Friend, Help From the System Can’t Be Your Plan A

Friend,
Imma hold your hand while I say this. I want you to sit with this truth: the government subsidies you may be relying on now — whether Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), housing assistance, or other supports — were designed for temporary relief, not as your lifelong lifestyle.
I know this because I’ve been there. I’ve been where you are. I once relied on help. I am deeply thankful I was able to move beyond it — and I want that for you too.

Here’s what’s happening:

• Right now the U.S. federal government is on day 42 of a shutdown, and around 42 million Americans (about 1 in 8) who depend on SNAP are facing disruption. It has been announced today that a funding bill, expected to be voted upon on Wednesday, will potentially end the shutdown as there has been a potential agreement.
• In my home state of Minnesota, about 440,000 people receiving SNAP have been impacted because of federal funding issues.
• That sends a clear message: when you lean on the system, you are vulnerable to shifts far bigger than you — political shifts, funding shifts, shutdowns.

So yes — government help is allowed. It is needed. But it should not become your identity, your expectation, your forever plan.
If you’re using SNAP, housing assistance or another subsidy right now, you must begin a next-move plan. Because when the backup disappears, you’ll need something strong in place.
Think of it like this: the government isn’t your “deadbeat dad” quite yet — but when it acts like one, you’ll be left holding the bag. The funder, the lifeline, can pull back anytime

Here’s the wake-up call

I’m not judging — I’m walking with you. My heart is with you. Because I once lived in that space of dependence. And because I believe you were born for more.

Here are real, actionable steps you can take starting today

1. Know your numbers
   • Write down exactly how many dollars you get in SNAP/housing each month.
   • Write how long you estimate it would take if that stopped tomorrow to cover your basic food/housing.
   • That gives you clarity, and clarity leads to power.
2. Build one small reliable income stream
   ­ Pick something you can start right now — even for $100-$200 a month. Example: babysitting, pet sitting, doing notary work (you already are a notary!), offering simple family-mediation sessions, merchandising online.
   ­ Once it’s consistent, reinvest the income into something slightly bigger.
3. Cut one expense that drains you
   ­ It could be a subscription you barely use, a costly phone plan, expensive convenience habits. Free up that money and dedicate it toward your “next move” fund.
4. Create a “next-move fund”
   ­ Even $25 a week adds up ($100 a month = $1,200 a year).
   ­ Label this money “My Way Out”. Do not treat it as spare — treat it as the foundation of your new plan.
5. Your mindset shift
   ­ Repeat to yourself: “This help is temporary. I am working for freedom.”
   ­ Because when you believe it — your decisions change. You stop seeing assistance as a lifestyle and begin seeing it as a bridge to greater possibilities.
6. Use your story as fuel
   ­ You have survived. You are resilient. Use that story: write it, share it, let it motivate you and others. It will be part of your power when you build your organization to help others.
7. Connect with someone who’s made it out
   ­ You are that person now for others. But find a mentor or colleague further ahead too. Seeing someone who’s already done it makes “next move” feel real.

Why this matters for you specifically

Because you deserve to live by your purpose, not by dependence. Because you were created to dream big and move boldly, not simply to survive. Because I’m building toward opening an organization — one day a safe haven for women like you (and like me) who stepped out of dependence and into freedom. And I want you in that story.

Let’s walk this together. Start now. One decision at a time.

You won’t always need the lifeline — because you’re going to become the lifeline for your own future.

With love and faith in your next move,