We were lucky to catch up with Brianna Barrett recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brianna, thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?
I’ve found we never truly know what someone else is going through, and being kind to them doesn’t cost you a penny.
I suffer from chronic autoimmune diseases that have affected how I deal with people and how I strive to be kind to others. These multiple chronic illnesses are invisible to the naked eye. I know them, my family knows them and sees them but if you met me on the street you wouldn’t realize I suffer daily with these conditions. I’ve hidden my conditions for decades, until now. I truly feel these conditions have helped me to have empathy for others who are going through health issues. I’ll be the first to stop and ask you how you feel about things, how things are going, and what healing looks like for you. Being chronically ill can be the most isolating journey, especially when people think you are making it up, or even when they simply don’t acknowledge it because they just don’t understand it. The people I meet may suffer from different things but we can discuss how we are dealing with things and how we can encourage others who are also experiencing things. You can’t understand where someone is coming from if you don’t humble yourself and take a look at it from their perspective. When you stop looking down on people or trying to impress them you can strip away the mask and have empathy for others.
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 a writer.
Those three words have at times been some of the scariest to say. I didn’t go to school to learn to write, and I actually had a high school teacher tell me I was a terrible writer. After that episode I stopped writing for people. I did the minimum amount of writing and then decades later, a dear friend asked me to be a guest blogger on her website. After a whole lot of wrestling with God, I conceded and I wrote my first piece for publication.
Shortly after that guest appearance I started submitting work to other magazines, websites and publications. I’ve been a contributor to multiple books and I continue to write daily.
After writing two guest posts for my friend, I started my website, Briannagrams. It’s been a place of refuge for ladies needing encouragement, and inspiration through anxiety, stress, relationships, and especially chronic illness. During the last year, I’ve been working on two books dealing with chronic illness that I hope will be out in 2025. So many people are affected by chronic illness but don’t have adequate resources to provide hope and encouragement through the journey.
This past summer on my blog, I started a series about Releasing to God. The series sparked from my readers telling me how many things they had a hard time turning over to God. It was a total God moment. Each week during the last several months, a new voice has joined the blog to share their own story of releasing things to God. Each story is unique and each one has encouraged me through my own walk with the Lord.
I’m absolutely blessed through my writing journey. I’ve met the most beautiful souls in the world. I’ve developed friendships with people from all over the world, in all walks of life, with one common need. We all need encouragement and that is what I strive to give others through my writing. Check out my website/socials for more news to come about my book releases.
I’m also a photographer, I’ve had a camera since I was a little girl. I took pictures of EVERYTHING. Dolls, pillows, you name it and my parents probably have a picture of it because that was back before digital cameras. I loved taking pictures of things just wanting to remember exactly how they were at that moment. I’ve had my work published in multiple magazines and on websites. My work also adorns several people’s walls with canvases I’ve made from my photographs. I never thought the girl who walked around with her little camera would get paid for taking pictures now! It’s truly a blessing from God and photography is definitely a passion of mine.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Show up every day and write something. It doesn’t have to be something profound or anything you’d even submit but show up and write.
Find a network of like-minded people to read your work. Ask friends, spouses, etc to read your work as you are working through it. I miss a lot of words because my head moves quicker than my fingers on the keyboard.
Join a writer’s group. Finding your people is important. Writing can be an extremely lonely profession but when you are able to talk with others about your stories and work (and who understand) it’s a beautiful thing.
Find an amazing editor – I’m blessed that my husband is my editor. He reads everything that I write (bless him!) and helps me work through things in my writing. He truly supports and encourages me through this new journey.
Submit your work. It’s scary to submit your work and I still struggle at times. The anxiety kicks in and the insecurities arise but the more I submit my work the more it’s being published! Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith, you never know where you’ll end up published.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents are two of my best friends. We talk and see each other daily, I live next door. Those two have been the voice of reason, and of encouragement and sometimes the kick in the pants I needed to stop feeling sorry for myself when life was tough.
They’ve been true examples that love is an action, not just a word. They were high school sweethearts who are celebrating 43 years of marriage. They faced many challenges as a young couple, including a farming accident that nearly took my dad’s life. When you face an uphill battle, you just have to start conquering it by taking the first step. My dad lost his leg in the accident and they faced hard times, but they came through it, together.
They’ve shown me a good work ethic. We work hard so we can play hard too. They are hard workers who are always willing to help anyone out. Giving with an open heart ends up blessing us as well as the person you’re helping out.
When I wanted to stay in bed after the traumatic birth of my son, my dad told me to get up, that it was time to walk. I would have much rather laid in bed. But Dad said, “If I can do it you can too, we can’t sit around and feel sorry for ourselves. Now we are going to walk to the end of the hallway.” And we did. That was reversed this past summer when he went through open-heart surgery and I had to say those same words to him about walking. It truly just takes one step to start.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://briannagrams.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briannagrams1
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/briannagrams1
Image Credits
Brianna Barrett
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
