We recently connected with Charissa Lauren and have shared our conversation below.
Charissa, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
Resilience is interesting because it looks different for everyone. Every being has their own path, their own obstacles, and “lessons” as I like to call them. For me, being resilient was always the only option. I was determined to shape my path and find success for myself at a very young age. I started working at 13 and I really never slowed down since. I was very eager to create new opportunities for myself beyond what even my family was able to accomplish. I think to establish resilience you must have the will and the drive. The drive to do better, be better, and seek not only accomplishments, but purpose. When you’re aligned with who you are and what you stand for, you’ll find resilience within to overcome anything.
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?
For the last 12 years, I’ve been the go-to Publicist in the Northeast working with clients nationally and internationally. I started my first company when I was just 22. Thinking back, it’s funny how at that age my mindset was only on how to register an LLC and write a good service agreement. Most 22-year-olds are typically found at sorority parties. I was different, I suppose.
I loved Public Relations. It was a career that allowed me to explore my talents in journalism, event production, coordination, and editing. It really gave me it all and provided me with surreal experiences like front row at New York Fashion Week, too many red-carpet events to count, and many wonderful people were met. The industry was fast paced, which I adored, and gave me plenty opportunity to travel. Business came so naturally for me that I couldn’t imagine myself in any other world apart from Entrepreneurship.
PR and journalism will always be a part of my life. I have clients that will simply never let me go. I’ve formed long-term relationships with our clients – they’re family at this point and always on my Christmas card list! Now that I’m a mother, I have definitely grown more interests. I have 2 toddlers with 2 more (yes, twins!) on the way. I’ve found that entrepreneurship has been so important to me that I definitely want to instill that knowledge into my own children. In addition to PR, I’ve been really working to branch out into real estate and the party industry. I want my children to have the opportunity to build a brand with me, something they can see, and do, and touch. I don’t want them to only see mommy behind a computer, but create something magical and tangible that they, too, can be a part of!
Family is so important to me. I love being a mother and having a big family. There’s truly nothing more meaningful or important than the bit of future that you create yourself. As I’ve grown in business, creating a lasting legacy and future for us all is a priority. Entrepreneurship allows you that. If you can create something for your children to be a part of, if you’ve created a bit of our future, that, to me, is real success. At the end of your life, you can sit back with children and grandchildren surrounding the Christmas tree knowing that you not only created a family – but you also created a life.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1.) Tenacity and Persistence. Quitting doesn’t get you anywhere. If you have the will to do something, keep going. If you believe it’s possible, then it is. Finally, many people will have opinions when you’re on a different path – don’t let this stop you.
2.) Gumption. I’ve always held the ability to ‘figure it out’ and I believe this is one of the most important skills a person can acquire, especially in business. No one taught me how to file for an EIN, register an LLC, build a business model, create a magazine or do nearly anything that I’ve done in my life. Yet, I have superb research abilities and if you can research, you can learn just about anything in this world. We are privileged with access to endless knowledge these days, use it!
3.) Introspection. I will never be the type of person to point fingers at everyone else around me, or blame anyone for anything. You can always tell a wise person from a fool from their ability to self-master. If you’re constantly looking within (“how could I have been better”) you’ll find that you will continue to grow wiser. A person who places blame or points fingers in not in touch with their true selves.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
This question called to me. Mental healthcare is so important for everyone but not everyone realizes what that means. I think the more self-aware you are, the greater your ability will be in achieving life’s obstacles. You really have to be in touch with yourself – your strengths, your limits, your weaknesses. In my life, I have absolutely had feelings of overwhelm. I’ve had a lot of responsibility, both in business and personally, and I think more responsibility comes with a greater likelihood that you will be overwhelmed at times!
There are a few things I say to myself when things get really tough, and I’m pretty sure I’ve had a pretty rough path at times! “The only way out is through.” and “This too shall pass.” Not everyone is a spiritual person, but I am. Not religious necessarily, but spiritual in the sense that I really believe life is one big soul lesson. I understand that life comes with many seasons (good and bad times) and that my job is to lead with integrity and continue to try to be the best human being I can, even if those around me aren’t exactly gracious or kind. It’s important to realize that bad times don’t last, but tough people do. It all goes back to the self-relationship, if you’re true to who you are and you’re sure of your purpose – those overwhelming moments won’t last. Establish this mindset and you can overcome overwhelm.
Another strategy I’ve used to deal with overwhelm and stress came with wisdom. I played the hero-role for a long time in my life. I never let things shake me, I would just keep going and going and going. I never healthily processed difficulties and would just push myself further. Life taught me that the way I lived in my 20’s was not only toxic but mentally unhealthy. I’ve found that if I’m stressed, sad, overwhelmed, etc. I let myself feel that emotion. If I need to cry for a day, I let myself cry for a day. The next day, I get myself back up and going again. I no longer ignore or shove aside my emotions because emotions are necessary in the comprehension and human processing. I think it’s important for people to realize that we have to process what we’re feeling – emotions are warning signs from our physical body. Let yourself feel, then get back up the next day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charissalaurencollective.com
