We’re starting 2024 the right way! We’ve selected some of the best words of wisdom from a few of our past featured women from the 2023 Woman Wednesdays. Happy New Year, everyone! Let’s do our best to make it the best year yet!
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Mary from the Philippines says, “Your story can be your most powerful tool. Everyone has their own fight, whether chronic diseases or not, personal or not personal, all of us have our own fight. If I have a chance to help you, that would be to teach you how to win your fight and turn it into a breakthrough. I have won five times against cancer, and I know cancer can start the fight again, but definitely, I’m the one who’s gonna end the fight.”
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Shivaun from Jamaica says, “Something valuable that I hold close to my heart is to walk in your own purpose and focus on your journey because God’s timing for everyone is different. Also, learn to celebrate the small wins and enjoy the journey to the next goal.”
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Shellece from Utah, United States, says, “When my babies were born, I stayed home with them and we had to live extremely frugally because we were living on less than $20,000 a year and my husband was still in school. As a matter of fact, I thought we were rich when my husband got a raise to $20,000 a year. I worked my tail end off doing meal planning, budgeting, sewing clothes for my girls, and taking the best pictures I could of my babies. I learned how to make bread to save money. We basically lived off of homemade bread, egg burritos, macaroni, and hot dogs for about four years. I felt like I was drowning and I was scrambling trying to think of ways to make some money on the side. I remember one week we had $16 for groceries. I had some food storage, so we made it work. I spent occasional weeknights drawing and painting when my girls were in bed and I had friends and family who paid me to paint custom portraits of their loved ones and I taught some art lessons. Other good friends paid me to do some photography for them. Those difficult few years were extremely stressful, but I gained some practical skills that I appreciate and use now.”
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Michelle from South Florida, United States, says, “You are enough. The “rules” you were taught are only your rules; no one else is going to follow them, so you might as well throw them right out the window. When I look back, believe me, I have a lot to look back on…I see a young person who was afraid to not follow the rules, this limited me and kept me from exploring all the things I could have. But obviously, my personality and confidence led me to push forward and break the rules. There were a couple of quotes that always rang true, “…leap and the net will appear…feel the fear and do it anyway.” At the time, I didn’t quite understand what they meant, but now I am much better at doing it and asking for forgiveness later. Whatever you think you want to do, do it.”
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Aja from Missouri, United States, says, “Growing up, I was the weirdo. Now, it’s a badge I wear proudly, but when you’re at an age where you’re learning who you are and want to be, not being like “the other kids” isn’t so great. The problem was that I actually really liked myself. [She laughs.] So, I kept on being weird. I never vibed with the ways I was told to live and be in the world. You see, I love change. I used to change everything: my hair, my style, my room, my interests, and my food. And, as an adult, I changed husbands, and my favorite change of all besides my self-concept is changing homes…We’ve been taught that change isn’t okay and if you want to get ahead (especially in business) your business has to look a certain way. I’m here to show MIMs there’s a different way. Our way! Our rules! There’s nothing wrong with us. I’m here to let them know that their perceived flaws are their formula for freedom and fulfillment for going from dream chaser to dream catcher.”
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Jennisha from Suffolk, England, says, “While I enjoyed the playful side of life, education wasn’t a top priority for me during my early years. However, around the age of 14 or 15, I found God. Around the same time, I had an epiphany about the importance of education. This realization sparked a significant shift in my attitude, perspective, and behavior. From that point onward, I committed myself to academic excellence, consistently achieving high grades throughout my educational journey…Despite my initial dislike for school, I am now pleasantly surprised by how much I have grown to love learning. It became evident to me that God and knowledge opened doors to opportunities and personal growth. Eventually, I graduated from university with a degree in marketing, advertising, and public relations. It’s remarkable how my perspective on education evolved, transforming into a genuine passion for acquiring knowledge and expanding my horizons. Reflecting on my early years, I recall a specific interest in decluttering and organization. Even as a child, I found joy in clearing out my nanny’s junk drawer and assisting my aunt in tidying her flat. Little did I know back then that these experiences would shape my journey in helping others with decluttering and organization tasks. These early memories of creating order and finding harmony within spaces laid the foundation for my current passion and expertise in home organization. Childhood interests should not be overlooked, as they can provide a foundation for pursuing meaningful endeavors.”
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Coryn from Tennessee, United States, says, “While it’s important not to be too hard on yourself, it’s equally crucial not to be too easy on yourself either. You have to be your biggest motivator and your toughest critic. Recognize your strengths, but also acknowledge and work on your weaknesses. Embrace your failures and use them as stepping stones to move forward. Pursuing your dreams is not an easy task, but with self-belief, perseverance, and a willingness to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you can achieve great things.”
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Freja from Denmark, says, “I have taken the experience of my mom’s burnout with me and have been very aware of taking care of myself with quality nutrition, walks in nature, meditation, exercise, etc. to make sure that I didn’t hit a wall and fell into burnout. But I have always felt a bit torn because, besides my passion for holistic health, I am also a singer-songwriter and feel like it is my mission to get my music out into the world. So, a couple of years ago, I had been working intensely for two years on my album besides working full-time as a medical doctor, and finally, everything was written, arranged, and recorded, and I released my album. I felt amazing! But after the release concert, I suddenly felt different than I had ever felt before. I felt empty and with no energy whatsoever to do the work to spread the news and get the music out into the world. And it occurred to me that I had completely forgotten to take care of myself while working on my album.”
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Ale from Mexico City, Mexico, says, “Life is not static, and we come to enjoy life. Allow yourself to transform, be authentic, and always do what you love, what is aligned with your core values, and what you feel and what your intuition tells you is your mission in this life. Life is tough, yes, but if there weren’t challenges, life would be so boring. What has brought so much joy in my life is learning to neutralize what has happened to me. See life as a sum of experiences that build you up, and maybe this can be of help to you.”
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Haley from North Carolina, United States, says, “I grew up in various places around the world, in Germany, the U.S., Venezuela, and Brazil. I believe that seeing different cultures made a huge difference in my view of the world, and compassion for different people, and viewpoints. I think that a lot of times, we, as humans, forget that just because something isn’t our view, it doesn’t make it wrong. Diversity of thought is a beautiful thing. There isn’t a single right way that always works. There are many different ways to achieve an answer.”
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