We were lucky to catch up with Siedah Johnson-Mitchum recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Siedah with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Throughout my life, my work ethic has been driven by my motivation to achieve a specific goal. However, these goals and motivations have shifted over time. Recently, my primary motivation has been my daughter, and my goal is to achieve stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In my earlier years, I was motivated by self-expression, while in my young adulthood, my focus was on money and lifestyle.
What I really admire about myself is that I have always had an innate belief that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. Nobody taught me this or instilled it in me; it was just something that I always knew. I never had someone pushing me to do better or inspiring me to reach my full potential. Despite my doubts, fears, and anxieties, this inner knowledge has always kept me going. I should note that while these doubts and fears may affect my personal life, they never seem to seep into my professional life.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My name is Siedah, and I am a person with multiple passions and talents. I have been working in the design and marketing industry since I was 11 years old. Can you believe that? I got my first client when I was only 14 years old – it was a freshman in high school. When I became a mother, I decided to turn my blog into a book. That’s how “I Am Love: Learn to love yourself and Tap into your power” was born. Writing and designing this book was a very therapeutic experience for me, and it helped me get through a challenging phase in my life. I am happy to say that I have sold many copies of my book since then. These days, I am all about exploring my creative side and expressing myself in different ways.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
It’s important to be self-motivating because there won’t always be someone to cheer you on, push you forward, or praise you for a job well done. So, it’s highly recommended that you start being that person for yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back, pep talk, and motivation to keep pressing forward.
Expressing your creativity is crucial because we are all unique and have something to share with the world or our community. It can be anything from art, spoken word, written form, fashion, music to teaching.
Leadership is about leading a team and inspiring people to believe in what you believe. Being selfless in your leadership can help support and guide people, cultivate a team of people who may become your soul tribe. These are your people who understand and love you, as you do them. Together, you go through the ups and downs of life.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Two books that have deeply inspired me on a personal level to overcome my fears, doubts, and anxieties are “The Alchemist” and “The Four Agreements”.
From “The Alchemist”, I learned the importance of transforming negativity into positivity. During my divorce, I decided to focus on self-love and taking care of my mind, body, and soul. This mindset has helped me to transform every aspect of my life.
“The Four Agreements” taught me not to take things too personally. I realized that people can have their own reasons for their actions or words, and sometimes we lack perspective. Hence, unless something is directly said or done to me, I tend to let it go and focus on what I want to keep my energy and attention on.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.herloveco
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/herlovecollections
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siedahmitchum/
Image Credits
all photos i took and own. – Siedah
