The Academic Journey of Dr. Joy Seymour

                                                    Photo Credit: Grad Images

I am very thankful to God and my support team that I have earned my EdD in Educational Leadership. My educational journey started many years ago in St Mary, Jamaica. My favorite courses were Language Arts, Mathematics, Health Science, History, and Religious Education. I loved all those subjects; however, my top two courses were Language Arts and Health Science. My love for reading books was significant in my life. Growing up in St Mary, I read hundreds of books as a child and teenager. During the nights, I completed my homework using kerosene oil lamps because we had no electricity in the house as a child. I grew up without indoor plumbing. We had an outhouse (latrine) and a detached kitchen. My home had running water when I was about 12 or 13. Despite what seems like an inconvenience now, I was happy living with my family, and I worked hard as part of the family and studied my schoolwork to be successful in passing the examinations that would qualify me to attend the Mico College University, where I studied Primary Education (Elementary Education). In Jamaica, I taught students in early childhood and primary education institutions.

After migrating to the United States (US), I literally restarted my educational journey. In the US, I completed the following academic programs: CNA: Certificate, Liberal Arts: AA, Practical Nursing: AAS, Registered Nurse: BSN, Nursing Education: MSN, and Educational Leadership: EdD. My academic journey was challenging; however, it was worth it. I am successful by the grace of God and lots of support from my family, relatives, friends, coworkers, church members, and professors. 

I am very grateful for the many opportunities I received in the US. I took each opportunity seriously and worked to the best of my abilities. There were times when I felt I would not be able to complete my degrees; however, I kept working to the best of my abilities at every task. During my academic journey, I experienced personal illnesses and had to help care for sick family members. I experienced the bereavement of seven relatives in 2021, and between 2021 and 2022, I lost three of my friends: One of my friends was like a sister to me. We grew up in the same district and lived near each other. Although I experienced grief, pain, and other stressors due to tiredness, illnesses, and sleeplessness, with the help of God and my support teams, I can say that I am an overcomer. Therefore, I give God all the glory and praise for what He has done for me. 

Lest I Forget: My 9/11 Reflection By: Joy Seymour, MSN, RN, PHN

Although 20 years has past, the reality of that fateful day, September 11, 2001, will be forever etched in my memory. My day started out like any other day with an early rising at about 5:00 AM. I said goodbye to my husband as he left for work, welcomed the children into my daycare, and waved goodbye to my daughter as she boarded the school bus for her almost hour-long ride to school. 

 At about 9:00 AM CST, I took the daycare children outside to play in the backyard, and as usual I took my first aid kit and my cordless phone, that was connected to my landline. The children were having a great time sliding on the slide that was attached to the activity gym and riding bikes on the driveway in the fenced backyard. 

 At about 9:15 AM the phone rang, and my husband was on the other side of the line. He sounded frantic and my heart started to beat fast, and I had to silently talked myself into calming down, so that I could find out the reason for the call. 

 I asked, "Are you okay?" 

 He replied, "Have you seen the news recently?" 

 "No, I have not seen the news. 

What happened?" 

 "An airplane crashed into one of the twin towers in New York." 

 "Oh my gosh, I cannot believe what you are saying, and I won't be able to watch the news until this evening." 

 "Okay, I just called to tell you this and I must go back to work now."

 "Thank you for calling me, see you later." 

 The news was shocking, and I could not believe that the news would be more devastating. As the children were being picked up by their parents, I got bits and pieces of that horrendous day. When I was able to sit down and watch the evening news, I could not believe that not only one airplane but two airplanes had crashed into the twin towers: One airplane into each tower. I saw desperate people jumped out of windows from the high-rise towers to their deaths, I saw thick cloud of black smoke and dust and firefighters running into a falling tower, and then I saw mangled steels among the mountain of concrete and other debris in the places were the majestic twin towers stood. 

 We loss some of the best citizens and residents of the United States on that fateful day. However, despite the trauma of that day, Americans were united in helping those who were impacted by that horrendous act. In the days and months after that vicious attack, we witnessed the best of humanity in this country. 

 The vicious attack did not only change the landscape of New York City, but changed the lives of all Americans, especially those who were directly impacted by that cruel act. 

 Today, as I reflect on that horrendous day, I salute the many heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice of dying while trying to save others and others who lost their lives in the twin towers, on United Flight 93, and at the Pentagon. I also salute the rescuers and others who served humanity with acts of kindness during that period. 

 May we never forget the people who lost their lives that day and and the families that they left behind. May we never witness this type of horrendous act on American soil again or anywhere in the world. May God bless this great country, the USA.

Moving Toward Healing from Decades of Systemic Racism

The untimely murder of Mr. George Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hand of four Police officers, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have sparked protests and has reopened many old wounds that were caused by racial oppression. However, out of this bad situation, I can see the efforts of people trying to work together to have a better future for all people.

I have seen people from every race that is represented in Minnesota going out to protest against the killing of Mr. Floyd and the systemic racism that has negatively impacted people of color, especially Blacks.

Some of the unfair practices due to systemic racism include:

1. Noninclusive curricula in the school system which contribute to the gap in achievement for children of color
2. Underemployment of people of color
3. Overworking people of color more than other race of people who have similar jobs
4. Underpaying people of color
5. Incarcerating people of color at an higher rate and giving them stiffer sentencing when compared to the dominant group
6. The killing of unarmed black men 
7. Incarceration of children of color for misbehaving at school

The massive turnout of people that are protesting the senseless killing Of Mr. Floyd and the murder of other people of color is a move in the right direction. The unity of the people for justice for all is commendable. 

I have witnessed acts of kindness during this period of racial unrest. I have seen White people and Black people working together more than before. I have seen White people cooking and serving food during protesting. I have seen the coming together of many races working together for a better tomorrow.

Changes in policies in Minnesota include banning the use of chokeholds and require police officers to intervene against the use of unauthorized use of force and to report the officers who use unnecessary restraints. The University of Minnesota and the public school system have severed many decades of relationship with the police department. 

With all the recent changes we appear to be heading in the right direction with the hope of achieving  justice for all. I acknowledge that this is just the beginning of change and we have a very long way to go; however, I believe that the evidences of change that we have now indicate that working together can result in positive change. 

The Impact of Racism from an Immigrant Prospective

                                                                 

While growing up in Jamaica, I never heard anything negative about the United States (US).  All the stories that I heard about the US were positive ones. All the people I knew who came to this country to live would come back and tell us stories about their good life. They placed this country on a pedestal. I heard about the well-paved roads, the subway, the skyscrapers, the availability of jobs, affordable food and clothes, and the opportunity to attend college if you choose to attend one.

We could see the economic changes in the people who came to live in the US. People who could not afford to build a house and own a car could now have those necessities that were far-fetched before they came here. Not one time did I hear about racism in this country from the people who would come back to visit Jamaica. Based on what we were told about the US, many of us wanted the opportunity to come here.

Finally, my family and I had the opportunity to come to the US. My expectations were high coming here. I had a love for this country and the people long before I came here. My love for this country started from the positive stories that I heard about this great country. Therefore, can you imagine how devastated I was when my family and I experienced many actions of racism due to systemic racism in this country?

My family and I were racially profiled many times. I feared for my husband's life when police officers drew guns on him one night as he exited his car after reaching home from a 3-11 shift from his second job. I have been called the N-word in my own home by a white woman who claimed that she was seeking daycare for her child who called people this word. I have heard a teacher say that she could say that word in her class because of the course she teaches. I have been disrespected at work by patients and their families solely because of my skin color. I have been underpaid and overworked, although I was qualified for my job.

Over the years, I have bottled up all the feelings from living in a society that treats me and other people of color less than how they, the dominant group, treat themselves. In recent days of racial unrest, all the pent-up feelings came flooding to the surface. I feel traumatized by the systemic racism and the senseless killing of unarmed black men and women.

Has this country been good to my family and me? Absolutely. My family and I have thrived in this country. We can do things we would not be able to do in Jamaica. I will always love this country and its people; however, it is time for the leaders of this country to create policies that will serve all people. It is full-time to treat everyone with acceptance, compassion, and respect. The education, healthcare, and justice systems should benefit all people fairly. It is time for organizations to employ qualified people of color and pay them fairly. Our leaders must acknowledge that all people are humans and have similar fundamental needs.

I believe in this country and that the deep-rooted pain caused by systemic racism will be acknowledged, and policies will be created and implemented to serve all people. I believe people of color will be accepted and heard just like the dominant group. I think that this great country will do what is suitable for all citizens so that the future of everyone will be brighter and better.

May God bless the United States of America!

Navigating Life During Perilous Time

Life as we know it, just a few months ago, is now a part of the history book. Some simple events that some people took for granted are now coveted events. Previously, people were able to go to the store, the gas station, and the movie theater without thinking about getting sick. People were free to visit families, relatives, and friends at anytime of the day. Going to the lake was an enjoyable pastime for many people. People would packed the beaches without thinking about getting sick or dying.

Since COVID-19 landed on our shores, life is no longer how we knew it. This pestilence has wreaked havoc on humans and the economy. Thousands of precious lives have been loss and thousands more had been sick due to this deadly pestilence.

To protect precious lives, states implemented Stay-at-Home orders to help prevent the spread of the virus. Social distancing was recommended and in some places enforced to help saved lives. Many people were laid off from their jobs, for the preservation of life.

Since the isolation and quarantine periods, some reports have shown spiked in mental health disorders and domestic violence.

Despite the fact that life is not what it was and may never return to what it was, this time can be a time for personal reflection, for setting goals and action plans, and for improving oneself, whether by reading inspirational books, or enrolling in a course. Check the internet for discounted courses that you are interested in pursuing.

To help you get through this time, you may find it rewarding to stay connected with family and friends via social media such as Face-time, Microsoft Team, and Zoom.

Enhancing your spirituality through praying and reading the Word of God can help to build one's faith and courage to face these uncertain days.

During this time, take care of yourself and your family. If you need help, reach out to someone. You do not need to go through this time alone. There are many resources available in each state. A search of the internet can yield information such as the contact information for the suicide hotline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/. Stay safe and be kind to yourself and others.

When COVID-19 Attacks Your Family

The world is suffering from the impact of COVD-19. People are dying, losing their jobs, and getting sick from this dreaded virus. The ramifications of this virus have touched people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic status. The news of the sufferings and sacrifices that people are making have bombarded our living rooms.

Everyday, the news bring to us the positive and more so, the negative news about COVID-19. We see the tears of the many people who are affected by this pandemic disease. We listen to the needs of the healthcare workers and the other essential workers who are selflessly toiling to serve others. We stay in our homes and we empathize and at times cry for and with people who are overwhelmed and devastated by this destructive disease.

Despite the virtual connections that you may feel with the people who are affected by this pandemic, believe  me when  I say that you will feel far more emotions if COVID-19 visits your house and has  affected you or a family member. Emotions may be like a rollercoaster. With highs and lows. Here are some emotions that people may feel: Hope and hopelessness, happiness and sadness, faith and fear, anger, anxiety, guilt, shame, happiness, gratitude, frustration, peace, and loneliness. However, if you place your trust in God hour by hour, minute by minute, and second by second, you can have peace in the midst of COVID-19.

Recently, COVID-19 has affected a very close family member of mine. I must tell you that the news was devastating at first,  and the reason why we have our sanity is because of our faith in God. We prayed and trusted God’s words to carry us through each day, and I am happy to report that my family member is recovering well and is now  free from symptoms.

If you and your family are suffering from this pandemic, I highly recommend that you put your faith in God, follow the directions of your healthcare providers, treat your symptoms, and focus your energy on reading God’s words and other inspirational books.

My prayer for you and your family is that God will protect you and keep you safe during this perilous time. May you be healed if you are sick. May you be comforted if you have loss loved ones, and may you received provision if you are experiencing lack. If you are an essential worker, I pray that you will be protected in your going out, on the job, and in your going in. May the healthcare workers receive all the resources that they need to protect themselves and their patients. May you be abundantly blessed, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Amanda's Story

Amanda was excited to leave her old company to work at the new company that opened in town six months ago. She was excited to start her new position as senior human resource manager. She had worked in human resource for over twenty years before accepting this position. She had gone into the office to ensure that she had all the supplies that she needed to efficiently perform her job.

Amanda woke up at 5:00 AM to get ready for her job that started at 7:00 AM. The ride to work was pleasant. There were only a few vehicles on the road that early in the morning. There were many parking spaces when she reached work because most of the employees start work at 8:00 AM.

At work on the first day, Amanda was trying to locate files of employees to ensure that they were updated and she was unable to locate more than 50 percent of the files. She looked electronically and in file cabinets and was unable to locate the records.

Unfortunately, she was unable to speak to the previous employee, who held the position that she has now, because he left suddenly due to personal reasons. Her excitement for the job was waning by the minute as she found out that there were so many missing documents and unfinished tasks in the office.

Despite the many undone tasks in the office, Amanda set out to try and tackle the humongous tasks. However, after almost two years of trying to tackle the huge job in the office, Amanda was not close to having the needed paperwork completed.

Her job was constantly made more difficult by all the changes in the company and by additional work sent to her by managers from other departments.

Due to the constant stress of her job, she is experiencing stress related illnesses such as headache and insomnia.  Based on her job situation and the impact on her health, Amanda will have to make a decision soon to choose either her health or her job.

Focus on the Important Things

In this world there are many voices and if you are not focus on the things in life that are relevant to you, you may be  easily swayed by the voices around you. People perceive the world differently and some people will even try to force their perceptions of the world on you. People view the world through many lenses and perceptions can be personal and not one size fits all. There are differences in political views, religion, raising a family, what a family should look like, and relationship goals amongst many others.

Despite the many voices that bombard us, we should be focused on what is really important to us. Here are three things that are very important to me: My spirituality, my happiness, and my relationships with family, friends, and others.

My relationship with God, my Creator, is very important to me. As long as I have a personal relationship with my God, I am confident that with Him by my side, I can meet the challenges of this life and overcome them. I need God in my life each day. I know that I cannot walk without Him. Therefore, He is my number one focus.

My happiness is also very vital to me. I have made a decision to remove myself from people and environments that are toxic. I must take care of  my well-being so that I can be of service to others. My happiness is based on my relationship with God, my perception of the world around me, stress management, and loving myself unconditionally. I can only give to others what I already have.

My relationship with my family, friends, and others are equally important to me. Having a positive relationship is healthy. If I can encourage someone to be the best version of his or herself,  I  feel rewarded. 

What are you focusing on?. Please share your areas of focus in the comment section.

Season 1 of Max Compact

The Screening and Panel Discussion of Max Compact was a success. Please continue to show your support for my daughter (writer and director) and the very talented cast of this web series. You can watch Season 1 on YouTube: Max Compact Episodes

Thank you for your support.

Max Compact

                                                          

Max Compact Season 1 Screening will be held in LA on January 28 at 4:00 PM at the Nardist Showroom at Meltdown, LA, California. If you are in the LA area, please attend the screening: You can find more details here:   https://www.facebook.com/events/173974783080405/

You can also view the trailer for Max Compact here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pez1MU247k

Please subscribe to the Max compact channel.

Thanks for your support.

Max Compact

Max Compact is a comedic web series that was written and directed by my very talented daughter, Jo-Dean Roark. Jo-Dean graduated from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. She is the co-writer of Dorm Therapy, writer and director of BSU, Issa Rae Production, and writer at Black and Sexy TV. 

Max Compact is about a YouTube vlogger  make-up artist named Max, played by Guillianna Martinez, who can see the future when she puts on make-up. The cast of this web series includes talented actors, such as Michael Bow. 

The sizzle reel of this web series was published, and based on this sizzle you can see that this web series .promise to deliver a ton of laughter and positive messages, such as accepting  oneself, interwoven in this heroic, funny, and uplifting series.

You can view the sizzle reel here:

 Max Compact

Follow Max Compact on Facebook:

Max Compact

I Hope You are Having a Wonderful Day

 

I am just stopping by to let you know that I will come back to blogging more frequently after this semester. I have a lot on my hands now; however, it will get better soon.

I am leaving these words with you:

It's possible! Challenges are real; however, you can make it with determination: second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, and one day at a time. It is possible! You have in you what it takes to successfully accomplish your goals.


Be blessed!

Happy Mother's Day to my Beautiful Mama

Dearest Mama,

We, your children, would like to publicly thank you for your love and nurture that you bestowed on us. We appreciate and love you from the deepest depths of our hearts. Your sacrificial giving and hard, back-breaking work that you performed to ensure that we had food on our table, clothes on our backs, shoes on our feet, and a roof our heads did not go unnoticed by us. You are the best mother in the universe to us, and because of our Heavenly Father, you, dada, and our support systems we are who we are today. Thank you for the value that you placed on education: Thank you for sending us to school during sunshine and rain. Thank you for being a virtuous woman of God.  Thank you for being a caring and loving mother always. Thank you for always being available when we are happy or sad. Thank you for listening and laughing with us. Thank you for the many advices that you have given us throughout the years. We are truly blessed to call you Mother.

We would like to wish you Happy Mother’s Day! Enjoy your day to the fullest mama!

We love you!

Love always,

Jean, Joy, Nev, Vell, and Tan

One of Life's Proud Moments

My husband and I have been fortunate to experience some proud moments in life with our children. We were proud parents at their births and continue to be proud parents as they go through the life-span. Recently, we were blessed to attend the wedding of our beautiful daughter. It was a wonderful wedding and we enjoyed ourselves. We miss our daughter; however, we have raised her so that she could go out into the world and build her own life.

I was very thankful to witness this milestone in my daughter's life. Over two decades ago I became very sick when she was only two weeks old and I prayed to God to heal my body and give me the opportunity to raise her. With God's help and the help of excellent medical teams I was able to survive and became very strong again. I am extremely grateful that I was able to help raise our daughter.

Today, if you are ill and not able to adequately care for your loved ones, I pray that God will heal your body. God heals in many ways: He may heal you with the help of  a healthcare team or you may receive a miracle. I don't know how He may choose to help you so, seek out all the possible help for your situation.  I wish you well in all that you do!

Lingering Situations

If we were living in the ideal world we would be totally free of unwanted situations in our lives. We may want to think that life would be easier without the daily stress and challenging situations that we have to work through. We would be free from worry and filled with peace, joy, happiness, and contentment. There would be no lingering situations in our lives that we have to deal with.

In this imperfect world many of us are faced with situations that seem to go on and on. Sometimes we are tired of dealing with them; however, despite the hardship we continue to face our situations head-on until we go through them or we find the courage to live with them.

I believe that these lingering situations are in our lives to help us to become our best selves. By ourselves these lingering situations can have a negative effect on us physiologically and psychologically. However, with the help of our Creator and our support system we can receive the strength to fight or go through these lingering situations.

In your lingering situations trust God and stay positive and you will obtain the strength to face your lingering situations. In time, your Creator may choose to terminate the situations or give you the necessary strength to live with them.

My prayer is for you to be given all the tools that you need to help you with your present situations. May you find peace in the midst of your storm.

God's Beautiful Garden

I like all kinds of flowers; however, I especially like roses. I admire looking at the different colors of the roses and I like the aroma of fresh cut roses. While growing up in Jamaica I had my own flower garden and I planted lots of roses among other plants in my garden. I enjoyed tending to my plants and admiring  the results of my hard work.

The different colors of roses remind me of the Creator of the roses and I always think that God loves colors. I believe that the Creator loves colors so much that he made humans with different colors. Therefore, all humans belong to God's beautiful garden and all are precious to Him.

The world is one beautiful garden of people from all races. All people are special and should be treated with respect. Justice and equality belong to all human beings because humans are part of God's beautiful garden.

Closed Doors

Have you ever tried hard to obtain something that you believe is right for you and the doors keep closing in your face? Life has a way of telling us when things are not right for us but as humans we keep trying to open the closed doors. There are times when we push for things and when we receive them we realize that the things that we fought so hard for are not right for us. Now, there are things in life that we are denied and we have to continue to try and try again until we are successful in obtaining them. On the other hand, there are things that are not worth fighting for.

How do we know when to let go and when to continue fighting? I believe we have to pray and ask God to tell us what is right for us. Follow your gut and walk only through doors that are right for you.

I know someone who wanted to open a daycare center in a certain building and was denied rental several times; however, she continued to pursue this building until finally she was rented a space for the daycare center. She set up the daycare and got it licensed. She had open house and no one came. This was the beginning of a nightmare for this person at this building. A series of events happened at this place. In the end this person lost thousands of dollars at this building. If she had stopped pursuing this building after the many denials of her rental applications she would not have lost thousands of dollars.

Let us not fight to open closed doors that we know are not right for us. These doors are often closed for a good reason. We can experience lots of problems if we open closed doors that we have no business walking through. However, if you know the closed doors are right for you then continue to push on them until they open for you.

Thrive to be Your Best Self in the Midst of Negative Events

Life can be beautiful at times and sometimes you may feel like you are on "top of the world." Everything seems to be going right: Your child made straight As in school, your spouse remembered your Birthday and took you on an unforgettable date, and you received the long awaited promotion at work. Everything appears so right and suddenly someone told a bold-faced lie on you. This lie was premeditated and does not have a ring of truth to it. You are hurt. In fact, you are devastated because you cannot imagined why the person would want to hurt you by deliberately making things up about you. The situation even got worse when people who know you and should have confidence in you chose to believe the negative things about you. What do you do when negative things are reported about you and people whom you respect and look up to chose to believe that you could do simple things that a one year old child knows not to do? What do you do when you feel that your intelligence is insulted?

In situations when you are wrongly accused and you feel unappreciated for all the hard work that you have done you need to encourage yourself. Tell yourself that you know that you are a honest person who tries to treat everyone with fairness, respect, dignity, and compassion. Encourage yourself by affirming that you will not let any negative situations stop you from being your best self. Also, be assertive and let others know how you feel by using "I messages." It is hard not to be reactive to these negative events; however, it is much better to be proactive in these circumstances: Continue to be the best you can to yourself and others.

Do not expect everyone to like you because in an imperfect world that is impossible. However; more people will like you that dislike you. It is imperative to be your best self to all people including the ones that dislike you. Try not to react to people's negative remarks and body languages. Act from a place of deep-rooted principle and try to be proactive rather than reactive. I believe in Karma; therefore, send out into the universe all the good you can and goodness will come back to you. Thrive to be your best self.

Congratulations

           Congratulations Jo! So happy that you have reaped the fruits from your hard work!



On May 22, 2013, my daughter graduated from NYU. I am very proud of my daughter and her accomplishments. I wish her all the blessings that God has for her has she starts a new journey in her life. Way to go!

I am very thankful to God for helping her to reach this milestone in her life. The journey was not easy; however, it was worth it. May God continue to direct her path as she travels through life.

Congratulations to everyone who graduated this semester!

The Risks of Dating or Marrying Someone who Appears to have Potential

There are some people in our society today who are encouraging women especially, African American women to marry men who seems to have the potential for success in the hopes that these men will improve themselves academically and financially throughout the years. Educated African American women who are unable to find equally educated men are sometimes given this advice. Some people feel a need to give these women this form of advice because statistic shows that 70% of  Black women in their 20s in this country are single. However, some men may be given this advice too. There are several risk factors associated with this type of advice. While some men or women who seemed to have the potential of success worked hard and become successful in their chosen careers, there are others who have no intention of improving their lives and settled for less than enough.

Risk Factors

• You can only change yourself and trying to instill ambition into someone who does not see a need to improve himself or herself is futile. Marrying such a person can caused financial strain on the family because they cannot pay their portion of the bills.
• If you marry someone who appeared to have potential to improve his or her life and during the marriage that person remains the same month after month and year after year, this pattern can cause lots of stress in the marriage. This situation can be very stressful because you will be faced with the fact that you are married to someone you had no intention of spending the rest of your life with.
• Some of these men or women may lie and make promises that they have no intention of keeping just to stay in the marriage. They may promise their spouse that they would go to school or that they would change jobs; however, none of their promises ever become reality.
• Some of these people who seemed to have potential will be satisfied with working menial jobs for the rest of their lives.
• Others may be happy with not working or doing anything to improve themselves: Life with these people can be very challenging.

How to Prevent Yourself from Marrying the Wrong Person

• Do your research on the person you intend to marry: Talk to family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors.
• Let him or her explain to you his or her life's goals and specific plans on accomplishing those goals.
• Observe carefully: Is he or she really working on his or her life goals.
• Is he or she truthful or do you catch him or her telling lies frequently?
• Does he or she follow through on planned events?
• Is he or she willing to not take failure as an option?
• Is self improvement important to him or her?
• Is he or she committed to accomplish his or her goals?
• Is he or she willing to sacrifce immediate pleasures for future successes?
• Does he or she display good morals?
• Does he or she has a positive mindset?

At the end of the day, it is your life; so, you decide whether or not you want to take the risks of dating or marrying someone who seems to have the potential to be successful. If you choose to do so the least you can do for yourself is to do your homework well on that person. You may find the prevention methods above very useful in helping you choose the right person for you: You should be able to answer "yes" to all the questions if you are using them to help you decide on who is right for you. Wishing you success in finding the right person for you.