We recently connected with Teresa Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Teresa, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from my grandmother and mother. My grandmother passed down timeless lessons of strength and faith to my mother, who then modeled them for me. She taught me how to stand firm in faith while still moving forward in life. Growing up, I watched my mother live those lessons with dignity, grace, and grit. In my book, “Transformation: How Mama’s Wisdom Unlocks the Secrets to Success: Mama Said,” I share those very teachings as a reminder that we are built not just to survive, but to rise.
For me, resilience isn’t just something I learned, it’s something imprinted in my DNA. It is a daily practice like learning to smile when crying inside, and to pray and to plan when the odds are stacked against you. It’s understanding that being broken doesn’t mean you’ve lost your value.
Like many women, I didn’t know how strong I truly was until being strong was the only choice. From surviving sexual abuse at four years old, to facing near blindness, battling illness, and rebuilding myself through Graves’ Disease, gastric sleeve surgery, and irritable bowel syndrome, I learned that you don’t bounce back to who you were but move forward into who you are becoming. Resilience, for me, is no longer about holding on it’s about having the courage to let go of what no longer serves you, so you can make room for who you’re meant to be!
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?
I’m Dr. Teresa A. Smith, also known as Dr. TAS, CEO of DQ Consulting, LLC, a transformational author, media personality, and speaker dedicated to helping people turn their pain into purpose. Through my books, Talk With TAS Show, and the TAS In The Kitchen healthy comfort food brand, I help individuals reconnect with their mind, body, and soul.
Through DQ Consulting, LLC and my movement Transform With TAS, I’ve built a platform that combines faith, storytelling, and wellness. I am an award-winning, best-selling author, professor, and coach, but more than titles, I am a woman who has faced adversity and learned to grow from it. My work is about more than just sharing information; it’s about transformation. I don’t merely talk about healing; I embody it.
What makes my approach unique is its authenticity. I teach through lived experience, not theory. My mix of storytelling, humor, and practical wisdom enables me to meet people where they are and walk alongside them on their journey to wholeness. From overcoming childhood trauma and significant health challenges to rediscovering my voice, every chapter of my life proves that resilience is possible and that everyone’s story matters and deserves to be heard.
At DQ Consulting, LLC, I now help aspiring authors bring their stories to life by providing book writing, editing, publishing, and marketing services. I believe everyone has a story that can inspire hope, healing, and progress, and my mission is to help people share that story with the world.
Professionally, my focus is on helping others rebuild confidence and self-worth through storytelling, coaching, and community. My books, STRONGER: How Overcoming Life’s Adversities Can Push You Into Your Purpose, Second Edition, and Transformation: How Mama’s Wisdom Unlocks the Secrets to Success, are companions on that journey. Through my lifestyle media, TAS In The Kitchen, I create high-protein, healthy versions of Southern comfort foods and remind viewers that wellness can be flavorful, fun, and available, especially for those living with health challenges or post-bariatric lifestyles.
What’s New in 2025
This year marks an exciting season of alignment, expansion, and purpose:
• The 2nd Edition of STRONGER was released in May 2025, with additional strategies for overcoming adversity.
• The companion book Transformation: How Mama’s Wisdom Unlocks Success helps readers develop resilience through timeless wisdom and relatable stories.
• Transform With TAS: Sip to Heal 31 Smoothies for Recovery, Strength & Life After Illness supports those recovering from gastric sleeve surgery, cancer, TMJ disorders, diabetes, or other conditions that make eating difficult.
• The Talk With TAS Show and TAS Moments are expanding to new streaming and podcast platforms, reaching even more audiences in need of hope and growth.
• TAS In The Kitchen continues to inspire viewers to rediscover joy through healthier versions of the foods they love.
• Served as the Mistress of Ceremonies at a March 2025 Gala, combining my passion for media, conversation, humor, and empowerment.
Ultimately, my brand is all about this truth: transformation isn’t just a moment, but a lifelong journey. Every book, show, and recipe is an invitation for you to grow, heal, and take care of you.
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?
Reflecting on my journey, I realize that faith, resilience, and emotional intelligence are the three core qualities that have shaped me most. These qualities have not only changed my life but also continue to influence how I support others through teaching, coaching, and storytelling.
1. Faith: The foundation of progress
Faith has always been my guide. It helped me through times when logic said, “You can’t.” It reminded me that purpose often emerges from pain. Faith helped me navigate storms of illness, loss, and doubt, showing me that growth and grace can go hand in hand. Suggestion for your journey: Develop a faith practice that grounds you through prayer, reflection, or quiet gratitude. When you pause to reconnect with your inner calm, you can move forward with confidence instead of fear.
2. Resilience: Building strength through adversity
Resilience isn’t something we’re born with; it’s developed over time. Every challenge I faced, including childhood trauma, health issues, and career shifts, became a workout for my spirit. The more life tested me, the more resilient I became in rebuilding. Reminder for your growth: Don’t be afraid to start over. Resilience grows when you allow yourself to heal, learn, and begin again. Each comeback proves you are still standing for a reason.
3. Emotional Intelligence: Connecting people and purpose
Emotional intelligence has been key in my leadership, teaching, and authentic connections. It helped me perceive unspoken feelings, respond empathetically, and build trust through understanding. This is the secret ingredient in great leadership and healing relationships. Wisdom to carry forward: Practice presence. Listen without rushing to fix. Lead with curiosity instead of judgment. Respecting people’s humanity creates the space for true transformation.
Faith, resilience, and emotional intelligence are not only personal lessons but universal tools for anyone seeking growth. They have guided me to lead from purpose rather than position and to remind others that impact doesn’t require perfection. Stay faithful, remain adaptable, and keep showing up with heart.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe you should go all in on your strengths first because your purpose lives where you are naturally powerful, not where you are constantly patching holes. Being “well-rounded” can help you grow in awareness, but it should never become your identity or your goal. Your strengths are divine tools, gifts from God meant to serve others, make an impact, and confidently walk in your calling. When you invest energy in these gifts, you don’t just succeed, you serve at your highest level.
Early in my career, I wasted too much time trying to “fix” myself, focusing on what I lacked rather than what I had. I thought I needed to be more polished, more analytical, more like others. But the more I tried to patch my weaknesses, the more I strayed from my true purpose.
Everything changed when I stopped apologizing for being passionate, creative, and people-focused, and instead emphasized those very strengths. That’s when opportunities started opening. I wrote my first book, STRONGER. I launched my Talk With TAS show. I began helping others find healing through storytelling. None of that came from what I lacked; it stemmed from what I already possessed.
That’s the beauty of leaning into your strengths; they multiply when you use them. Weaknesses can be managed, delegated, or supported through collaboration, but your strengths act like magnets; they attract opportunity, alignment, and impact.
Wisdom to Carry Forward: Stop shrinking to fit systems that weren’t designed for your brilliance. Be aware of your weak spots, but don’t dwell on them. Put your best energy into what makes you come alive, and let your light lead the way. People don’t remember you for being “balanced.” They remember you for your impact, the light you bring, the truth you speak, and how you make others feel seen and heard. Impact comes from your excellence, not your edits. When you lead with your strengths, you don’t just rise; you help others rise, too. And for me, that is the true meaning of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://askdrtas.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drteresasmith/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teresa.smith.98871
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drteresaasmith/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTAS
- Other: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/talk-with-tas-show–6128538
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