We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michelle Ivette Ponce. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michelle Ivette below.
Hi Michelle Ivette, 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.
My optimism comes from my identity. It’s who I am at the roots, and it comes from the values embedded within me, inside the ancestral legacy that I have inherited. It comes from the fertility and richness of the land that I come from. Optimism was embedded in me when as a child I tasted sweet fruit that grew everywhere. The promise of ripened perfection, a juicy mango, a refreshing pineapple, a soft coconut. Optimism was in the warm smile of the grandmothers everywhere as I grew up in Puerto Rico, always quick to sprinkle a prayer of protection and a blessing over me. There existed much to be grateful for and as a culture, we all learned optimism through resiliency. Whatever hardships we experienced we coped with music, laughter, love, and comradery. Optimism became a way to survive and eventually thrive. My optimism comes from my people, and the abundance of the land that I grew up on.
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?
My work is about celebrating and advocating for healthy communities and families. I love to use my experience as a community organizer and advocate to bridge gaps between communities and cultural groups and entities like nonprofits and institutions. As a birthworker I learn the resources and support systems families need as they go through transitioning into parenthood. Learning ancestral modalities and holistic tools to support Black and Indigenous families of color, as they work through challenges and barriers to healthy births and postpartum experiences. As a birth justice advocate I learn how policies affect the health and well-being of communities, and I get excited to understand the details that help improve our communities’ well-being. I get the honor of taking valuable information that empowers individuals to become informed and committed to practice civic engagement to improve their lives. Working with individual artists and artistic groups is also a lot of fun for me – I get to see them get more confident and become better stewards of their work and their value as artists. I love to motivate them and provide resources to help them along the way on their career and journey as artists. Now I offer my services as a consultant and as a healing support system, offering hypnotherapy and spiritual life coaching, and more. Healthy, and empowered communities are my passion and fuel me!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three skills or qualities that are most impactful in my journey are deep listening, celebrating others, and taking time to prepare oneself before any event or interactions. I’ve found that listening to others in an intentional and focused way really allows people to feel seen and heard, and opens up the door to deeper connection and trust, which is very helpful in business and networking. Celebrating others accomplishes the same in that people respond well to being noticed for something positive; it improves morale across the board and is such an easy thing to do. And preparing oneself before interacting deeply with others, whether at a meeting, a presentation, or an event, is preparation step that allows us to focus on our intention and goal for that situation. What experience do we want to have, what are we hoping to gain? How do we really feel about this encounter, this situation? By exploring these questions we can understand what is in our mind and heart, and how to regulate any fears or doubts about ourselves or our success. Developing these skills are some of the most important things to work on, especially early in your journey. The opportunities, wisdom, and perspective you can gain from these practices will give you a leg up on meeting the world with strength, ease, and purpose.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed I let everything go by taking a deep breath, close my eyes, and open them again to find a piece of nature to look at. It can be a leaf on a plant, or a tree outside my window, or a pet. And if there’s nothing living around me to look at and contemplate, I start to look around the room for light reflections on the wall or floor. How does the light look? What shape is it making? What’s causing that light reflection, where is the light or shadow coming from? While this doesn’t fix the problem or provide any solutions, it does regulate me and my nervous system enough to get my mind out of catastrophic thinking, and calm my worry. This tool is so easy that sometimes I forget to use it, and it always works!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sanapueblo.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleiponce/
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