Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samantha Lyons. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Samantha, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Growing up can be really hard because there is so much pressure from the people around you to be a certain person. So many young people ask me about how to be more confident, and my constant reiteration is to live in the truest form of who you really are. Authenticity is so important. Not being who your parents want you to be or who your friends want you to be and actually forging a path forward doing what feels natural and good to you. I think when you feel good about what you are doing then you feel confident. For me, when I was growing up, I felt like I was always trying to prove who I was which is true for so many young people. I finally decided that I knew who I was and what I deserved. I wanted to be surrounded by loving and supportive people. I wanted to have peace and joy. I wanted to do what I enjoyed doing. I didn’t want to have to be anyone I wasn’t or entertain relationships that weren’t serving me. There is something liberating about deciding that you have value and continuously making decisions that align with that. With practice, I remember starting to think, “Hey, I really love myself. I really love who I am becoming.” It takes time, but it’s just making decisions that align with who you want to be over and over until you become that person. This is something that I really hone in on with my own children and a concept that is encouraged throughout the book I am working on.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a writer, and I am currently working on my debut self-help book. It is a declaration of self-love. It is filled with wit and personal anecdotes and warmth. Throughout the entire book, I am consistently driving home the message of the worth and value that every single person adds to the world.
My mom committed suicide in 2019, and I was made profoundly aware of the depth of what many people are facing in terms of their mental health. When she died, I had this realization that the world would never get to experience her gifts, and it really broke my heart to imagine the people whose impact we lose as an entire society.
I really believe that we are all interconnected, but as I started to read self-help and explore social media with influencers, it can sometimes send a message that people need to be perfect or curated or filtered.
I want people to know that they can come as they are. That there is no such thing as perfect. That we are all out here just doing the best we can and our best fluctuates day by day.
I wanted to send the message of authenticity and rawness and honesty.
I have also created an instagram @samanthalyonswrites where I share poetry, writing pieces, and encouragement. I purposely record videos that are unedited or where I have no makeup on in just a t-shirt in the car pick up line because I want the message to be clear that this is real life.
When my book gets published, I want my readers to know what to expect: big love, lots of encouragement, a good shoulder shake, and real, unfiltered honesty about life as I see it.
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?
Authenticity- Just being who you are and consistently making decisions that honor that. If you don’t, you will end up in places that you don’t want to be, working for people you don’t want to work for, dating people who aren’t your soulmate. When you are yourself in every circumstance, then you attract that which aligns with you. It has been my guide through every good decision I ever made, big or small.
Audacity- Having the willingness to go for it. Being brave and willing to take chances. I met the love of my life through having the audacity to believe it could work when most people wouldn’t have. I have gotten jobs I wasn’t qualified for. I have made decisions that served me and propelled me forward. I have known if I needed to stay or go. Always throwing caution to the wind and having the courage to follow your heart.
Action- This one is underrated. Having the skill to act every day has made all the difference for me. Lots of people talk about what they are going to do, but very few people actually do it. Propelling forward toward your goals even if it’s in a small way. Saving $50 a week. Working out for twenty minutes every morning. Writing one page a day if you have to until you have a whole book. The small and very real steps forward that eventually get you where you want to go.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am actually currently searching for a literary agent and publishing company to represent my work. I’m also open to any partners who have the same value set and see themselves reflected through my work. Self-help is a heavily saturated industry, but I think my idea and style could be so valuable to readers. Finding the right people to work with me on my project is key to how it will be represented, so I’m really taking my time on that part.
Anyone who is interested in collaborating or connecting can reach out to me directly VIA email at [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Website: samanthalyonsinspire.com
- Instagram: samanthalyonswrites
Image Credits
Jack Lyons
