We were lucky to catch up with Loreah Mansfield recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Loreah, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
I often get asked where my optimism comes from. I have always been a “happy go lucky” type of person. I often say that I am too weak to be a pessimist. Being an optimist is my defense mechanism against the world; some days I truly believe that. I am hardwired to think positively. I love to work hard and accept new challenges as they come. My eyes are always open to opportunity, which I think gives me my spirit and drive through life. There is so much to offer in this world if you believe you can do it and are open to the opportunity.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Before I became a mother fighting breast cancer, I was a registered nurse and a photographer. I recently applied for a nurse Clinical Manager position in an Intensive Care Unit. Very little slows me down. I have always been driven to lead. This opportunity would give me a chance to influence change among very important individuals working hard every day to save lives. Intensive care nurses are so strong and so special. Being there to support them and lead them through continuous training and education would be a dream for me. Additionally, I own a photography business that highlights local businesses around town. I love working with restaurants and small businesses to showcase their specialties and give their consumers a better vision of what they have to offer. It is through photography that I get my creative inspiration from, and the fact that I get to give directly back to the community through it makes it that much more fun for me.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey is that I am a hard worker, intuitive, and optimistic. Maybe its a false sense of ability at times, but I’ve often found that simply putting in the work can get you a lot further than you think. You don’t need be particularly talented to go far in life. It takes understanding the goal, or what is being asked of you, and doing about 10% more, sometimes not even that. Doing your job well doesn’t have to be challenging. A little bit of work ethic, ability to read peoples emotions, and knowing you can get the job done has always lended me to promotions or various job opportunities. Enough so that I have had the opportunity to narrow the focus to jobs that inspire me and jobs that I am passionate about, such as nursing and photography.
In a previous life, I was an Aerospace Project Manager. The opportunity fell into my lap because I worked hard on a group project in college. This was never something I envisioned for myself, yet there I was, managing hundreds of engineers in a field I knew nothing about at the young age of 22. I never looked at the opportunity and said, “I couldn’t possibly do that.” I said, “I’ll figure it out”. I used to tell my parents when I was really little, “If I had all the time in the world, I could build a rocket ship.” I’ve always been built this way.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
I was diagnosed with breast cancer this July 2024 at 32 weeks pregnant on my two-year wedding anniversary. My husband and I were on our way to dinner when we got the call about my biopsy results. “Mrs. Mansfield, I didn’t expect to be making this call for you, I am sorry, you have cancer…” I immediately feared for my unborn son. How would this affect him? Would his mom be here for him as he grew up? Would my husband become a single Dad? Immediately mourned the fact that I could not breast feed him, that I had to become a first-time mother while being treated for cancer… I was pissed.
I was called by my OBGYN after consulting Maternal-Fetal Medicine about my case and it was decided that I would be induced at 34 weeks to start chemotherapy while giving my son the best chance at survival with minimal complications. Fear was an understatement. At the end of the day, I just new I needed to take action. Action focused my mind and only allowed me to think positively about the situation. “We can get through this.” “This will be hard, but nothing I can’t handle.” I’ve always been a positive person, but this year really challenged that trait of mine.
Through all of this, I have tried to remember who I was and who I want to be in the future. I continue to touch base with the hospital and have recently applied to a Medical Intensive Care Clinical Manager position. I continue to take work as a photographer and enjoy the opportunity to embrace my creativity through all of this chaos.
This challenge is temporary. Almost five months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy with reconstruction, and five weeks of radiation will feel distant in the future. In the meantime, I will keep working every day to build a life for my family and my son worth living.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://loreahjanephotography.mypixieset.com/about/
- Instagram: @azfoodphotography
- Other: Instagram: @loreahjanephoto
Instagram: @arizonasipseventbartending
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