Meet Shanika Carter

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shanika Carter. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shanika below.

Hi Shanika, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I believe my resilience comes from being told I couldn’t do something several times in my life by insignificant people or even being categorized as not possessing whatever that “it” factor was for me to succeed and do what I set out to do.
I grew up in a predominantly Black city (Muskegon Heights, MI), where our community has always been connected to being a struggling community. I went away to college (Michigan State University) where I did indeed struggle and had to work and prove my worth after being recessed for a short time; even once I worked my way back into being accepted to complete my program, I had professors deny me access to classes based on “my kind” not usually passing these courses. That did not prevent me from completing my Bachelor’s degree.
When I decided down the line to apply for graduate school to further my education, I was told by people I admired and trusted that I shouldn’t apply because they knew my struggles before and didn’t think I would graduate, which I did get accepted into Grand Valley State University’s (GVSU) graduate program and earned my Master’s in Communications degree. I then started freelance writing and started The Write Flow & Vibe LLC when I wasn’t getting hired for the type of jobs that I eventually gained experience and the clientele through my dedication to working my business.
I am also now a full-time professor at GVSU in the Communication Department, using my expertise that I’ve gained over the years to teach the newer generations of students. Did I always know that my life would take these twists and turns? No! But I followed my gut and relied on my faith that these opportunities presented to me, even if others did not think I was good enough for them, were for me. I did not let the struggles define and prevent me from moving forward; they were welcoming challenges.

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?

I turned 50 this past August, which has been a big time of reflection and change for me – this includes rebranding my business, The Write Flow & Vibe (www.writeflowandvibe.com) and rethinking my next chapter professionally.
When I started teaching, my initial plan was for it to supplement my business, but I discovered I loved it! I also noticed that my business was feeling more and more like work instead of the initial feeling of enjoyment I had for what I was doing, so I knew it was time to make some changes as I approached my milestone birthday.
Besides the focus on higher education in my teaching career, it has also become a part of my business; I have been sought out to research and edit more academic-related projects. I have also decided to rebrand my business by implementing more writing and career-related workshops, events, and speaking engagements. This includes holding an inaugural writing retreat this year. I had spent so much time assisting other authors that it had taken time away from my own book writing goals. I’m thrilled to have gotten the chance to complete my second book this past fall, and I’m looking forward to my upcoming book signing in early April. So, 2025 will be an exciting year of bringing things back to life (self included!) that I had put off to the side.

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?

The three most impactful areas for me have been learning, reinvention, and determination – all have played a big part in bringing me to where I am currently in my life’s journey.
It took me quite some time to step out on faith and get to this point in my career where I finally feel I am where I am supposed to be. There were so many jobs, tests, and experiences along the way, where I knew I wasn’t supposed to be for the long term, but I’ve picked up, learned, and gathered something from each experience (good or bad) that has helped me get to where I am now. Even through the tough and challenging times, there were lessons learned. So, my advice is to take in every experience fully, putting forth your best effort; you’ll be surprised how what you’ve developed or learned ends up coming to use when you least expect it.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

This is something that I continue to work on improving, but lately, I have learned how to say “no” more. I find I overwhelm myself by trying to take on too much or trying to be everything to everybody; this has been both personally and professionally.
I have been proactive in giving up some things that I felt were causing me more stress than I needed in my life, as well as setting aside times for regular self-care, ME time, and quality time with those people in my life who genuinely support and uplift me.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Productivity
Where do you get your work ethic from?

We’ve all heard the phrase “work hard, play hard,” but where does our work ethic

Productivity
Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity

Productivity
From Burnout to Balance: The Role of Self-Care

Burning out is one of the primary risks you face as you work towards your