Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it...

History repeats itself if you choose to pay attention. Right now we are in three cycles of repeat:

1. Global pandemic similar to the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918

2. Economic Crisis similar to the Depressions we’ve faced before

3. Civil unrest similar to the Civil Unrest of 1968 or 1992 when injustice and police brutality were on the front lines

I wrote previous posts about the first two cycles and now let’s discuss the last one. At the time of this writing, the country (and several other countries) is experiencing widespread protests against police brutality and injustice against Black/African Americans and People of Color (POC). As a history major, I often think about the arc of history and how the race I was born into got where we are.

I identify as a Caribbean-American woman and as a child of immigrants. I am not a product of the “Black American,” experience, however, I understand that I am not exempt from it. I fully understood the “Black” experience when I attended the HBCU, Florida A&M University, and learned the whole truth. I learned about the experiences of Black and Brown people in this country and the cycles of disruption in their upward mobility. How there are countless and systematic restrictions on how one group is allowed to live (Jim Crow), where they live (redlining), and sometimes even who they experience life with (anti-miscegenation or anti-interracial marriage). My upbringing taught me that there are opportunities everywhere and that all you needed was hard work but as we are now all learning sometimes that is just not enough. Especially when the color of your skin makes you a target or a threat to some people.

Ever since hearing Maggie Anderson speak at the 7th Annual Houston Black Leadership Forum in 2017, I became resolved on two principles regarding my participation in the fight/struggle for equality:

1. The fight for Civil Rights or Equality is about economics, therefore my contribution is to help others position themselves to access more money, and then everything else will follow.

2. All movements must be funded and they are funded by entrepreneurship. Therefore my contribution and efforts are to build up my businesses and use my money to support causes and people on the front lines.

In times like this, I encourage you to determine your participation level and do it. Do not let social media shame, judge, push, or pull you out of alignment with your purpose. Educate yourself. Educate your family. Educate those that you have influence over. Stand up for what you believe with your spending. Vote for who represents your interests. Pray for the truth and justice to prevail. And stay focused!

2020 is teaching us several lessons. Hopefully, we’ll learn them…

It's Harvest Time! A Conversation About Sowing and Reaping...

March 31, 2020, is the date of Shavuot, the Biblical Festival of Weeks (also known as Pentecost). It’s a time to reap the harvest sown at the time of Passover. Most Biblical Feasts, Festivals, and lessons revolved around agricultural terminology because that is what the people of that time were used to. Agriculture was a large part of society and these times of the year were easy to note because the fields around you were ripe. The most important part of this Biblical Feast, was to reap the harvest sown 50 days prior. Remember, if there was no harvest there was no food. So praising the Lord and thanking Him for your harvest made sense when the food you grew was essential to your very livelihood. Now we can go to the store 365 and get whatever we want (except for the reality check we just had with Coronavirus…) so we’re often not as thankful or reflective about harvests. But we should be.

The entire premise of Shavuot is that whatever you sowed in Passover, you will reap a harvest. Your grains would start off as green blades and grow to large golden wheat. Farmers in Biblical times were diligent about watching their fields and expecting their harvest. But in modern times we are still sowing and reaping but not paying the same attention. For example, if I sow/deposit $10.00 into a savings account I can reap/withdraw the principal amount + interest. I might not even go back and look into the account until I’m ready. It’s a very passive act. But let me give you another example because we often equate money with our harvest and that is not all that we can sow and reap. If I sow gossip amongst my friend circle I will eventually reap either gossip, discord, anger, hatred, or even worse irreparable damage in my relationships. And again when I reaped it I probably did not remember that I sowed this same problem. The challenge for us in our “modern” society is that we don’t often see the direct correlation between what we sowed and what we are reaping. Unfortunately, there is not an often neat timeline of 50 days to see our harvest. Some harvests take 90 days, 9 months, or 9 years but they will come.

One of the purposes of the Biblical Feasts in Leviticus 23 are to demonstrate Yahweh’s intentionality towards His people. He starts the annual cycle/calendar with a Festival that celebrates the freedom from bondage (Passover) and ends the cycle of Spring Feasts with Shavuot which celebrates the harvest. The Fall Feasts follow the same pattern. You are always being guided to opportunities to worship the creator, conduct introspection on where you are, and celebrate all that He has given. This pattern is an example of things we should be doing on a daily, weekly, monthly basis in our own lives. We should be intentional about the cycles we are in. What are you reaping right now and when was it sown? Were you intentional or not? For example, back to money, if you are reaping a certain economic situation what could you have done differently? Ok, and what can you do now? Can you go back to school? Can you add a certification? Can you change jobs? You have more options for change than you might think. Ok, how about what you are reaping in your relationships? Were you intentional in what you sowed? Did you seek friendships based upon the right values? If not how can you change them? The Biblical cycles require intentionality and patience and our current life’s cycles require the same. Sowing and reaping are real principles and must be acknowledged, understood, and applied. Don’t just let whatever grow in your fields nor in your life!

"Social Distance" from things or people that no longer serve you...

I’m writing this the week before Memorial Day weekend while witnessing several states (in the US) and several countries easing their Coronavirus lockdown procedures. Some people are more than ready to get back out and get back to their lives, while for others there is no going back and due to their personal experiences with Coronavirus, they do not want to rush. Unfortunately, there is no happy medium and with no vaccination in sight, we have to balance all of the issues that we are facing. The intention of the lockdown was to ease the pressure on hospitals and provide widespread access to testing. We also gave the general public the opportunity to prepare for life in a Coronavirus world by practicing different preventative measures (social distancing, wearing masks, etc.) and increased hygiene policies (wash your hands!). However, the average American does not have adequate savings nor access to emergency funds so being out of work is leading to the possibility of poverty, starvation, and homelessness. With a lack of effective and prepared social safety nets, the unemployment system, the healthcare system, and charitable organizations are just overrun and understaffed to deal with the growing needs of millions of unemployed and sick people. So for many in leadership, the only solution is to “go back to normal,” but there is no normal to go back to. After three months of stay at home orders, work from home, and learn from home adjustments we are not going back, we only can go forward, and that’s ok, for some it’s actually great!

For many of us, we realized our previous lives were wholly unsustainable and unhealthy. We were not spending enough time working on personal purposes or focusing on our health. We were also neglecting our family and communities. We never talked to our friends or neighbors, always chasing the “I’m busy” rabbit. I want to propose that instead of “going back” we instead take a moment to examine. Let’s review the habits, routines, mindsets, relationships that we had, and what exactly we should pick back up. For example, many of us have been cut off from the go, go, go mindset that was driving us to an early grave. With the entire world being at a standstill we realized much of that drive was based upon incorrect mindsets and mostly fear. Trying to chase money, fame, and acceptance will only leave you exhausted because the bar is always moving, and reaching those targets is unsustainable. Give yourself permission to take this international disruption as an opportunity to change, because change is good! We need it. The seasons change, our bodies change, why not our mindsets, habits, etc?

One reason we resist change is not having a growth mindset. When you have a fixed mindset you resist change and you fear anything new. You want things to stay the way they were so you can deal with them. You feel empowered in the past and unable or ill-equipped to deal with the future. This is not how you were created to live and this is not going to help you live in a Coronavirus/2020 world. Instead, build up the physical and mental endurance to handle change. Realize while many external things are changing the things that really matter are grounded. Why you were created and your value should never change. You matter as a person whether you have money or not. Whether you have a job or not. Whether you still have the same relationships or connections or not. Learn how to build resilience to challenges and how to overcome them no matter how difficult. Build up a team of supporters around you that will encourage you and assist you no matter what. Above all be clear that change will come, and it should come, and most times its better for you especially if you initiate it. Initiate the changes needed for this post Coronavirus world and beyond this moment.

Enjoying the process and not just the end result...

I’m part of the Marcelia Anderson Ministries Mentorship Network and as part of this cycle’s classes we focused on our careers and businesses. We had several classes throughout the cycle each with homework and thought-provoking assignments. One of our last class assignments was to create a 90-day goal that we would diligently follow up on and take consistent action towards. Well as an entrepreneur, this is a concept I am very familiar with, however, due to where I am in my business journey executing a 90-day goal was very challenging. See in April, I celebrated 9 years as a business owner and the journey from year 8 to 9 was very distressing. So setting a 90-day goal that would really stretch me was kinda scary. I was bearly re-building my business confidence and gaining momentum and I didn’t want to take a self-inflicted, unnecessary, setback. Throughout my years as an entrepreneur, I’ve set goals and have felt absolutely crushed when I didn’t meet them. I even changed how I set my goals, but I still went through the cycle of disappointment when they weren’t met. So this go around I decided to take a big leap of faith and make a big goal and try again. I followed the instructions of our guest lecturer and was very intentional.

Well, we set our goals on February 10, 2020, a month before the country started to take the Coronavirus seriously enough to institute state lockdowns… Part of my steps to achieve my goal included going to a testing facility to gain an additional certification, so having all businesses around the world closed, there was nothing I could do. Thankfully I kept going and worked on what I actually could control but in the middle of a global pandemic grace is necessary. In actuality, all of our goals were unexpectedly impacted and delayed due to the global pandemic and the external restrictions that it imposed. But instead of the cycle of disappointment, I was actually fine. Instead of beating myself up, I was very proud of myself for all the actions and steps that I took towards the goal and the momentum I gained from the intentional focus on my business. I finally learned to appreciate the journey whether or not I reached the end goal.

Here’s what I learned about enjoying the process:

• The process is where you learn the lessons to even reach the end goal so don’t disregard the little nuggets because they are what assemble the whole loaf.

• Going through a process helps you build momentum, endurance, and strength for the long-term journey versus what a quick win deprives you of.

• On the journey, you learn and discover things that you didn’t see at the beginning and can use moving forward.

• The process is where you learn life-lessons that give you the wisdom to make better decisions. Don’t be ashamed to learn what you didn’t know.

• There will be unexpected external challenges and constraints. That’s life and learning how to navigate and overcome is the definition of resiliency and resiliency is essential for success.

• The end is a culmination of all that you learned not a validation of what you’ve been through.

Giving honor where honor is due...

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice; But when a wrong one rules, the people sigh.

Proverbs 29:2 , The Scriptures 2009

How do you show gratitude? Do the people who have positively impacted your life know how you feel? Living in our COVID-19 world makes you really appreciate good leadership. The right or wrong decisions in this time are literally life or death…

Times of crisis force you to rely on community. Everything macro becomes very micro. You no longer care about what’s happening abroad as much as your local neighborhood. You rely on family and friends to make it through. Or you start to realize the limitations of your current communities. Thankfully I had been very diligent about editing my circle of friends, mentors, etc. for the past couple of years so when the pandemic came I knew I was connected to the right people who could give me support and good advice. Two of the people in my community that I looked up to the most during the crisis were my pastors. I attend Breath of Life International Ministries in Deer Park, Texas, and watching a global pandemic sweep across the world that inflicts so much panic, pain, and fear makes me turn even more to my faith in Yahweh. I know that God has a plan for His people no matter what is going on. Trusting in His word and instructions and giving guidance about His word and instructions is what good Pastors do. But my pastors are more than just good, they are exceptional! Because one of the reasons I attend this ministry is the practical application of the Word of Yahweh in our challenging times, just like a global pandemic. However, another reason I attend is that both of my pastors have higher education degrees and are business professionals so they are not so spiritual that they do not take into account that we live in a modern world. However, they are not so worldly, that they do not lead lives that are true examples of Yeshua in the Earth. Nevertheless, they have lead us beautifully through this crisis. They closed the ministry building to execute caution. But they never missed a beat with providing access to sound teaching and encouragement. To make it plain they did not put us in harm’s way just because they wanted to be defiant of the ‘government.” In fact they teach discipleship and following local government recommendations and laws are the epitome of being a disciple of Yeshua. Further, because of their vision, the Ministry already had a Media Team, equipment, and online platforms for broadcasting and sharing our messages. In other words, the building closed but all that was needed to reach the word was to log on to the device of your choosing. They’re consistent and steady leadership was a breath of fresh air in this crisis. Knowing that someone had a plan and actually wanted to make sure you were safe and supplied spiritually (and naturally - we have resources available) helped provide balance in this hot mess.

I could go on and on about how the Ministry has created an even stronger community in a socially distant time but I think you get the point, they are great leaders! And the reason I want to highlight that is as a nation we are suffering from another illness besides COVID-19, poor leadership. In our hyper-partisan, petty, offensive, ugly, shameful, and divisive political environment it is extremely difficult to trust what you hear, see, or read from all levels of government. This is a mess and NOT what you want in times of crisis. I can only hope that we as a nation learn from our mistakes and make it through this tough time. But if you have people (physically or virtually) in your life who have made it a little easier say thank you!

Stay focused my friends...

Whew! We are officially in May and Day 43 of the crisis…

• 30+ millions of Americans have filed for unemployment

• There are 1,091,038 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States with 64,203 deaths

• The state of Texas has opened back up…

This week has been fine for me, but for my clients, networks, and community I noticed a trend of distraction that was increasing as each day continued. Now let me be clear, I’m not above distraction I’m just disciplined to it. I learned that distractions will come and I created safety measures to balance the inevitable. If I have to give some nos, I’m going to dish them out. If I have to stay up late let’s get some snacks! I’m determined to get to my goals. I refuse to lose any time not pursuing what is important. However, I’m also not a robot, so every once in a while I do get off track, just like the next person, and especially in a global pandemic, downtime is very necessary. Nevertheless, I believe there is opportunity in crisis and beyond the economic ones, there are also personal opportunities. For example, during this crisis one could:

• get some well-needed rest

• learn how to cook

• cook more and eat healthier

• learn how to bake

• bake more and enjoy

• connect or re-connect with loved ones

• spend time with children

• spend time with your significant other

• clean and re-organize your house

• play games and take much-needed downtime

• write or start (or re-start 😅) a blog

• write a book

• start a podcast

• start a business

• go exercising or start exercising

• learn a language

• on, on, and on

The list can go on and on. However, you will not be able to do any of the above unless you take stock of the situation in front of you, take a moment to digest it, and determine your response. In a global pandemic, priorities should get really clear. What used to matter fades away in the light of our frailties. Your health, your loved ones, work that is fulfilling, and community that is supportive start to come into focus. Normal day-to-day responsibilities and routines become examined with a fine-tooth comb. Yeah, you used to talk to that person but would they a good person to talk to in a pandemic? Yeah, you used to visit that place but is it worth visiting during a pandemic? On and on… In light of a pandemic, you should examine what really matters. Yes, I understand that using the term pandemic is extreme, but sometimes we need a wake-up call and this is a global wake up call. I examined my current obligations and re-ordered my priorities:

• I started exercising because this disease took out people who had underlying health conditions and “thickness” does not help your heart!

• I gave my written resignation from one of the boards I served on because the direction of leadership did not align with how I wanted to use my time in the service of others.

• I took stock of my personal relationships and decided to forgive without an apology and love without limitations.

• I examined my spiritual growth and gave thanks for having great spiritual leaders and even surviving such a scary moment in history.

• I have cooked more than I have in years and am enjoying it and what comes in the quiet time of reflection with a good meal.

• I watched great movies and shows and renewed my love for certain topics.

• I had dance parties and listening parties.

• I took courses and listened to trainings.

• I’ve talked to family members that I have not talked to in years.

• I paid off debt and re-organized my financial files.

• I renewed my plan for financial freedom and galvanized my resolve.

• I re-started two blogs and a Coronovirus journal! (overachiever!)

• I re-engaged my business audience and am more creative than ever.

• I’m researching several new business opportunities that I never thought to pursue before I had more time to think.

• I even busted out cards and played solitaire. I cannot tell you the last time I played a game of cards.

• And there’s more to come!

I took this time and examined where I was and where I wanted to be and took some action to get there. Life is short. And we are being constantly reminded of that on a daily basis, with the daily death tolls being reported. However temporary, life is still precious and I want to spend my time doing what matters. Impacting people. Leaving a legacy. And having some fun!

There is a Scripture that states, “Resist the devil and he shall flee from you. (TS2009-James 4:7)” I believe the devil comes in the form of distractions. Should you help someone who really doesn’t want to change but keeps blowing up your phone to talk? Should you help a family member do something they can do on their own instead of finishing that email? Should you attend another zoom meeting/training/conference/listening party/whatever, instead of taking that walk with your spouse? These may be small but it’s the small decisions that add up throughout the day, week, and month and land us short of our goals and often short of happiness.

We all have been given a great gift of uninterrupted time to examine ourselves, our lives, and our connections. Are you where you want to be? Do you feel that you are fulfilling your purpose? Are you happy? Do you enjoy what you do and whom you do it with? Are you healthy? Is your family ok? Are you showing up in your family? Are you showing up in your community? Are you showing up as yourself? These are some of life’s big questions that can easily be answered right now because you have nowhere to go and less to do. Once answered, be sure to align your actions to your desires. Anything that does not line up, resist. Put up your boundaries and put yourself first. Nothing will change until you change.

Making your own recession plan...

I’ve always been fascinated by the rich and wealthy. Our society worships them. Early into my entrepreneurial journey, I made an intentional effort to learn more about money since it was integral to my definition of a successful business. And what I learned was that your money mindset was the most important thing to master. Your mindset includes how you feel: about money, about making money, about spending money, about having money, and about losing money. Each facet of your relationship with money must be examined and adjusted or in times of pressure, you will fall back to an internal dialogue that might not align with your desires. After mindset, you need good habits. And of course, as a project manager, I believe habits are best mastered in a system. The right system will create an atmosphere for you to consistently execute the right habits. For example, if you want to exercise more you have to create a system that will encourage more of the habits you want (like placing workout clothes on the bed the night before) and discourage the habits you do not want (like buying fewer unhealthy snacks). Wherever you are in your money journey, you should create a system of habits that will help you eradicate debt (good, bad, or otherwise), pay current expenses, and save for future expenses. So for the past seven years, creating a successful money system has been my focus.

Now, learning how to build a successful money system or wealth system has not been easy. I had to learn how each piece would work individually and how to put them all together. I read books, attended classes, purchased courses, sought mentors, and made a ton of mistakes! However, one of the most impactful aspects of any system is the environment that it will operate in. Our money/wealth systems operate within the economy of the United States. For example, say my wealth system included going to college, graduating, and getting a good job. Well in 2008 when I graduated from undergrad the environment/economy in which my system existed greatly impacted my system’s success. In 2008, America (and the rest of the world) experienced “The Great Recession.” Although I had a great system (school, degree, job), the environment/economy placed limitations on how well my system could operate (lack of jobs). Thankfully I had always planned to pursue a law degree, but even then, the environmental limitations made that decision even more challenging. The financial crisis made law admissions even more competitive (because now seemingly everyone was going back to school) and finding intern or clerk opportunities more challenging as well (because now everyone is in school). Then upon graduation, the job crisis was still evident because senior-level executives did not want to retire so that stifled mid-level employees from moving up which impacted entry-level employees from moving up which limited the availability of entry-level positions for recent graduates. So now the system I adopted was completely broken. The school + degree + advanced degree = success formula was inaccurate and I had to find a new formula and upgrade my system. However, again I was blessed with another pivot, which was starting a business while in law school. Although at the time I didn’t plan each pivot (undergrad to law school and career to entrepreneurship) because I had such an understanding about what was happening in the economy and was being strategic, I thankful I was just obedient to the path in front of me.

So what does this have to do with you? I’ll explain. If you are a good little American citizen you might have also copied the above-mentioned formula for success as your money/wealth system and pressed play. Then when the tape got jammed (2008) you took it out blew on it and put it back in. Then when the screen when black (anytime after 2008 including right now) you realized the tape is just not working… The formula and system are not working. We cannot just go to school, get a degree (debt), get another degree (more debt), and then get a job and land in wealth. As of this writing, 26+ million Americans are unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we are just getting started… The only way out is to scratch the plan and start all over! Here’s how:

1. Get some knowledge under your belt - Once I graduated from law school and saw so many of my peers struggling to find jobs I began to study more of exactly what happened in the 2008 financial crisis and what are the lessons to be learned. One of my favorite resources on the topic is the movie, The Big Short (no I haven’t read the book yet!), but that’s not the only resource on the topic it’s just a very entertaining one. In 2019, there were already alerts of a global slowdown and the COVID-19 pandemic will not help that impending recession. Knowing how some do well in tough economic times helps to draft a new blueprint for our current economic crisis and the ones that will come. This blueprint is essential to creating the safeguards of your money/wealth system. Yes, there are a million ways to make money but which ways work in times of crisis. Any project manager will tell you that preparation for when the plan does not go perfectly is almost more important than making the perfect plan. Beyond financial crisis knowledge, you still need to understand the fundamentals about money, how it moves, and how to maximize how much you can earn. Three of my favorite resources on this are (for a list of some others visit here):

   1. Financial Peace University - This is literally an entire system of debt eradication and financial disciple based upon biblical principle however, it doesn’t teach how to make money. Nevertheless, to get to the right step of making and keeping more you have to get out of any erroneous teachings and bad situations.

   2. Rich Dad Poor Dad, & Cashflow Quadrant - These books together will help you re-evaluate your money generation systems and encourage you to explore how you want to make money and keep your money.

   3. I Will Teach You To Be Rich - This is a fun review of tested money systems but for the modern age (ie for our debit card/credit card society).

2. Make a plan to not only survive but thrive - Sometimes when you make money mistakes or learn that you grew up with limitations on your money mindset the first reaction is to just get out of where you are and get back to safe harbor. That is correct but not complete. Yes if you are in debt you need to create a plan to eradicate your debt. But do not let fear limit the plan to just debt eradication. Include in your plan ways to generate more money then you need and eventually how to create enough money for future generations. Here are some components of a well thought out plan:

   1. Debt eradication - Even if you currently have debt any good plan will address future debt eradication as well. Debt is not the enemy. Debt without a plan is.

   2. Covering current expenses - Are you making enough to cover your current expenses? Are you making enough to cover your ideal situation (housing, car, travel, etc.)? A good plan will be able to cover where you are and take you to your ideal place.

   3. Covering for emergencies - The best plans help you cover the inevitable unplanned moments of life, like medical emergencies, car trouble, insurance issues, childcare issues, tech upgrades, etc. You should have a way to cover emergencies without going into debt.

   4. Planning for the future - Whether or not you receive retirement from your job your retirement is your responsibility. Your plan needs to address when you no longer want to work not just when you no longer can work.

   5. Planning for future generations - Can you create a blueprint that will provide a strong financial foundation for future generations? Can they get not only an inheritance but a system for sustainability? What would their life look like if they started off with a house, car, etc. paid for and they worked not only to pay bills but to have a lifestyle that they choose?

3. Work the plan - There’s no easy way to say it but you have to work the plan. It might take months or years but working your wealth plan will be well worth it!

Recessions come and go but the knowledge you have and a good system will help you.

In times like these I'm choosing pen to paper...

Today is April 17, 2020, we are a month + into the Houston - Texas - United States - Global Pandemic Lockdown, and as a writer and historian I felt led to pull pen to paper and document my experiences and thoughts. I have always loved history and learned the power of history is in the holder of the pen. So I’m sharing some of my first-hand account of one of the most impactful times that one can ever live.

Background

I’ve been writing since I was a child. I currently keep several journals. Two for my business, one for my personal life, one for my notes from church, one from my mentorship program, and sometimes for special situations (like a global pandemic). I graduated as a History Education Major from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) in 2008. While at FAMU I honed my writing skills and became a published author with my first work, “A Road Runs Through: The Effects of Interstate 95 and Urban Redevelopment on Overtown, Miami,” which documented the demise of the all-black town of Overtown, Miami. This work won 2nd Place in the 2007 Banks-Pierro-Rutland-Bellamy Social Science Colloquium and was published in the Fall 2007 “Sunrise” Newsletter of the Virginia Beach Park Trust and the 2007 Florida A&M University Honor’s Journal. Then while in law school I became a published author in the book collaborative about the history of Texas Southern University entitled, “Our Story Presidents’ Edition: TSU Legends & Leaders.” So history and writing are my thing! When I started my business, I started a blog that I let die off as my voice and perspective changed and I no longer felt led to public expression. But now is the time to share.

In the face of such a critical time, I feel compelled to speak up and share my story, my view, and my wisdom. So today I want to share that you too must stand up and use this moment in history. No, you may not need to put pen to paper but maybe you have stories to share with loved ones. Maybe its time to hold leadership accountable. Maybe you can render care and compassion. Maybe you can offer creative solutions to pressing problems. Whatever you feel led to do please do.

We often romanticize what we would do if we lived through times of great challenges like previous generations. Whether during the pre-Civil War era, women’s suffrage, the Cold War, or Vietnam, taking a stance counts. But here is your moment. Here is your opportunity. Here is your time.

I’m going to raise my voice by raising my pen. What will you do?