We were lucky to catch up with Eva Rivera recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Eva, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic comes from my mama. I am a Mexican daughter of a beautiful, strong, immigrant, single mother. She worked and struggled on her own to give me a roof over my head, food on the table, and an education. I get emotional every time I talk about it because it was hard. Thankfully, we had each other and we overcame that hardship. I cannot thank her enough. Watching her do so much for me has motivated me to keep working. To always strive for more when I can. Mi Madre es la razón porque hago lo que hago (My mother is the reason I do what I do). I have accomplished so much in my life all thanks to her. She has always supported me in all my dreams and goals. The times that I have put myself down or have failed, she immediately encourages me to keep going. My work ethic is also knowing how to set boundaries with others, knowing when to set work aside and focus on my mental health and physical health. My work ethic also includes being able to do what I love on the side without having work in mind or work get in the way. My work ethic also consists of being able to set time for family and loved ones. All learned from my mama.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Most people ask me, “Do you do this full-time?” or tell me, “Would you leave your job to be a foodie full-time?” and my response is always, “No! I love my job so much!”. Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm I am a clinician/counselor. I work with youth from 11 to 17 years old. I do not work at a school, everyone thinks I do. Unfortunately, I cannot say where I work or talk much about it, but I can say that I love it so much. It takes a big toll on me due to the second hand trauma, but I am able to detach once I am doing my foodie activities, talking to my best friends, or spending time with my husband. Recently, I have started a Mujeres emopowering Mujeres event/meet that takes place once every two months. I created this safe space for women to get together to hang out, network, socialize, talk about their goals in life, speak about their needs and areas of support, and to also remind ourselves of how important we are. I will be posting about my next event in my stories if any women are interested in joining. I think we all just need a reminder that we matter and we deserve to be appreciated and loved. I think I have said this multiple times in my stories and posts, but if anyone is in need of help or support please reach out. I am here to listen and to provide a list of resources when needed.
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?
Always be kind, respectful, and patient. I believe that those are the most important things to remember in everything you do. Kindness will go long ways, kindness will bring a smile to someone’s face, kindness will be an encouragement to someone’s day, and kindness will make someone’s day. Being respectful is always a must, because we want to treat others the way we want to be treated. Patience, very important in everything you do and speak with.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Setting boundaries with people in my life and people I meet. When I was younger I was always told, “You’re too nice”. I saw this as positive, but they meant it negatively. People would often take advantage of my inability to say no. I was always helping others, which is good, but it got to the point where I was putting myself last. I have learned to say no when I am placed in uncomfortable situations, I have learned to say no when I need time and space to breathe, I have learned to say no when I know the commitment is going to hurt me and my husband, I have learned to say no when I know I am not going to be able to be myself, and I have learn to say no when my mental health is put at risk. Setting boundaries is very important. Setting boundaries will help you accomplish more and learn more about yourself.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @STXFoodie
- Facebook: STXFoodie
Image Credits
the photo of my mom and I was taken by Idea House Media.
