We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marissa LeJune a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Marissa with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My dad. Pondering on this question brought tears to my eyes. I lost my dad to cancer when I was 10 years old. Although my heart misses him dearly I will never down play the impact he had on my life. The biggest lesson he ever taught me, was helping me develop a high level of work ethic. He taught my siblings and I the importance of hard work, ambition, and discipline. My dad was the type of person that would figure things out, even if he didn’t have a clue what the answer was. I remember so many times the equipment we had to practice our sports with were hand made by him. He was the type of man that went back to school after already having kids. The type of man that even when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, beat the odds and lived for 2 whole years all while still being present in his kids life. I remember him still being at my softball games no matter what.
As a kid, most of my favorite memories I had of us were times when I was outside practicing a sport with him or learning something. When he passed the best way I understood how to cope was too keep working hard to hopefully one day make him proud. Little did I realize that as I got older, it would turn from working hard to make him proud to just being proud of myself, the type of person I am, and all I am blessed to continue to accomplish.
Even now, writing this article, it gives me a wonderful opportunity to think of him with gratitude for the person he was. Although I know he wasn’t perfect, to me I wouldn’t of accomplished all I have without his guidance because he and my mom were the ones that laid a foundation for me. Now that I’m older, as Bruce Lee said “Absorb what is useful, discard what is useless and add what is specifically your own.'” That is what I’m doing but even as I adapt through my own personal development journey work ethic is still my number one core value. Making sure I’m continuing to be the hardest worker in the room and even more the best me I can be.
Work ethic first started with doing my best in school, then it turned into dreaming of playing college softball. Even when college colleagues of mine would make fun of my work ethic and sarcastically call me an “overachiever” behind my back and to my face, I kept my focus. My work ethic, drive, and ambition grew and I went from a walk on to earning a athletic scholarship. Post college when I became a first time mom, with the help of her father we were able to work our butts off to be both first time parents and entrepreneurs. Work ethic might look slightly different in each season of my life, but it’s always at the core of me.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am the owner of Tail Swaggers. We are a structured doggie daycare that focuses on combining fun and dog training into your dog’s week day while you’re at work. The most exciting part is watching our Swagger dog’s learn and grow over the years. Most of our Swaggers arrive just a big ball of playful fun. Happy but with no understanding of what their owners want from them. We help lay a foundation of basic commands and mindset skills that help the dog’s transition into real world scenarios at home much better. As much as we help train the dogs, we also help the owners learn too. We help show them how important every interaction with their dog can be. We also help them see how sometimes what they are doing or have been doing is actually hindering their dog’s progress but of course we offer some alternatives to show them better options to choose from and different ways to help get the desired behavior they want with their dog. We teach them how structuring their dog’s day can be helpful and eventually lead to more freedoms. We do our best to help them develop the type of relationship they desire with their dogs. With consistency on both our end and theirs it’s amazing to watch the owners and their dog develop better communication and live a more stress free life at home with their dog.
My daycare is all about helping to create healthy habits to live a healthy overall life. If anyone has ever read or heard about the book Atomic Habits, you’ll understand how important that is. I believe healthy daily habits are even more crucial with our dogs since over the years we have domesticated them to live within our social norms and world. It’s important we help them learn so they are safe and can live a long and fulfilled life with us.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The first skills, is developing work ethic. If you want it, go get it. If it’s not out there, go make it. Learn that YOU are the ONLY one who can fulfill the dreams, desires, or vision you’ve been given. You will only go as far as you are willing to commit.
My second is Have faith. I am still new to my relationship with God but I can tell, I wouldn’t be here without him. Every time I didn’t see a way, He made a way. When I was a new parent fresh out of college, living pay check to pay check, some months I didn’t know where next months rent was going to be but it came. Over time I started to realize, I had to start believing. Because even when I doubted or worried, something good came from what ever struggle I had. When I lost my dad, one of the most dramatic things to happen to me, something good came from it. I was mad at God for a long time for taking away my father, but once I let go of that hate and opened my heart to start healing and understanding, things started happening. I’m doing my best to explain a concept I’m still new too, but I can say my faith keeps me going. It’s something I lean on when I don’t have the answers. When I need someone to talk to, when I feel hopeless. It keeps me strong and gives me strength. If you’re not a believer that’s totally fine. Find something that works for you and your life.
Forgiveness, is my last one for you guys. I’m still working on this every day but forgiveness has helped me a lot recently. Learning how to forgive people who have done me wrong in my life was the first step. Now my focus is on forgiving myself. For past mistakes, or promises I didn’t keep to myself. You guys know how many times I started and stop a workout routine? A bunch lol. I used to be so hard on myself for small things. Most likely a down side to wanting and working to be the best. Forgiveness is not an easy tasks. It’s emotional and sometimes mentally draining but I believe it’s an important part of everyones journey. Maybe your journey is about forgiving someone that wronged you or maybe it’s simply about learning how to become comfortable with forgiving yourself for…”xyz.” I believe forgive helps you move on with your life in a peaceful way. It helps your release pint up energy so you can welcome more feelings of gratitude and joy.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Power of Now. It helped learn how to stop worrying all the time and learn the reason why I used to be a constant worrier. This book opened my eyes to how I am able to start taking control of my thoughts.
Did you know we have a choice to do that?? Yep! We get to choose which thoughts we deem useful, which we want to act on, and which we want to ignore. We also have the ability to not identify as our thoughts.”Emotion is the body’s reaction to the mind.”
Most people, including myself, allow their thoughts to control/consume their life, without realizing you don’t have to. You can be more present. I find myself continuously coming back to this book when I feel overwhelmed. It helps me remember how to become present in my life. “The present moment holds the key to liberation.” I hope you choose to pick up a copy of this book.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tailswaggers.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/tail.swaggers
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TailSwaggersllc/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tailsswaggers/
