Meet Tera Finley

 

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tera Finley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tera, 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.

I grew up in a suburb named Fridley, right outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Where lush grass swayed and cool water flowed during the summer, and cold snow blew for the other (practically) 3/4 of the year. Although I’ve lived outside of MN for the past 11 years, I am still prideful of my hometown, including the people I shared it with, and how it helped me become who I am today.
Both my parents had extremely traumatic childhoods. They grew up a couple blocks away from each other in South Minneapolis and met through mutual friends at the ages of 12 and 13. They married in 1991 and had me a couple years later, followed by my sister a few years after that. My mum always knew she needed to support the development of her two daughter’s confidence and self-esteem, especially in a world that could be so cruel. She didn’t want for anyone to have to go through what she encountered as a plus size woman. I remember being taught not to call someone the “F” word (fat) at the age of 4. The development of my confidence and self-esteem began the day I was born.
I was quite young when I realized how fortunate I am to have my parents. The amount of empathy, validation, words of affirmation, reassurance, support, kindness, generosity and pure love they showed me was more evident than ever when I began making friends as a teenager. My confidence and self-esteem seemed to be much more developed than my friends. I gave the credit to my supportive parents. Thanks mum and dad, I love you!
The other significant event that developed my confidence and self-esteem happened when I was a senior in high school. When I was a 18 years old, I wrote a 12 page research paper on body image in the media. I came across a study that directly correlated high confidence and self-esteem with one daily practice. This study said that if you look at yourself, naked, in a mirror for one minute per day, you will naturally gain confidence. Sometimes it’s hard to look in the mirror and fully love the person staring back. It definitely takes practice. I’ve been practicing looking in the mirror, naked, for one minute a day for the past 12 years and I still have low days. It takes strength to continue to validate yourself, which is why I like to surround myself with supportive family and friends as well. My confidence and self-esteem are two things I continue to develop and strengthen on a daily basis. It is forever exhilarating and humbling.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hi I’m Tera! Here’s a bit about me:
I grew up in the beautiful state of Minnesota and eventually made my way to Kansas where I earned my Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences. I packed up in 2018 and moved to colorful Colorado! January of 2024, I made a bold decision to follow my passion for sustainable fashion and opened my own business!
About my business & shop:
All the pieces in my online shop are upcycled, one of a kind and handmade (by me!) in Colorado Springs, CO. The fabrics I use are all either thrifted or donated to me. I am dedicated to promoting sustainable, slow fashion and reducing waste in the fashion industry. Check out my Instagram (@tlfupcycled) and website (www.tlfupcycled.com)!

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, there are three things that were most impactful in my journey. One being an area of knowledge: computers/technology. Technology has opened up a new world on many levels and I enjoy being able to utilize it. Practice is necessary with technology, it is forever evolving. My advice is to research as many videos/forums as you can before you give up on a tech project (like designing your own website). Sometimes it can be frustrating, but there is a lot of information on the internet these days; you’ll get through it!
Another thing that was, and continues to be most impactful in my journey is self-love. I believe high confidence and self-esteem are necessary to “live your best life”. My advice is to look at yourself, naked, in a mirror for one minute a day, thinking only positive thoughts about yourself.
The third thing that was most impactful on my journey is my number one Clifton strength: restorative. Having restorative qualities has been quite beneficial in my life. On the physical side of things, it has saved me lots of money. Mentally, it has helped me get through tough times and fix what went wrong. I advise to try fixing something before giving up and “throwing it away”, with things and relationships.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

The book: You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero has played an important role in my development. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom I find valuable quoted from the book:

“You are responsible for what you say and do. You are not responsible for whether or not people freak out about it.”

“You are perfect. To think anything less is as pointless as a river thinking that it’s got too many curves or that it moves too slowly or that its rapids are too rapid. Says who? You’re on a journey with no defined beginning, middle or end. There are no wrong twists and turns. There is just being. And your job is to be as you as you can be. This is why you’re here. To shy away from who you truly are would leave the world you-less. You are the only you there is and ever will be. I repeat, you are the only you there is and ever will be. Do not deny the world its one and only chance to bask in your brilliance.”

“What other people think about you has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them.”

“You are loved. Massively. Ferociously. Unconditionally. The Universe is totally freaking out about how awesome you are. It’s got you wrapped in a warm gorilla hug of adoration. It wants to give you everything you desire. It wants you to be happy. It wants you to see what it sees in you.”

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Jesse Fisher

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