'Sunday Best' Winner Amber Bullock on Accepting Your New Beginnings

Hi, I’m Amber Bullock, winner of season four of BET’s “Sunday Best,” and this is my first blog on ESSENCE.com.

The first thing that I want to talk about is new beginnings. It seems to be a good topic because I’m beginning a new journey with you all!

Doing something new is not the easiest thing to do — especially when you are comfortable with the old. I tell you, this new experience of being “famous” is something new for me, and it definitely has not been easy accepting it. You would think that a person would love being recognized everywhere she goes. Not me! Sometimes I do wish I was just regular Amber again. But would I throw it all away just to have my privacy back? HEAVENS NO! Along with new beginnings comes sacrifice. I’ve had to sacrifice my privacy so that my message could be heard by everybody.

Your new beginning may cause you to have to sacrifice some old habits or maybe even some old friends, but that’s the thing about NEW beginnings — OLD stuff doesn’t always fit. Whatever the sacrifice is, embrace it. Now, I know you are thinking, “That’s easier said than done, Amber!” Trust me, I know — but this is where your faith comes in.

Let’s get something straight: I am the furthest thing from what some might call “deep,” but I am a woman of faith who believes in God and all that he has done and what he can do. So when my new beginning came, I had to realize that the only way that it would be successful was if I fully trusted God.  Because of my faith and trust in God, the sacrifices that I had to make came a little easier. Being recognized almost everywhere I go is no longer a nuisance, because now I know that it’s a sacrifice that had to be made so the bigger picture could be seen.

So, when your new beginning comes, whatever it is, look at the bigger picture. See the things that are in your old picture for what they are – old – and embrace the sacrifices that come with making your new picture the best one it can be.

Well. That’s my two cents, folks. I would love to hear what you thought about this!

Love,

Amber