We were lucky to catch up with Bev Shaffer recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Bev, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience has deepened through the rich tapestry of personal experiences, each contributing to my overall strength. I remember once telling a friend that I was becoming “tired of taking care of people’, to which she replied, “but you’re so good at it’! That being said, my strength and resilience have become intertwined allowing me to adapt and grow with each passing challenge.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I recently became Food & Drink Reporter for the Canton Repository | Gannett | USA Today. Writing about food and drink and exploring a large county south of where I live is not only a challenge, but a truly enjoyable experience. The local places, the little gems, the people…as well as the other reporters and editors I work with…are very much a part of who I am.
My writing career has been very eclectic…from six cookbooks to a newspaper ASK BEV column to a magazine GADGET FREAK column, I’ve also been privileged to have an award winning cable television cooking show, developed recipes for housewares companies, trained demonstrators and media on new products internationally. At each time and place, I’ve enjoyed them all as I very much enjoy what I’m currently doing.
I am also an advocate for the Alzheimer’s Association, having lost my husband, John, to the disease and a member of various culinary organizations.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Be your best self-promoter… be vocal, but not obnoxious; be persistent in self-promotion and in maintaining belief in yourself: – Advocate for your strengths without overshadowing others; assert yourself with confidence, yet maintain humility.
– Promote your achievements thoughtfully; speak up without being overbearing, and persevere in showcasing your worth.
2. Don’t let your age define you; we all get older, but there’s incredible knowledge and an amazing skillset in a woman who has lived life:
– Embrace the wisdom that comes with age; your experience is a valuable treasure trove of knowledge and skills.
– Age is just a number; let your rich life experiences be the true measure of your capabilities.
3. Do for others: set yourself aside and see how you can help make your surroundings, those around you, thrive; it all comes back to you:
– Focus on contributing to the well-being of others; when you help others thrive, you create a ripple effect that ultimately benefits you.
– Step out of your own concerns and invest in the prosperity of those around you; in doing so, you sow the seeds for your own success.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed. As a caretaker, as a mother, as a wife, as an employee…I believe we all go through it, no matter how carefree someone might seem.
If you can, step back and take a break. Schedule some “me time”. Realistically, that’s not always possible.
What has helped me is to learn to focus on right now…this moment,..this task, chore or assignment. Putting my blinders on helps me put everything I need to do into a package, finish it, and breathe.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bevshaffer.com/
- Instagram: cook.write.travel.repeat
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bev.foodwithattitude
- Linkedin: Bev Shaffer
Image Credits
John R. Shaffer
