Embracing the Lucky Girl Era: Reflections on Success, Healing, and Personal Growth
Introduction
Life is an unpredictable journey filled with ups and downs, unexpected turns, moments of clarity, and a whole lotta healing, if you’re willing.
In this episode, I reflect on what it’s like to embody and live in your "Lucky Girl Era.” A chapter, or lifetime, where success, healing, and personal growth intersect.
And, so you know, this episode had to be turned into 3 different blog posts because ya girl can talk, and write!
Redefining Success Beyond the Corporate Ladder
Climbing the corporate ladder was the epitome of success in my eyes. After finally making it to the title of Director of Operations, I realized that the traditional path wasn't fulfilling.
My career has been a mosaic of experiences, from retail at PetSmart to working in sales and various roles listed on my LinkedIn. Each position, whether at a popular retailer or other notable companies, taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and self-discovery.
You’ll hear me talk about this all the time. Treat your career like an opportunity to study anything and everything you can. Or, the shorter version, always be learning.
The other thing I always say is you get to define your life, success, and more.
Being successful, for me, is living a life of joy and love with God and my heart right at the center of everything I do. Doing it up, or enjoying doing absolutely nothing but chilling, with my people for however long they’re here on Earth.
Building spaces for communities that often feel underserved, undervalued, or underrepresented where they’re not subjected to their trauma, which they live every day, but they are celebrated, cherished, and unconditionally loved!
Embracing my entire story, even when it’s messy, and showing love for all of who I’ve been, I am, and I will become. Because if God can love me unconditionally, why can’t I?
You’re probably wondering what that has to do with your Lucky Girl Era, right?
To embody being lucky and everything working out in your favor, you have to do the inner work to figure out where you feel unworthy and where the defining points of your life may be out of misalignment. Over here, that was always been my career or in love.
Where are the areas you’re avoiding looking at and blocking your blessings?
Healing and Letting Go of Negativity
I may be someone who is unconditional love and tried my best to operate with a pure heart, but I’m not perfect. I have been the toxic one. I have been the gossip. I have spoken ill of people. I have done more complaining than doing and living and enjoying. Yes, even as an optimist.
A pivotal moment in my journey was learning to let go of negativity.
People often think that means I live in delulu land where everything is always sunshine and rainbows. It’s not.
I had to learn to find the light or be the light.
While that is tied to my spirituality more than ever, in the past it just looked like showing people love and kindness, even if I didn’t have it for myself and I was going through something. I still pretty much operate this way.
Now, this isn’t me advocating for pouring from an empty cup. I’m reminding you that you can either add to the misery or be a catalyst for change, joy, community, love, and light.
Wishing ill on someone once had unforeseen consequences that shook me deeply. It was a stark reminder of the power of our thoughts, intentions, and the words we speak. It took me over a decade to forgive myself for ever saying that and the entire experience reshaped my perspective, reinforcing my commitment to kindness and personal accountability.
Again, I’m not perfect. I’m human.
I still get angry. I’m still disappointed sometimes. I still make mistakes.
Now, I’m adamant about preparing myself mentally by prioritizing alone time with God and honoring who I am. I am dedicated to healing every area of my life, heart, body, mind, and spirit so my future children don’t have to. Whether God blesses me with children I birth, or adopt, or there are other people’s little ones in my life who need the type of guidance, warmth, and family I can offer, I’m doing the healing work. I’m also doing the work so my future husband isn’t subject to all the trauma I refused to heal from me that he had no part in.
I know I can’t entirely save others from the ways of the world, toxic culture, and what society, capitalism, and people who refuse to do the healing work can try to do to us. Or, how all these things can try to divide us and make us miss out on walking blessings.
It’s The Year of Audacity in the Name of Good where we embrace that we are worthy of all the love, joy, and better God has in store.
Conclusion
The Lucky Girl Era, just like any word or concept you claim for your year, is more than a fleeting phase. It can be a profound shift in your mindset and how you live your life.
I've discovered a richer, more fulfilling path by letting go of negativity, finding security within myself, and embracing life’s moments. This journey has taught me to cherish the unpredictability of life, that my worth is not defined by what is outside of me, and to find joy in the everyday.
As Carlina sings in my 2023 anthem, "Lucky Girl," I am someone who attracts positivity and creates a life filled with joy and fulfillment. What about you?
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