Meet Tonya “Tee” Tyus

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tonya “Tee” Tyus. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tonya, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

Because interpretations are personal, resilience can mean many things to different people. To better answer this question, I first had to look up the word. Therefore, I’m pulling from the American Psychological Association’s definition, “Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”

Based on that definition, I get my resilience from my upbringing. They say it takes a village, and I believe I am a positive result. I was raised in a home full of tough-love, laughter, music, structure, and the word “no.” (Tough love = treating a person sternly or harshly with the intent to help them in the long run.)

While inside the home lacked empathy, the environment outside of the home showered me with it. This balance gave me resilience at an early age and taught me that regardless of the obstacles, there are multiple ways to achieve whatever goals I had/have for myself. After hearing so many no’s as a child, I gave myself more yes’s in my adult life.

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?

As a child who developed a stuttering issue, I got into writing to avoid talking. Once the stuttering subsided, writing became my passion. Simply put, I LOVE telling fact-based and creative stories. Fast forward to 2020, I opened Writing Waves, a copy and content writing business:

“Writing Waves, where No Wave is the Same! As a storyteller at heart, I surf the ocean of words, navigating sentences with empathy, & crafting persuasive content that resonates with your target audience.”

I find joy and peace in telling the tale for myself and others. Through copy and content writing, I’m allowed the space to do so.

However, living in high-priced Southern California, opening a writing business to promote other brands/companies during a pandemic wasn’t the best entrepreneurial idea, lol. Thus, I maintained my full-time job in the accounting industry, making Writing Waves my part-time career. To date, all is the same, and I appreciate the clients who have come, gone, and stayed with Writing Waves. They challenge me, and it’s been a very rewarding journey.

I, currently, have space for two more clients if anyone is interested in “taking a dip in the Lounge Pool of past and present word surfers.”

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?

Someone once told me, “You have to DO, to GET.”

So, my advice starts with action words. Three impactful pieces in my journey were and continue to be:

– Self-educating to keep up with ever-changing times
– Putting knowledge into practice (knowledge is NOT power until it is applied)
– Betting on myself (my skills & talents) because, for me, imposter syndrome is not an option

Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I disagree. You will have to work to reach whatever goal you choose for yourself. Luck may or may not happen, and if it does, it will run out.

I chose writing as my career path and let me tell you, IT’S WORK!

– Keeping multiple client deadlines = work.
– Switching creativity between industries that do not coincide = work.
– AI-based writing in direct competition with my writing = work.

Yet and still, I love it! Odd, I know.

Why do I love it? Because I know I possess storytelling skills unique to my clients and different from others, including AI. I rely on my strengths. I continue to strengthen my weaknesses through consistent learning and introspection. Simply put, I don’t sleep on ME! Resilience comes from within and I harness it daily.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

As the adage goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

I admit that being a full-time employee and a part-time entrepreneur definitely opens the door to feeling and being overwhelmed. When this happens, because it happens often, I take a step back from everything. I retreat in one of the following ways:

– Catching up on missed TV shows.
– Checking in at the closet AMC theater. My favorite genres are comedy, action, and drama. If I can get a dramedy or action-drama, even better!
– Sleep or at least spend a day in bed not thinking. I think the young people call it “Vegging out.”

Whichever option is chosen is time away from my responsibilities. The time is spent relaxing my mind, body, and soul while, also giving me the recharge needed to get back on the typing surfboard and write waves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://writing-waves.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/tees_waves?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WritingWavesLA
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/writing-waves/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@beachsidestreams

Image Credits

Each image was commissioned or taken by me. Therefore, I am the sole owner of each image.

With my permission, I allow Bold Journey to publish at their choosing any and all images that best fit the resilient narrative and Bold Journey’s ultimate messaging, with allowance to brighten dark backgrounds for better viewing.