We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Taneia Surles a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Taneia, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I want to start off by saying that getting over imposter syndrome was not a one-time situation. In fact, it’s not uncommon for me to have to overcome the feeling of not being a good enough writer at least once a month. After the first few instances, I had to change my mindset to easily remove thoughts of self-doubt from my mind. So, when imposter syndrome creeps up, I get off social media. Then, I immediately go to my portfolio to look at my previous work that I’m proud of or read testimonials from current and past clients. If that doesn’t work, I’ll shut off my laptop and read, color, or cook to clear my mind. It works every time!
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?
I’m a B2B/B2C s*xual healthcare writer, editor, and public health professional. I have a bachelor’s and master’s in public health. I’ve written s*xual health content for clients like Health, Healthline, Parents, Giddy, mindbodygreen, and Well + Good. I aim to create insightful s*xual health education that encourages people to have a healthy s*x life. I cover everything from reproductive diseases to tips on how to enjoy s*x when you’re an older adult. S*x is a touchy topic for many, and it is often swept under the rug. I want to be part of the movement that makes s*x a more open topic people can comfortably discuss out in the open.
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?
Adaptability, marketing, and perseverance. I would recommend that people be okay with change in their careers. Be open to exploring different career directions or passions. I would also say knowing how to market is important as well. A good starting point to market yourself would be on a platform like LinkedIn. Lastly, when it comes to perseverance, you have to stay positive in a world that holds many uncertainties. We live in a world where you can easily get laid off or lose a big client without any warning, so it’s important to stay optimistic and push forward.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
They have always been super hardworking and never settled if they were unhappy with their work environment. My dad, who has since passed, and my mom have always worked hard to provide for our family. They always made sure I had everything I needed and more but never let themselves suffer at a job they were no longer happy with.
As we now see with many of the layoffs in the journalism and tech spaces, employers can remove you at the drop of a dime. To me, this shows that no one should stay somewhere that no longer satisfies them.
At the time my dad passed in the summer of 2022, I wasn’t happy at the full-time job I was at. Almost every day, I dreaded waking up to go to a job that didn’t bring any positivity to my life. His passing gave me the motivation to take control of my life and what I wanted to strive for.
A few months later, I quit my job to do freelance writing full-time, and haven’t looked back since.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.contentbytaneia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contentbytaneia/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taneia-surles/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/contentbytaneia
- Other: Portfolio: https://taneias.journoportfolio.com/
