Tabitha Brown dreamed about working in the entertainment industry—acting, delighting audiences, spreading joy and delight.
But after becoming a mom, she pushed her dreams aside and figured, “It’s too late for that.”
One day, she pulled up to a drive-through window. The cashier exclaimed, “Hey! I know you! You’re that lady from TV!”
Tabitha shook her head. “Nope.” Clearly, he’d gotten her confused with someone else.
He winked as if saying, “Ah, I get it. You’re being modest and demure.”
“Come on, it’s you,” he insisted, “From the children’s television show. My kids love you!”
Tabitha was baffled. She didn't host a TV show. She had a job that she didn't particularly enjoy, but it paid the bills. Though she was proud to provide for her family, she had given up on having a career in a creative field.
Tabitha
reiterated, "Sorry, I'm not the person you think I am, but have a nice day," and drove away.
Something about this strange encounter stuck with her. She kept thinking about the cashier's exuberant greeting: "I know you!"
In the years that followed, Tabitha took a chance and applied for a job co-hosting a late-night show in Greensboro, North
Carolina—and got it. She began posting hilarious videos online and built a following. She moved to Los Angeles. She signed with a talent agency. One step led to another.
Today, she’s the host of the Emmy and NAACP Image Award-winning children’s show Tab Time, which teaches preschoolers how to be confident and kind.
I heard Tabitha tell this story at a conference called ROI hosted by my friend and colleague Rachel Rodgers.
Tabitha concluded her story with these words:
“Sometimes, they see you before you see you.”
A mentor, friend, or complete stranger may see something in you that you don’t yet recognize yourself.
When this person speaks up, it’s a wink from the Universe. An arrow pointing towards a future that is bigger than your mind can currently comprehend.
Watch for the wink.
