Woman Wednesday: Hillary

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below. 


Q and A with Hillary, Milford, New Jersey

What I want others to learn from my story is to simply never give up! Whatever it is you are doing or trying to achieve in life, just don’t give up. There will always be bad days and even worse days. Learn to accept it, deal with it, and ride that wave with your middle finger in the air! Because at the end of it all, you WILL have your day, your chance to shine, your happiness, your dream life.”

 

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: My main passion is helping people. I am a huge giver, and I always have been. I always put other people before myself. Growing up with the saying “Treat people how you want to be treated,” has always stuck with me. I’ve just learned to put more of an effort into helping people in the hopes of being a happy, successful woman.

As far as personal interests, I am a beach lover! I love the summer and warm weather. I enjoy: vacationing / traveling, being active, being one with nature and everything around me, cooking, baking, being a mom, simply being with my daughter, and teaching my daughter everything she needs to know about life, the world we live in, and raising her to be a strong woman.

My work includes: online marketing, digital marketing, affiliate marketing, and being an entrepreneur.

 

 

Q: How did you find this passion?

A: My childhood, as well as my depression and anxiety, has a lot to do with my passion in wanting to help others. I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety my whole life. I was never really given a hand to hold, shoulder to cry on, or that “good warm hug.” Once I started helping other people, getting the recognition and the feeling of ‘thanks’ just became an addiction. I am currently working on growing and scaling my business in order to achieve a healthy and adventurous future for my family and me. 

 

 

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Q:What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: What I have learned that I would like others to know is to simply change your mindset. If you want something, and you want it bad, tell yourself “I want it, I’m going to get it.” And then do whatever it takes to go and get it, but with a positive mindset. It is easier said than done, but I did it. I’m doing great!

I’ve taken punches and beatings my whole life (physically, emotionally, and verbally). But when I changed my mindset and told myself “I need to start my own business so that I can better my life for my family and for myself,” things than started falling perfectly into place. The mind IS a powerful thing. I recommend others to invest in learning more about it. The mind does control us. If we can learn to control IT, then the waves will always be perfect.

A quote that I live by on a day to day basis: “Be happy with what you have instead of always wanting more.” –Robin Sherrerd, my father

And be patient! Your time will come.

 

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Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: What I want others to learn from my story is to simply never give up! Whatever it is you are doing or trying to achieve in life, just don’t give up. There will always be bad days and even worse days. Learn to accept it, deal with it, and ride that wave with your middle finger in the air! Because at the end of it all, you WILL have your day, your chance to shine, your happiness, your dream life.

Anyone who is ever feeling alone, just know that it makes you that much stronger to be a loner and accomplish so much.

In reaching out to you all that struggle with mental health issues, know that it is okay to talk to strangers. I’ve been medicated my whole life. Up until two years ago, I was told that I have what is called “treatment resistant depression” and severe anxiety, along with a few others. I took a turn for the good though, and instead of turning to friends, I turned to my new friend, the internet. I joined groups on Facebook, and yet again, I had the constant POSITIVE and uplifting support from others who were in the same boat as me.

You don’t drown by falling in the water, you drown by STAYING there. So take action. There’s no success without failure either.

Just know this, there is ALWAYS someone out there waiting to hear your story, waiting to hear about your success, your goals, and your hopes and dreams. So always keep your fins up…remember, ride that wave. 🙂

 

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Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up with divorced parents and a mother who was always negative. Having to live with my mother, there was nothing but negativity around me. Between always fighting with my father, arguing with my stepfather, the constant yelling, and my mother leaving us to go out to bars, I was always very sad. All I ever wanted was to live with my father, an all around happy, gentle, kind and positive person. Because we saw very little of him, and because I was surrounded by negative energy, I soon became suicidal.

I didn’t do well in school. I always put my all into absolutely everything, but unfortunately, I had learning disabilities. I needed to always be pulled out of class or be in a separate “smaller” classroom. Therefore, I was always embarrassed and worried what others thought of me. I wrote my first suicide letter to a close friend in 7th grade. She made the right decision in letting someone know, and to make a long story short, I was then diagnosed with depression and put in therapy and on medication.

Later on in life, because of my constant insecurities and doubts about life, I somehow ended up in my first serious relationship during my high school years. This unfortunately, led to rape. I did not know it was, I thought it was normal to be bullied and tortured. It was the only thing I was familiar with. 

After years of praying, attempting suicide, and being beaten, I managed to get out and away- only to be in more abusive relationships later on. So with all that, I always just wanted to escape, go away, move away, or run away. I went through beauty school in high school, and I was lucky enough to graduate early so I could go away to college. My dream finally came true when I was able to get into University of South Carolina. I could escape all the negative energy and people that I was surrounded by.

For the first time in my life, I actually experienced what we call “happiness.” I had great friends, great roommates, great teachers and supporters. I had good grades, got two side jobs to make money. I had the beach, warm weather, happy and friendly people everywhere I went. I was truly happy. However, my learning disabilities came back to haunt me, and I just couldn’t pass the placement tests for my upcoming semester without paying a fortune. I ended up breaking down and calling my father. At the time, he had told me “School is not for everyone.” With a heavy heart, I wiped my tears and picked my head up and accepted that. I worked hard to try and take over paying rent in order to stay living down there, but I ended up having to move back with my mom. 

Then I met my husband, we had our daughter, and were constantly struggling financially. Money and other issues in our relationship truly broke us. After having my daughter, I was on a mission to find a job that would allow me to stay at home with her and make a good income. I came across online marketing through Facebook. It was just something that continuously kept sparking my interest, no matter how many times I would turn away from it. I joined groups on Facebook, and soon enough, I became a part of an amazing community.

The constant POSITIVE and UPLIFTING support I keep getting is what keeps me going. I didn’t lose faith. It is something that I feel is now a part of me. 

I was quite lost for a few years, but I simply never gave up. My past has now led me to being a very successful mom entrepreneur of an online marketing business . Slowly, I am taking action in getting my family and myself to where we truly belong.

Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Feminism to me is being the strong women we were meant to me. Whether in a perfectly healthy relationship or not, or no relationship at all, it to me, means truly standing up for yourself. Be strong. Don’t worry about other peoples’ negative thoughts or sayings.

We are strong. Our strength runs so deep. We are our own warriors.

 

 

To join my team and start your journey of becoming a successful entrepreneur in online marketing, click below:

https://www.trainings.successwithhillary.com/

To start your own business in online marketing click below:

http://successwithhillary.com

To learn more about how I started my business click below:

http://promo-leveragedaffiliate.successwithhillary.com

 

 

 

Hillary & My Lilianas would love to hear from you! Comment below! 

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Woman Wednesday: Sam

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.


 

Q and A with Sam, Sunshine Fields, New Jersey 

“There’s such a disconnect now with the way we ‘should’ live our lives and the way we want to live our lives. I graduated college, received a degree, got a good job in a good city, and I’m sure to many that would be a total success story, but it wasn’t the end of mine.”

 

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: My largest passion is people- helping people and working with people. I think that’s partially why I wanted to start up my own businesses (so I could do that all of the time).

 

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My two current businesses are Forest & Farm and Sunshine Fields NJ (both I’m working on with my other half and partner of 4 years, who totally also deserves credit)! His name is Matt.

 

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Forest & Farm is our woodworking and home decor business. It basically started by us building all of the furniture for our first apartment together. Matt is an engineer, and I’m an artist. Together, we figured we’d DIY our way through everything (coffee tables, shelves, dinner tables, dressers…), and eventually, everything in our home became handmade! We wanted to share that with others, so we started wholesaling, retailing, and opened up our own Etsy shop. We are constantly doing custom made projects for people.

 

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Sunshine Fields is a 115+ acre family flower farm (Matt’s parents primarily grow wholesale flowers there, but we decided to open up to the public for the first time ever this year!) The two of us planted pumpkins together, cut a 5+ acre corn maze together, and crafted all of the games and activities for this two-month long fall festival. Again, we wanted to share this with others. This farm is such a peaceful place, filled with beautiful flowers and family, and we felt it was so worth opening to the public.

 

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Q: What were your younger years like?

A: As a young kid, I heavily enjoyed four (…well, five) things: art, animals, music, being outdoors 100% of the time, and being a tomboy. I had fears, but generally, I always identified myself as a strong girl capable of learning anything (from learning how to play guitar in middle school to learning how to skate in college.) There’s never really a limit to what you can do.

 

When I was 14 years old, I ended up entering a beauty pageant (pretty unlike my tomboy self) for Filipino-Americans in the US (I’m half Filipino, half Irish), and I ended up winning that thing. I’ve always felt sensitive talking about it, mostly because I never wanted to feel any sort of entitlement or be different than anyone else. I really only wanted to win to break this negative facade of pageants and complete the charity work. I think it was a huge pivotal moment in my teen years and in becoming who I am. I had this opportunity to actually do something. When you’re that young, and you fly to the Philippines, and you live out this dream of helping others and donating yourself and your heart to others, it’s a little wild. I’ve always had that in the back of my heart (this feeling of a desire to be a part of something greater than myself).

 

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Fast-forward to me sitting at a desk in an office in the corporate world. It just couldn’t cut it for me. I had multiple internships and jobs in New York City. I left those for smaller non-profits, and I tried out a whole bunch of career opportunities. As cool as the experiences were, there was just something that never really felt right. I couldn’t shake this feeling that I could really do something and really start something, so I left those jobs to try to figure it all out. It’s still a little crazy to say that [laughs], but I figured it’d be worth a shot.

 

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Q:What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like others to know?

A: There’s such a disconnect now with the way we ‘should’ live our lives and the way we want to live our lives. I graduated college, received a degree, got a good job in a good city, and I’m sure to many that would be a total success story, but it wasn’t the end of mine.

 

If I had gone to college and if someone would have told me that starting up two businesses at 23 years old would be difficult and impractical, maybe it would have made me want to do it more (…maybe)! I mean, just to know that the thought would even possible at all would have been pretty cool. We should feel more empowered to do this. I think I’ve been going through this process of both losing and finding myself throughout the things that I’ve done. It’s really (really) hard to put yourself out there and chase an idea, or a dream, in a vulnerable state. It takes courage, and it’s underrated.

 

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Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: Take the plunge, and do what you like to do. You have nothing to lose. Trust me, literal blood, sweat, and tears and every penny I have has gone into everything I’ve done. Im still terrified. Its still really dang hard, but there is still nothing to lose (…& I should really take my own advice)! There is nothing more rewarding than doing it.

 

Check out Sam’s shop!

ETSY: www.etsy.com/shop/forestnfarm

 

Sam’s Instagram Profiles to Follow: 

@sunshinefieldsnj & @forestnfarmco

 

 

 

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Woman Wednesday: Christen

 *Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.

 

Q and A with Christen, Baltimore City, Maryland

“I have dealt with so much, but I am so happy, because I have chosen to surround myself with positive, amazing people. Know that there is always good even with the bad.”

 

Q: What are you passionate about?
A: There are only a few small things that I am passionate about. One is education. Specifically, the education of students of low-socioeconomic households. Unfortunately, students of low-income households usually come from a minority background. Students who go to Title 1 schools are faced with disadvantages that come from their circumstances. It takes more funding to teach a student who attends a Title 1 school than it does a for a student who attends a more affluent school, but the funding is not there. For example, the school that I currently teach at feeds children breakfast and lunch for free, we offer free clinical services to aide in mental health, there is a weekend food pantry, and we wash some of our students’ clothes to name a few things. All this has to come out of the school and district funds. We have to meet the basic needs of these students as well as educate them. What ends up happening is the teachers have to raise money for their own supplies or buy a lot themselves. I hope to one day teach in a country that fairly funds ALL students.

 

On a lighter note, my other passion is family. I have a wonderful son and husband whom I love more than anything. They bring light to my life and happiness to my soul. I could talk about them for hours so I’m going to cut myself off here.

 

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Q: What were your younger years like?

My past is a hard thing to talk about, but it gets easier as I learn to process it. My biological father was not and is not a part of my life due to choices that he made. My mother got married to her ex-husband when I was five years old, and that is when everything changed.

For the next ten years, I kept the secret of sexual assault from everyone, including my mother. When I was thirteen, the assault became more aggressive, and the violence increased. I again kept this a secret from every person. I was scared and ashamed. Finally, when I was 16, I decided enough was enough and told a good friend who would not let me stay in that situation. He literally saved my life. I have beautiful memories of my childhood involving my mother, sisters, cousins, etc, but what happened to me in my past definitely helped shaped how I live my life and who I am as a mother.

 

Q: What is something valuable you’ve learned that you’d like other to know?

A: To quote Drake, “Know yourself, know your worth.” It is cheesy, but it is true. When you learn who you are and love yourself, life becomes beautiful.

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Q: What would you like other to learn from your story?
A: I would hope they learn to speak up and speak out. Advocate for yourself and your beliefs. Know that there is always good even with the bad. I have dealt with so much, but I am so happy, because I have chosen to surround myself with positive, amazing people.

 

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Q: What does feminism mean to you?

A: Equality! It does not mean that women are better than men. It does not mean seizing “their power.” To me, it means shared power. It means to judge men and women fairly in the work field. It means do not treat me different because I am a woman. Instead, judge me by what I bring to the table. A stereotype that has always bothered me is the assumption that feminists are man-eating, overly aggressive females. We are not. Feminists are strong women and men who want to be treated as such.

 

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Mindset, ready, go!

Have you ever wondered, “How can I be happier?” Have you ever Googled ‘How to be happy’? Or have you ever purchased a self-help book on how to find happiness? Keep on reading, and you will learn tips and tricks on how to be truly happy.

 

One of the things many happy people and successful people have in common is a positive mindset.

Think positively.

Have confidence in yourself.
We all know it’s easier said than done.
As someone who grew up with little self-confidence and lots of self-doubt, I know what it’s like to struggle with confidence.
Being verbally harassed in middle school and high school (by some of the people closest to me) certainly took a large toll on my confidence.

Here’s the thing: There’s always going to be someone who’s trying bring you down. So while everyone is trying to diminish your happiness, what can you do to make yourself happy?

First, the secret…that is not such a secret, but rather a true fact we need to internalize.

Here it is:

The worst enemy of all is not those trying to tear you down, the worst enemy of all is yourself.

Who was my worst enemy? My peers? My friends? My family?

No.

My worst enemy was myself.

I was the one who believed what they said. I consumed their insults and took their words to heart. I chose to care about their opinions of me.
By believing in their words, I chose to not think very highly of myself.
I said the worst things imaginable to myself.

I found myself very unhappy and wanting to change that.

Did it happen overnight?

No.
Confidence doesn’t happen overnight, but like many wise people say, “You gotta fake it till you make it!” Over time, you won’t be just ‘faking it’ anymore. You will realize how truly amazing and special you are.

So, how did I fake it?

Keep on reading, and I will tell you.
It will take effort and small changes each and every day, but start now, and it will pay off for you if you’re consistent and driven.

 

You can do it! I have confidence in you.

 

Here are a few strategies that have worked for me. 
1. Tell yourself 3 positive things about yourself each day. You can say them aloud, to yourself in the mirror, write them down, or just say them in your mind. I prefer to do this in the morning as my “self-love” routine–that way I don’t forget!

 


2. Remind yourself that no one is superior to you. Everyone is human–it is as simple as that. Others may have accomplished more, but who is saying you cannot accomplish what they have or more than what they have?

 


3. Instead of comparing yourself to others, focus on your goals. What do you want to improve on? Write them down and hang them up somewhere you can see each day. Create steps to achieve those goals! Each step you take will feel like little successes helping you get to your end goal. In addition to this, pursue what you are passionate about. You only live once…(unless you believe in reincarnation)…so get moving!

 


4. Spread the love! Go up to at least one person a day and let them know you appreciate them.  It can be as simple as a genuine compliment. This will spread positivity, and you will feel its effects.

 


5. Take care of yourself. Gym? A hearty breakfast? Music to get you in the mood? I start my day with a workout and dancing to some music—even just five minutes of movement has a large positive impact on my entire day.

 


6. Smile with reckless abandon! Forcing yourself to smile more, to others, and in the mirror, will actually make you start to smile for real.

 


7. Help others. You can volunteer or it can be something small. For example, you can start by holding the door for someone, giving someone some spare change, give someone some good advice, or help a friend move into their new home. It will make you feel a sense of purpose.

 


8. Make changes. Are you too comfortable in your current job or position in life? Maybe you need to make a change and get out of your comfort zone. Maybe you want to try something new? Only you can make that decision!

 


9. Talk it out. Make connections with others. Sometimes, we need to just talk with someone else. Talk with a friend or family member. If there is not one who will willingly listen to you, seek other people or other outlets. Look up local events in your area, join an online chatroom, or just strike up a conversation with a stranger. There are many people in the world you can reach out to.

 


10. Recreate your favorite memory in your mind. Get in that mental happy place. Remember that happy memory, and keep it in storage for a rainy day! If it helps, think about it every day.

 


11. Going forward, what made your favorite memory your favorite memory? Are there aspects of it that you can bring into your current life? Make the changes in your life yourself. No one else is going to make them for you.

 



 

 

Most important of all:

When you are focused on yourself, accomplishing your goals, and working towards your dream, you will find that you are more happier than ever. 

When will you be your happiest? When you accomplish your dream.

So, do not give up! Have a positive mindset, and work towards everything you want!

You’ll notice that just by making these changes and taking steps to achieve your passions, you will be a lot happier.

When you are happy, it will pour into all facets of your life.

So, what are you waiting for?

Follow these steps, and go be happy! 🙂

 

We’d love to hear about you, your experiences, and your story! Please~ we encourage you~ to comment down below.

 

 

Woman Wednesday: Faith

*Note: Woman Wednesday is a part of our blog. Each Woman Wednesday post will feature a woman who would like to share information in the hopes of inspiring and motivating other women. Comments are welcome below.


 

Q and A with Faith, White Marsh, Maryland 

 

“Look back to when you were younger, and see if what you love now is what you loved back then. Often, the things we loved when we were kids are the things we have a true passion for.” 

 

Q: What are you passionate about?  

As a mom, wife, and a full-time manager, I have a very busy schedule every day! I love every minute, and yes, sometimes everything can go up then down, but it all seems to manage itself out. I love being a mom to a wonderful 10 month old as well as a stepmom to 2 kids- both 8 and 9 years old. I love every second I can be with them. I am a full-time manager with a company geared towards children for 9 years. I’m very thankful for the love and support of my husband, mom, and sister so that I can do what I truly love– which is photography. I have been a photographer for around 7 years, and I seriously started doing it as a business two years ago in 2016. Over these two years, I have grown so much. Photography is a skill you can learn and teach yourself by doing it hands on and watching videos. I started my passion of photography originally by shooting nature photography. I loved capturing the waterfront where I lived plus the woods and animals all around me. Especially when I went on trips, I loved taking my camera and capturing every moment. Photography can be so relaxing whether during a session or event or when editing the images.

 

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I love all the support and feedback I get from not only family and friends, but from my loyal clients as well! Some have been with me since 2016 and through my growth. I hope they stick by me through many more years. I also hope to be full time with photography in at max 5 years and not just part time- like I am now. I would love to have my own studio one day. I do sessions and events for all kinds from family, newborn, maternity, birthdays, weddings, and much more! Recently, I started a new venture in my career and started shooting weddings! This has been a huge step to further my career, and I can’t wait for all the new adventures this brings me. If you ever need any photography done, you can contact me through my Facebook page Faith Nicole Photography. I’m located in White Marsh, Maryland, but willing to travel in Maryland or another state. I would love to capture your family memories for you to keep forever.

 

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Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I come from of a family of three kids. As a middle child, I always found way to keep myself busy in addition to playing with my siblings and cousins. We lived an outdoor life, which consisted of always playing games, fishing, and anything under the sun. If I wasn’t outside, I was indoors playing school or doing arts and crafts (especially painting and drawing). I was a very shy and quiet kid when I was younger. I worked really hard in school and was mostly on the honor roll. I graduated in 2010 from Eastern Tech High school where I was a part of the culinary program. After high school, I didn’t go to college like most of the kids I graduated with. I wanted to, but I really wanted to work and become independent. I wanted to make sure I could pay for what I wanted and needed without having to ask my parents for it. Even now, working full-time, plus running my own business, I work very hard not only to support myself, but also my family. I think being so creative and independent when I was younger helped me grow to where I am now and it especially has helped with running my own business. I still have a lot to learn, but as I tell others, you can only learn best by doing it and trying.

 

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Q: What would you like others to learn from your story?

A: The most important thing to know is to always follow your dreams and passion. Even when I get discouraged and want to give up, I always try to remind myself that it will all work out. I look back at my work from the past, and I honestly cringe to see how different and little I knew back then. I’m still learning until this day about how to take photos. I even have severely upgraded my equipment from a simple cheap camera to now a professional DSLR camera along with a lot of other equipment, props, backdrops and more. I will grow and grow every year the more I practice and work on my passion. I organize throwbacks next to current work to show my clients and others the difference from time to time. I love and appreciate my clients that have stayed with me throughout my growth, and I truly appreciate it from the heart. Basically what I’m saying is… don’t give up as it will be a struggle at times, but you will make it through. Keep working on everything you want, and you will get it one day! Despite a bad review here or there, you will get many more good reviews. Keep doing what you love, and I support you along the way too!

 

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The best way to learn from my story is look back to when you were younger, and see if what you love now is what you loved back then. Often the things we loved when we were kids are the things we have a true passion for. Mine was photography throughout the years among doing many other things such as girl scouts, soccer, gymnastic, karate, and being an adventurous and crafty kid. Even through high school and then when I started working, I always admired photography and seeing everything in a creative point of view. In 2016, my passion clicked in my head, and I started doing what I loved to do again. I enjoyed seeing the faces and reactions of my clients once they saw their images. Now with the growth I have had, the reactions are even greater, and I hope they will be further down the road. Doing what you love to do will make your life that much greater. But to add to that, it is your family and friends who make it even much greater. Capture those memories forever, because everyone grows up too fast and changes. I love being able to capture the memories for all people to keep and look back on years from now, and for your kids and grandkids to see many, many years from now.

 

Click here to reach Faith about Photography services and inquires. 

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