Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shanee’ Wilson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Shanee’, thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?
When I think of my self discipline, I think of my dad and all that he instilled in me as a child. My dad was very much so a zero tolerance kind of man. Having fought in the Vietnam war and having so much resilience himself, he is the person who taught me effort in entirety. My entire life I watched my dad work extremely hard to provide for our family, be there for his children and actually enjoy all that he was doing. He was never the absent father that would miss a thing which showed me discipline. He was not the dad that made us figure it out. Instead, he always paved the way and gave my siblings and I the necessary resources to find our way through. He taught me that no matter how much someone else has in life, it will never beat effort and that is what I have lived on my entire life. I have lived on the mere fact that if I work harder than the person next to me, God is destined to take me to the exact place in life that I belong. Alongside discipline, my dad taught me dedication, determination and finishing what I start, which made me push myself through college, multiple degrees, multiple businesses and all that I do in life because I am determined to make him proud in every aspect of my life. Many people would look at my childhood and think that my dad was hard on me, however, he was everything that I needed him to be in order to become the person that I am today. I am not a person to say no to any challenge that is sent my way because my father taught me that if there is a will, there is a way. So instead of making excuses, letting others down and more importantly letting myself down, I always make a way. This is a quality that I am truly proud of because it forces me to exercise my critical thinking skills when I am backed against the wall. It allows me to push past barriers that many people would give up on and I wouldn’t change it for a thing. In a world full of people who believe in self care more than self discipline, I can honestly say that my dad equipped me with all of the proper tools to push past my excuses, my foundation and everything that has preceded me, knowing that if I just stay focused on whatever it is I want in life, I am bound to get all of it and some and for that, I am forever grateful.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My business Fighting & Fabulous is something near and dear to my heart because this business was birthed as I fought for my life battling stage four cancer. Fighting & Fabulous is a business designed to provide support and a safe place for my fellow cancer fighters and survivors. Fighting & Fabulous offers journey boxes to help cancer patients through their darkest days no matter where they mentally, physically and emotionally stand throughout their journey. Not only is this a business designed for the fighters themselves but it is truly here for the supporters that do not quite know how to be of assistance or support to someone battling cancer. I love to personally provide insight from my own journey with cancer to talk through some of the sensitive topics fighters may not want to discuss. Or, if fighters are anything like me, they wouldn’t even have the energy of talking through some of these things because battling for our lives becomes the main priority when you are in a scary space as such. One thing that many of us take for granted is our health so this business truly reminds us all of just how quickly life can be turned upside down for any of us. It also reminds us all that even if we are not personally affected by the disease, there is always something you can do to help a cancer fighter in need and in our case, donating a journey box to someone battling this beast can truly revitalize hope and remind them that they are not in this alone. Fighting & Fabulous is much more than a business to me. It is a part of my identity that I will forever be grateful for.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My three most impactful skills are communication, clarity and diligence. Communication is one aspect of life that is truly underrated these days. People literally avoid communication with one another based on the simple fact that there might be a disagreement. I have always stood strong on talking things out, communicating my needs and always hearing a fresh perspective. Communication has been the backbone to all of my businesses and relationships and have truly held them all together. Clarity is something that I seek within everyone and everything. In a room full of people talking about themselves, you will always find me listening, asking questions and finding understanding in who they are as human beings. I do not ask questions to probe. I ask questions to seek clarity and that has taken me great places in life. My dad used to always tell me there is no such thing as a “dumb question” and boy, have I lived on that my entire life. I ask questions, seek follow up and ask some more and one thing that people do not realize is that I know so much more about them then they do about me. It’s not because I am private. It is simply because I care enough to ask and learn who and what they are all about. Diligence has been the foundation of my success. I thrive off of my own effort and am truly in competition with myself taking myself to higher levels in life. I always get a kick out of things when odds are against me because that makes me push harder. I love testing my own limits and proving to myself that I can and I always will.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
My biggest area of improvement over the past 12 months has been my relationship with God. God and I have always seen eye to eye but this past year has hit differently. God has been talking so clearly to me that if I explained half of what I have experienced, some would actually be afraid of His power. Before my birthday in October 2022, one of my closest friends told me to watch a church series before my birthday and if I did my life would be changed forever. What some people may have easily brushed off, I found to be a message from God himself so I watched the long series that broke my soul open on new levels of life and faith. One thing that people do is expect God to talk in the form of God and let’s be honest, if He came down today and just spoke, we couldn’t handle it. That is why He sends messages through His people. Instead of us getting offended, brushing off these messages and being more bothered with who it came from than what was said, we need to take time to see God in ALL things. Not just good things, not just people you like but in ALL things. Once we learn to do this, I promise He will start talking and if you listen closely enough, he will scare you right into your purpose in life. God has been so good to me and this past year has shown me that no matter what I think God and I have stood with one another in the past, He has always been front and center in all things, which always makes me wonder how much I overlooked before He helped me remove the veil that was upon me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fightingandfabulous.com
- Instagram: @fightingandfabulous
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fightingandfabulous/
Image Credits
Michelle Dudley Photography Instagram: @michelledudleyphotography Photos by Mia Instagram: @photosbymia2
