd been there before, still In their limited moments together she wanted the fantasy to last. Naively forgetting that their comfort meant that neither of them could grow. They were trying relive the good times... But It couldn't and wouldn't last long, because they wanted different things. Differences that left them thousands of miles apart even when she layed right to him..

    So it seemed simple that their solution was to stay away from each other but it wasn't that easy. So much time was invested, unforgettable memories were made and families were introduced. And even when she thought she was moving on, someone would mention his name, and oh that alone brought her comfort. Because despite their mishaps he was the only one that had a true affect on her. She let him see every version of herself from the vulnerable girl who revealed her deepest dreams to the fighter who kept still kept everything suppressed inside.  He was the only person she didn't have to be the girl who had it all together. That's why he was the one who she dared to share so many firsts with.

     Over and over the foolish gal found herself longing for his comfort. Convincing herself that they would grow into the same direction.... But after months no years she found herself weary and without hope, and soon the girl he thought he knew would be exposed to more. The act of making love to ones mind, and without being touched she had found herself falling for another... And slowly but surely the sensations of comfort were replaced with someone like her equal, but soon she would realize that in the end that "comfort" still ruled her mind body and soul.. With a hold that was infuriating, and that wouldn't allow her to move on beyond her borders of comfort... 

The Sensation of Comfort By Everlecia #Volume1

She missed him but missing him had nothing to do with the love they shared, well maybe a little. It had more to do with comfort...he knew her inside out... He knew what buttons to push, he had even found her pause button, the one that in the moment made her feel like everything had stopped in time, and that what they had could last forever. 

        After years of persistence he slowly peeled back her layers. She was a type of science for him...certain faces had ways of telling him instantly when she was at unease.. She rarely had to explain her feelings because those looks always gave her away even when she didn't want them to. 

        She missed the comfort of someone knowing what she liked and didn't like, what made her body sing, and her favorite movies that made her cry. She missed him because of the comfort that he brought, the way he at laughed her jokes as if she was the funniest person in the world, the way he always let her have her way... 

14 lessons from Oprah's book "What I know for sure" that can change our lives for the better.

Oprah Winfrey's book What I know For Sure, has been a page turner for me. From start to finish I was anxious to learn what Oprah--a person who has such a huge impact on the world had to share. And surely after folding back page corners and scribbling down notes, things that are prohibited when using a checked out library book but I just couldn't help myself.
 Now below without further ado, I want to share quick quotes--life lessons from Oprah and some of her mentors that I know will not only benefit my life but yours as well.
I, myself am fully committed to looking over the notes as often as I can, as you should too until we know them like we know our favorite character on our favorite show. So that in turn we can fully and effectively apply them to our own lives.


1. What is the power of Reading? 

 "Reading opens you up..it exposes you and gives you access to anything your mind can hold..it gives you the ability to reach higher ground."

2. What to do when facing difficult decisions? 

"Ask [Yourself] what would I do if I weren't afraid of making a mistake, feeling rejected, looking foolish or being alone?

3. Purpose of sharing stories?

"Extracting the truth of [peoples] experiences and distilling it into wisdom that could inform, inspire, or benefit someone else."

4. How to kill Inferiority complex?

Remember "We are all on the same path, all of us wanting the same things: love, joy, and acknowledgment."

5. Where does change start?

"You can't change what you don't acknowledge." Via Dr.Phil.. Change starts with acknowledging the problem.

6. How are we building our lives?

"Thought by thought, choice by choice." So are you thinking about and doing things that bring you what you desire; Love, wealth, love and happiness.


7. Want help on revealing who you are?

"Everything you do and say shows the world who you are. Let it be the truth. " Remembering actions always speak louder then words. If you are a giver don't talk about what you want to give but actually give.

8. When can you have a peace of mind?

"[When you are] aligned with your heart's desire...in sync with who you're meant to be and how you're suppose to contribute.

9. What does it mean to focus on the present?

"Surrendering what you can't control and focusing on what's right in front of you."

10. Why limit your gossiping?

"Negative has power--and if you allow it to perch in your house, in your mind, in your life, it can take you over...A negative statement is poison." Via Maya Angelou through Oprah

11. Why should you focus on what you are dwelling on?

"What we dwell on is who we become."

12.  Purpose of money? 

"Brings joy to you and the ones you love."

13. Why are the things you do today so important?  

"What you do today creates every tomorrow."

14. Whats the power of decision?

"Nothing happens until you decide." Via Dr. Stanley Turecki through The Oprah Show. Decide what your going to be and then go become it.

What Will Smith Confirmed for me

    Sometimes I break my own heart, simply because I'm the type of person that looks at the bigger picture of things when it comes to a lot of my goals. When it instead I should be honing in on the small steps it takes to accomplish those goals. 

    The perfect is example is when I first started writing my book. I had this amazing idea on how my book would turn out once completed. But as I worked towards that idea it wasn't easy at all as I focused way too much on the bigger picture of things.

    As anyone who has ever completed anything before knows that in the beginning and in the middle of that process, often times its not always easy to see your vision, especially when you still have a long way to go. I had to realized that the key to completing anything in life was and is to focus all your energy on completing one step at a time, for me the first step was creating my first sentence, then paragraph then chapter. Until all the pieces and steps completed my first book in it's entirety; This Is Not A Book, This Is A #ThrivingTool.   

    Actor, Will Smith confirmed my new found concept with the way he tackles projects as well. When asked what he learned after building a entire wall for his dad's store, when originally he told his daddy that he couldn't because he thought it was impossible for him and his younger brother, as they were 12 and 9 at the time. After a year and a half they did it, and that is when he learned the the key was laying one brick perfectly, then another and another until he had a wall, and saw how everything was to be approach that way to make accomplishing things easier. We must look it the same, Every small step is a brick that is creating our wall/goal. 

Every small step is a brick that is creating our wall/goal. www.njhorseplayer.com

+everlecia taylor 

@Everlecia 

Stress, Stress, go Away...Don't Come Back

Every time something has gone wrong in my life, I have focused too much of the why of the things. "Why did this happen?" "Why is it happening at this time." But no longer is that me. I had to ASK myself what does that help? And I realized it never helped anything.  

Now when things go "wrong" I've realized that there are only two things that will happen either you'll conquer or be conquered by the circumstances. I had to make up my mind that the only real option was and is to conquer, because being conquered means to give up and give in. And if someone out there is depending on me or you to conquer then there is no such thing as being conquered. 

The best thing to do is to move forward and count your blessings and I know it's easier said then done to count the good things that have happened when everything seems to be falling apart but it's necessary in order to move forward. In order to continue to be blessed in your life you have to learn to appreciate all that you have been through, to get to where you are going. 

@Everlecia - 

How to Get Closer to Your Dreams?

We all have dreams but why don't we all attempt to follow our dreams?

I think I have the answer and it is certainty. The reason we hesitate to follow our dreams is that we aren't sure if we'll reach them or not. Because think about if we all were 100% certain that chasing our dreams would get us the life that we desire, no one would delay another second. But it's the doubt and fears which keep us right where we are; far from our dreams. 

I believe you have to create a sense of certainty in your head that your dreams will come true. "Fake it until you make it",  which means seeing your dreams come true way before they happen. And as you develop a sense of certainty that it will happen, you also increase your faith. 

You may know where you want to go but no one knows how they'll exactly get there. So you MUST grow faith and realize that everything will fall into place as you move closer to your dreams.

Today, choose to focus on one step that gets you closer to your dreams. 

And it starts with you focusing on the first step it takes to getting closer to your dreams then when the next step comes along give all of your focus to that step and so forth.

- @Everlecia 

"Mama, I wrote a book." -E.T

     After countless hours and many restless nights, I am proud to say that I have finished my self-help manscript, titled 'This Is Not A Book, This Is A Thriving Tool'. Right now, I am in my hometown visiting my family and friends and everyone keeps asks what next? And over and over I keep explaining the exciting yet tedious process of finding editors and printers on my self-publishing journey.

Manscript of 'This Is Not A Book, This Is A Thriving Tool.'

     I must say that nothing throughout this process has been easy but it is rewarding seeing the fruits of my efforts. This book gives me hope that I am on the right track to share some of my brilliance with the world. It's my baby that I have nurtured over the months and watched grow into something that is bigger than me. Now, It's time to share it with the world. 

    Soon I will happily release a sneak peak of my book cover in the coming weeks. Along with my online fund raiser that will help bring the physical product of my book to life.  So blog viewers stay tune, and know that if I can follow my dreams <3 so can you. 

CEO: Writing my first book Part 1 "Book Cover"

I wish we got to see more of the grunt work that it took for our greatest idols to get to the top. I think it would make a lot of us, who are on the path of greatest a little less anxious. The media exploits so many of our idols as overnight successes, it causes many of us to think that we too could be the next overnight success. As if it's easy to move to Hollywood and move up the ladders of success. 

I wish the cameras would start rolling before the notoriety.  So we could see some of the nights of restless working, and breakthrough tears that we hear so of our most successful idols talk about. 

It's why I am choosing to share my journey. Maybe someone will be inspired by my growth, on my journey to becoming a published author. 

Brainstorming for my book cover. I'm such a visional person, I always make cut outs so I can see things together before it actually comes to life.