We were lucky to catch up with Malisa Lewis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Malisa, 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.
As a child, I was bullied and made fun of. I would walk down the hallway and hear other kids call me names like Mufasa or gorilla. I dealt with bullying and low self-esteem from elementary school to high school. I never believed I was smart or beautiful. I like most kids just wanted to be liked, and accepted by my peers. It was my faith in Jesus Christ that changed my view of myself. Through the Bible, I’ve learned that my acceptance doesn’t come from others but from Him. The Bible tells me that I am accepted in his love. He loved me before I was born and established a perfect plan for my life. Don’t get me wrong there are days when my mind goes back to those insecurities, but I remind myself how the creator of the universe so loves me. And for me, that’s enough!
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?
My name is Malisa Lewis and I am a teacher, new aunt, business owner, food lover, creative, Christian, author, and musician. I love LIFE and every facet of it. My life usually consists of long days in the classroom teaching preschool-aged children music, science, math, and reading in innovative ways. We sing original songs and hypothesize about our next science experiment. It’s fun and messy, but I enjoy seeing them become lifelong learners.
Almost ten years ago, I self-published my book called “Grow Tad’r Potato.” The book discusses the importance of embracing your uniqueness despite insecurity. I read the book at two local elementary schools, and one school held a book signing in my honor.
Recently, I started a tutoring business, Inspirastar. Our objective is to help children shine bright, physically, mentally, and academically. My goal for Inspirastar is for the children I teach to become global citizens who affect the world for good. And hopefully, they make the world better for generations to come.
Art is my passion. I usually say if it’s artsy I’m doing it. In my spare time, I enjoy drawing, cooking, writing, singing, and creating. My friends and I usually get together once a month and plan an art activity. We may go to a festival or concert or cook some delicious meal. This is the time when I can unwind and shine.
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?
As I answer this question I think back to the words of my piano teacher “Malisa, always find joy in the journey.” Joy should be easy to find right? We can always find things to be grateful for. Clothing, shelter, food etc. That should be easy, but for me, I struggled with the trap of comparison. I’ve fought with the desire to be “someone” or to “arrive” at my final destination. Though this may not be an educational skill, it is a life skill. Learn how to embrace the present season of your life with a hopeful expectation.
Second, find healthy ways to celebrate yourself. I’ve been really bad at this guys!! Horrible! You’ve got to learn how to celebrate yourself even if it is by yourself. I always did things for other people. I went to pick up people if they were sick, brought soup to people’s houses, and went to events. BUT, when I needed help, very few people showed up. So, I get my hair done, and nails done or treat myself to a nice dinner alone sometimes. Because I’ve learned to be secure with who I am and no one will take that away from me.
Thirdly, be okay with change. The older I get the more I understand that I am becoming a whole new person. A person I am still discovering and will continue to discover for the rest of my life. And that is totally fine. I had one way that I believed my life would be as a child and it is NOTHING like the way it is today. I just wanted to be a mom and take care of my children and well that’s not what has happened in my life so far. I am an aunt and I’m grateful for that opportunity. Even though my life is not what I anticipated being at this age, the lessons I’m gathering now are preparing me to be ready for the greater that is yet to come.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My family has always been there to support my dreams. My parents always encouraged my sister and I to pursue our dreams. I’ve always been thankful for my parent’s love of the arts. My parents made it a priority to expose my sister and me to ballet, and opera. We would go to art shows and plays. They were the people who introduced me to art and my love for the arts was sparked from those special moments.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.inspirastar.org/copy-of-about
- Facebook: Malisa Nicole
Image Credits
Magan Pearsons
Jenise Johnson
Thomas Lewis
Patricia Lewis
Ashley Lewis
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
