JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE PRESENTS OUR SEPTEMBER WOMEN EDITON
DARE TO BEGIN THIS SEPTEMBER EDITION IS ABOUT CELEBRATING WOMEN DIVERSITY, INDIVIDUALITY, AND RECOGNIZING WOMEN WHO INSPIRE, MENTOR, AND EMPOWER OTHER WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
WHO WE ARE. Welcome to Just Begin Magazine! Our philosophy is to JUST BEGIN on whatever makes you happy. Just Begin Magazine celebrates all that’s good in the world. With our platform, we will share positive news and wonderful people.
"If you Just Begin you'll never have to question if you didn't start...”
Our mission is to inspire change for the environment, community, sustainability, and creativity by covering everything workplace wellness, industrial health and safety, holistic living, clean beauty, living sustainably, travel, environment, and happiness. By our magazine being digital, we are reducing waste and helping those around us become more eco-conscious. We’re also committed to giving back by donating to a charity through our giving back program in every issue.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | I
CONTENTS JUST BEGIN TEAM 01
MELISSA DIAZ
02
ANAILIS DIAZ
03
SAMANTHA DIAZ
04
MARI DIAZ
LEADERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE 37
ROYO'S LEADERSHIP MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITHIN MIAMI DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
39
INTROSPECTION, SOUL-SEARCHING AND SELF-ANALYSIS
DOCTORS TO KNOW WHAT WOMEN CREATE 06 09
WOMEN OF SEPTEMBER
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN STARTING A BUSINESS OR PURSUING A PASSION?
HAPPINESS 18
5 GREAT HABITS TO HELP YOU BE HAPPY
20
HOW TO PRACTICE POSITIVE SELF-TALK
23
BLACK HAIR IN CORPORATE AMERICA
25
36 LESSONS IN 36 YEARS
45
DR. MARISEL MEDINA
47
DR. TOSCA KINCHELOW
48
DR. SOPHIA DEBEN
50
BUT I DON’T WANT TO RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL!
HOLISTIC LIVING 54
THE FASTEST PATH TO SELF-INSIGHT
57
6 SELF CARE IDEAS TO DO AT HOME
59
EMBRACING THE WOMEN FROM WITHIN
61
ANNIE THE ALCHEMIST: A SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEUR HEALING OTHERS DURING A PANDEMIC
GET TO KNOW THE CEO 29
SHANNON STEWARTSON
32
ROBIN FIELDING
34
JENNIFER DAVISON
BE INSPIRED 65
EMILY VILLAFANE - AN ANGEL ON EARTH & HOW ANGEL HUGS FOUNDATION BEGAN
67
WHAT DO TOU WANT? WHY DONT YOU HAVE IT? EMPLOYEE TO CEO
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | II
EDITOR'S NOTE World famous athlete Serena Williams said, “The success of every woman should be an inspiration to another. We’re strongest when we cheer each other on.” Sharing stories is one the most powerful tools we have to inspire one another. My goal with our What Women Create Special Issue is to take the opportunity to highlight women through their creative spaces with inspirational stories. In this issue you will get to read relatable examples of women running their own businesses, launching their first business, how they maintain a healthy work life balance, and so much more. While each woman’s story is unique, their messages are universal. I hope you leave after reading this edition inspired and ready to collaborate with the women in this community!
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | III
JUST BEGIN
THE STORY OF JUST BEGIN Like any business Just Begin Magazine has gone through many phases. The idea first began back in 2011 when Mari Diaz began her In Touch Awards and In Touch with Today’s Workers’ Compensation Magazine. The magazine eventually faded away but the In Touch brand remained. Mari asked Anailis and Melissa to begin working on the relaunch of the magazine in 2018. They recall her introducing the brand and giving them the ability to run and make it happen. Over the next two years, we went through many different phases of what we wanteed to convey, the branding, and what was our goal for the magazine. We knew we wanted it to be intentional and not just like any other magazine. We wanted it to be different.
While the magazine was evolving, we were also do the same as people. Mari had put her health first and went back to school to become an herbalist. Anailis pursued her dream and opened her event planning business and Melissa graduated from college with a degree in English with a specialization in professional writing . She needed an outlet to share her passion.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | IV
So, fast forward to today, we all believe that things happens for a reason and timing is everything. Back in 2018, we were not all ready to embark in a magazine like Just Begin because we weren’t practicing what we preached. In 2019, we spoke again about the magazine and we realized we needed to stop waiting. We wanted to get the magazine off the ground and out to the world. We all asked ourselves, "what should we name it?" Melissa said “Just Begin” and it was as if we all realized at the same time that it was the perfect name. We didn’t want to wait anymore for our dreams, it was time for us to make them a reality. We needed to JUST BEGIN! You can say we just began because you’ll never know what something could be if you never start!
COLLABORATION OVER COMPETITION
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | V
OUR TEAM
SAMANTHA DIAZ
MELLY DIAZ
Chief Photography Editor, Phootographer, Graphic Designer & Writer
Editor in Chief & Associate Creative Director
ANAILIS DIAZ
MARI DIAZ
Senior Editor & Writer
Executive Creative Director & Founder
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | VI
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE YOU’VE MADE IN YOUR CAREER/LINE OF WORK? I would say my health I used to always put work over my wellbeing but I've learned that I need to take care of myself first in order to work productively.
NAME A FEAR OR PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE THAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT? A fear I have is letting anyone down on my team. I like to always be there for everyone.
IN MOMENTS OF SELF DOUBT OR ADVERSITY, HOW DO YOU BUILD YOURSELF BACK UP?
MELLY DIAZ Editor & Chief WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? I wanted to be a fashion designer/Stylist I would steal all my moms magazines and in elementary school my teachers would let me read magazines during lunch time and ask me style them. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR WORKSPACE? I love that I have great lighting near my desk. Lighting is super important to me. WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? Having the ability to work anywhere I want. Traveling is essential to my life so I need to have access to decide to travel whenever I want. WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER CREATIVE WOMEN?
I tell myself to look back on how far I've come and the work I've put in to bettering myself and it instantly inspires me.
WHICH OF YOUR TRAITS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? My creativity and loyalty to others.
IF YOU WERE MAGICALLY GIVEN THREE MORE HOURS PER DAY, WHAT WOULD DO WITH THEM? I would use that time to have a better morning routine because I feel like my morning go by too fast.
WHAT QUOTE OR SAYING INSPIRES AND MOTIVATED YOU TO BE YOURSELF AND DO WHAT YOU LOVE? Don't adapt to the energy in the room. Influence the energy in the room.
I admire women who enjoy collaborating with others and creating together. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 1
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE YOU’VE MADE IN YOUR CAREER/LINE OF WORK? Before becoming the full time marketing director with CIA, I was an Associate Producer for CBS Miami. During my time at the station, I lost a lot of time with family while trying to build a career. I quickly determined that family was important and I was missing out on that time so I made a career change. I realized that years would pass and when I had a family of my own, I would soon miss out on their activities so it was time for change. NAME A FEAR OR PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE THAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT?
ANAILIS DIAZ Senior Writer & Founder WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? I always said I wanted to be a lawyer but that quickly changed when I discovered journalism. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR WORKSPACE? I love to create. I love having an open space and creative freedom to be creative and unique in my day to day task! WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? I’ve always worked hard to be successful. To me, success is having freedom and being able to do what you want. WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER CREATIVE WOMEN? Drive. I love to see women achieving their goals and being successful, never giving up!
Staying Engaged and Motivated! Sometimes it’s hard with everything going on to stay engaged but you quickly remember why you love your job and you are motivated! IN MOMENTS OF SELF DOUBT OR ADVERSITY, HOW DO YOU BUILD YOURSELF BACK UP? I reevaluate my worth and remember that I can do anything I set my mind to! I remind myself that I can do it! WHICH OF YOUR TRAITS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? The ability to learn. I love being able to do new things and challenge myself to do something new so I can grow professionally. IF YOU WERE MAGICALLY GIVEN THREE MORE HOURS PER DAY, WHAT WOULD DO WITH THEM? Self-care! I am a YES girl. I say yes to EVERYTHING and sometimes forget it’s ok to say no to take time for myself. WHAT QUOTE OR SAYING INSPIRES AND MOTIVATED YOU TO BE YOURSELF AND DO WHAT YOU LOVE? Remember to think big and always dream bigger! Anything is possible as long as you put your mind into it! JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 2
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE YOU’VE MADE IN YOUR CAREER/LINE OF WORK? The biggest sacrifice that I’ve made in my career is focusing my career goals before myself. Not a good idea.
NAME A FEAR OR PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE THAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT? The fear that I didn’t complete my “list” in a timely manner.
SAM DIAZ Chief Photography Editor, Phootographer, Graphic Designer & Writer
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? I always said that I would be a doctor but I can say that ideas/visions certainly can change overtime. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR WORKSPACE? My favorite thing about my workspace that I can be productive and creative at the same time in a convenient place. WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? Success to me is waking up everyday excited to be able to do the very thing that I love doing and feeling accomplished in achieving my dreams/goals and seeing the amount of passion, determination, and love into achieving those dreams/goals. WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER CREATIVE WOMEN? The ability to keep trying no matter how hard it gets, no matter how many people start doubting them and just seeing other creative women empowering each other instead of being against each other is such a beautiful thing to see. We are stronger together than apart.
IN MOMENTS OF SELF DOUBT OR ADVERSITY, HOW DO YOU BUILD YOURSELF BACK UP? Whenever I’m feeling self-doubt, I tell myself that I can’t let this negative feeling get to me, I need to keep trying no matter what and that it’s ok to feel negative about something but to know that I need to focus on the positives rather than the negatives and I always tell myself that I am capable of anything. WHICH OF YOUR TRAITS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? One trait that I’m most proud of is being able to complete multiple tasks at once in a very organized way. IF YOU WERE MAGICALLY GIVEN THREE MORE HOURS PER DAY, WHAT WOULD DO WITH THEM? I would use those three more hours to put more work into new ideas/projects. WHAT QUOTE OR SAYING INSPIRES AND MOTIVATED YOU TO BE YOURSELF AND DO WHAT YOU LOVE? “Fame is vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character.” This quote really speaks to me because everything can change just in a blink in an eye and that the only thing that actually endures is character. It’s about being my true self. Having character is to be honest with myself and keep pushing myself to keep trying new things and staying motivated no matter comes in my way. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 3
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE YOU’VE MADE IN YOUR CAREER/LINE OF WORK? At the beginning of starting my own business, I worked extremely long hours to point and sacrifice my health. I’ve learned your well-being and mental health is the most important thing you need to prioritize. NAME A FEAR OR PROFESSIONAL CHALLENGE THAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT? I have no fears or challanges that keep me up at night because success always comes from the willingness to never stop trying. You must do the things you think you cannot do and not worry about fear, worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try. .
MARI DIAZ Just Begin Magazine Creative Director & Founder, OM Healthcare CE0, Master Herbalist, MD Apothecary founder WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD? Don’t laugh, but I wanted to be astronaut and an actress! Ive always been a dreamer! WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR WORKSPACE? love my office and mostly because I’m surrounded by my herbs, flowers and lots of plants! WHAT DOES SUCCESS MEAN TO YOU? "I define success as living my true purpose and having a positive impact on the lives of people by uplifting them and inspiring them to think and act in ways that they may not have considered before." WHAT CHARACTERISTIC DO YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHER CREATIVE WOMEN? The characteristics I admire most in other women is their courage to speak their truth and not care what others think. I believe one should succeed by being authentic and make choices based on what you believe and not what others believe. We should always strive to be truthful with those around us. I also strongly believe in treating everyone with the same respect and acknowledging your mistakes, apologizing and working to correct them.
IN MOMENTS OF SELF DOUBT OR ADVERSITY, HOW DO YOU BUILD YOURSELF BACK UP? You have to believe in yourself. When you believe In yourself you overcome self doubt. We can’t control what happens but we can control how we choose to response. Like I always say I can and will. WHICH OF YOUR TRAITS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF? My determination and strength. Not being afraid of failure.There is no such thing as failure, only learning experiences. If you don’t fail you don’t learn. IF YOU WERE MAGICALLY GIVEN THREE MORE HOURS PER DAY, WHAT WOULD DO WITH THEM? It would be amazing if I had an extra three hours a day! So many things I can use these extra hours for! But most importantly I would use it to study and continue developing my knowledge of herbal medicine. WHAT QUOTE OR SAYING INSPIRES AND MOTIVATED YOU TO BE YOURSELF AND DO WHAT YOU LOVE? I can and I will. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 4
WHAT WOMEN CREATE Just Begin Magazine highlights the creative spaces of extraordinary women through inspirational stories. Each issue will inspire and motivate creativity.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 5
Answering the question: how do you empower other women? FOR FULL INTERVIEWS PLEASE VISIT JUSTBEGINMAG.COM
Tanyea Griffin I hope that I empower other women by my perseverance, encouragement and loyalty. It is important that we as women believe that we can achieve our goals and make a difference in someone else's life.
Estefania Viso I empower other women by training and working on becoming the best version of myself day in and day out. I am extremely intentional about my health, my attitude, my words, my routine and my skills because I know those are the drivers of joy, peace and fulfillment in my life! As I grow and develop myself first, I can then inspire other women with my presence and open the door to inviting them directly, or indirectly, into a journey of transformation for themselves. By believing and going after my own dreams, I naturally become a lighthouse that gives hope to others.My biggest mission is truly to light the way for them to DREAM without limits. Remember if I can do it, so can they!
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 6
Chelsea Strawn Each day, I work with my personal team of 18 women and an expanded team of colleagues and external professionals. I make it a point each day to check in on a minimal of 5 people to see what I can do for them. As the youngest person on my team, I am the most tech savvy, so I typically offer that sort of assist on a personal basis, but on a more personal level, I check on their well-being, offer encouragement and support and ways that they can make shifts to improve at home and work. We are in a such an unprecedented time and kind words, speaking life is so necessary.
Jane Allen I believe that you must always lead by example, celebrate the achievements of those around you. I tell my team that they inspire me and make me proud of what they do for our injured employees whenever I can. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world" - Erica Jong
Kristy Sands We stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us. I have been afforded opportunities by both men and women in the industry that have put me into a position that allows me to speak for underrepresented professionals. I challenge others to look beyond what they are capable of doing now and think about what better looks like, and then encourage them to take the next small or large steps to make a positive change.
Rima Arora Mostly, my clients are women, they trust my expertise when I guide them with my true intension and tell them my own transformation story. I inspire them because a woman has power to change the world around them by simply taking care of her ownself first.
Jeannette Lopez My friends would say I do a good job at keeping in touch regularly, even through small texts and messages. Whether I am just checking in, or sending positive vibes, or positive memes, I feel it is important to stay connected and it’s helpful to me as well to stay positive and motivated. We are all in this together and we should encourage each other to always look for the light in the dark no matter how rough the storm may be. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 7
Isabel Dovale By pushing them to be the best version of themselves. By providing support, coaching and mentoring that allows them to see their worth and how to believe in their abilities and talents. When a woman is confident and believes in herself all dreams and visions become reality.
Julie Fetherman I hope I empower women by being authentic and vulnerable while encouraging them to do the same. Living this way, we are forced to step out of our comfort zone and give up control to create a better world together.
Karen Ursulich I love to support them and their goals whether it is with positive affirmations, words of encouragement or by simply by sharing your struggles/victories in a positive and inspiring way so they may learn from the lessons.
Jackie Arbelaez I try to be positive, give credit and compliments to other women, as we need to be supportive of each other. We all are beautiful in our own ways and should empower and embrace one another.
Maxine Topper We stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us. I have been afforded opportunities by both men and women in the industry that have put me into a position that allows me to speak for underrepresented professionals. I challenge others to look beyond what they are capable of doing now and think about what better looks like, and then encourage them to take the next small or large steps to make a positive change. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 8
What would you tell someone who is interested in starting a business or pursuing a passion?
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 9
Just let go, believe in yourself, and do the DAMN THING! I cannot tell you how many times I've had windows and doors open for me but never crossed them. I cannot tell you how many times I've followed people's success that I admire and wished it was me. Why didn't I start earlier? Because of excuses. The perfectionism at some point has to be left at the door. (Imposter syndrome too). You must continue walking down the path and it may not always be the path most traveled. That's OK. We all have our own paths to walk with the same end goal: pursuit of happiness. BARBARA ESTRADA
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 10
Looking inward, my father’s journey was the catalyst that fueled my vision. The visual conditioning of ownership and self-employment showed me that becoming a CEO has nothing to do with education—it has everything to with confidence. The second dose of inspiration was my need to do more than just work—I needed to make an impact and my mother’s sudden death fueled that burning desire. MARGARET SPENCE
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 11
I would tell them to go for it and don’t look back. In life, especially in times such as these we realize that life is short. I would tell them to make a plan and go after what they want and that what they have to say or show to the world matters. TALIA BARREAU
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 12
Just Begin! Literally, start somewhere, there is never a "right or wrong" path when pursuing a passion. Put all fears aside, be always aligned with your band vision and in the longrun you would see the fruits of being perseverant. Do not underestimate the power of consistency and desire. Oh, and most importantly, spread good vibes only along the way ! VANESSA GARZON
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 13
Just start! Don't get caught up in the minutiayou are going to change fonts, color, etc. a million times once you launch. The postCOVID world we are living has a lot of resources for small businesses, from online education to capital, to take advantage of. TIFFANY JOACHIM
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 14
I would say START NOW, and be okay with investing in yourself. Invest in a good mentor/guide/coach to help you rewire your mental blocks, give you a guide to follow and help you develop the skills you need to reach your dreams. Don't be afraid to fail, forward, fast! NIA VISO
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 15
the best thing i ever did was believe in me.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 16
H A P P I N E S S Travel, Move, Eat, Think, Grow and Create
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE JOURNAL COVERS SOME KEY AREAS IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVING
Our mission is to inspire and empower you to make your world a happier place. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 17
5 GREAT HABITS TO HELP YOU BE HAPPY
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 18
1. BE HERE NOW. Make it a daily practice to take some time out of the day to spend in prayer, meditation, or just to be present in the moment during a solo lunch. Embrace the moments as they are happening, without any attempt at altering them in any way. I’ve found so much calm and peace when I allow myself to feel and participate in each moment.
2. VISIT AND REVISIT YOUR GOALS. You might have written down your goals or created a beautiful vision board at the start of the New Year. Since then, life has happened. Of course! It’s only part of it. But, taking time to revisit your goals on a regular basis not only allows you to check off the completed items – which is my favorite part! Visiting with your goals also serves as a motivating agent to push forward in completing the goals you realize you haven’t dedicated much time to.
3. UNDERSTAND IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. Life is a highly personal and subjective experience, yes. But! As you are experiencing your own personal life, don’t make the mistake of taking things personally. Other people are experiencing very different things at times, and it’s so important not to take on, and react to, what they are displaying behaviorally because of those perceptions.It is important to protect number one and to be happy.
4. BE CURIOUS. In each moment, although you have experienced much, assume you know nothing. Ask more questions. Learn more from others. Be open to the answers all around you.I’ve always been pleasantly surprised and humbled when I take this approach – I know a lot, but I will never know everything.
5. LISTEN TO HAPPY THINGS. On the way to work, I listen to Big Boy. He’s funny to me, and it’s a light-hearted way for me to start my day.I’ve tried listening to podcasts and just haven’t found one that has really stuck with me. I’ve heard they’re great, though. And, of course, listening to happy and motivational speakers is always a great option.
JUST BE HAPPY! IT DRIVES PEOPLE CRAZY! JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 19
HOW TO PRACTICE POSITIVE SELF-TALK
Many people don’t realize that the voice inside their head is a voice that can be holding them back if they don’t take note of what it says to them every day. We live in a world where everything around us is telling us that we’re not good enough. We go on social media to a slew of gorgeous women who have been photoshopped, slimmed down and are dressed to the nines. We turn on our TV to watch a slew of marketing commercials and videos of women who portray these unrealistic ideals of what females should always look like. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 20
Start saying positive self-talk
Ask yourself why you are telling yourself
affirmations every single morning.
these negative things?
Wake up every morning and say positive affirmations to
Instead of looking at the negative side of things look at
yourself. Although this seems like just a positive task there all the things that are going positive in your life. Do you is no limit to the long-term effects of this can have on someone. By telling yourself every single day that you are
have a house to live in it? Do you have a job that pays
worthy, you’re capable, and you can achieve everything
you every week? Do you have strong family and
you want, you put yourself in the mindset needed to
friends? Do you have health in your life?We have
achieve the things that you want to do.It’s no mistake that
become so used to pinpointing the one negative thing
the most confident people are the most successful. that’s happening in our lives we often forget to take Success doesn’t cause the confidence, it’s the other way around. If somebody believes that they can achieve
advantage of all of the amazing things that are
something and they will make the right moves for them to
happening to us.Take some time for gratitude feel the
get what they want.
positive things that are happening around you, and realize that there is so much more good than negatives.
Catch yourself being mean to yourself.
When you are able to clearly see what is good in your
Next time you find yourself waking up in the morning life, your energy shifts, and you become a more positive claiming you have nothing to wear, or looking at your hair stating that you hate it, take a second for some self-
person.
reflection. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 21
Even more, more positive things are drawn into your life. When you are positive, people who are positive want to be around you, they want to help you out, they want to take part in whatever it is you’re doing. And by creating that energy you start focusing on what’s good you’ll realize that you began receiving so many amazing things into your life.This is why positive self-talk is so important. I encourage you to incorporate positive self-talk into your daily activities. When you are kind to yourself, as you would want to be kind to any friend or acquaintance in your network, you feel empowered, you feel happier, and you realize that your achievements are limitless.
Remember to always,
LOVE YOURSELF FIRST! JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 22
BLACK HAIR IN CORPORATE AMERICA Six years ago, after having my youngest son, I decided to wear my natural hair. I can vividly remember the moment it happened, which occurred after being home on maternity leave for over four months. I took a good look in the mirror and realized that I had neglected my hair care routines. There was no huge homecoming moment, where I decided to wear my natural hair. For those who may not understand this concept, people of color use the term natural hair to refer to hair growing from the scalp that has not been chemically processes or straightened in any way. Between diapers, terrible twos, breastfeeding and sleep deprivation, there was simply no time for beauty salon appointments. I was swept up by motherhood with two children under two years old, so I embraced the new look without thinking how it could impact my workplace interactions or career growth. There is a long standing debate regarding black hair styles acceptance in the professional world due to societal norms. As my maternity leave was coming to an end, I quickly realized that I needed to find a better job to support my growing family. So as I interviewed, I consciously wore straight hair wigs to cover my natural hair because I feared that it would count against me.
This fear comes from a common unspoken but learned rule amongst black women to “Straighten your hair for the interview and only wear your natural hairstyles once you have secured the job.” That is exactly what I did. Very quickly I started to receive biased and unsolicited comments regarding my hair at my workplace. I have been asked if I “just rolled out of bed” and even told I look like I’ve been “electrocuted”. Such comments echoed in mind when getting dressed and ready for conferences such as the Prima Institute or WCI conference where I would be engulfed in a room full of working professionals. If you were to google professional hair today on the internet, it is very unlikely to find braids, locs, twists, and knots depicted. This lack of representation coupled with the long standing discrimination of race-based hairstyles in the workplace and schools has started encouraged legal action. Hair discrimination is a very common occurrence. To that end, the CROWN Act was created in 2019 to ensure protection against discrimination based on race-based hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles. It is outrageous that in the year 2020, we need legislation to wear and style our hair the way it grows out of our scalps.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 23
The media, societal norms and corporate America unfairly targets black hair by deeming it “unkempt”, “unprofessional” and/or “distracting”. Dove's CROWN Research Study, determined that Black women were 50% more likely to report being sent home or know of a Black woman who was sent home from the workplace because of their hair. Many feel compelled not to wear their hair in its natural state to fit in a corporate environment. In July of 2019, California was the first state to sign the Crown Act into law. Soon afterwards New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Colorado and finally Washington joined the effort. As of July 2020, the Crown Act was filed but did not pass in Florida. During a time where Diversity & Inclusion is a hot topic, it is likely that this legislation will resurface but we do not need a piece of paper to make us more accepting and conscious of others.
Two cardinal rules to start: (1) DO NOT TOUCH BLACK PEOPLE’S HAIR without asking for permission. (2) Stop thinking and saying that any texture other than straight is dirty, unkempt, unprofessional or distracting. In other words, do not offer unsolicited comments about black hair, unless those comments are uplifting and encouraging. Reprogram yourself to understand and accept the fact that how someone chooses to wear their hair is not an indication or reflection of their skillset.
WRITTEN BY TIA PIERRE WORKERS' COMPENSATION ANALYST MPA, CWC
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 24
36 LESSONS IN 36 YEARS By Claire Muselman, age 36
4. Problems do not simply need solutions…they need action items to resolve the problem and arrive at the solution. Create the action steps. Take the action steps.
5. Similarly, goals need strategic points with target dates. The loftier, the better. Everything is possible.
6. Laughter and a nap or good sleep can really solve pretty much anything. Oh, and make sure to drink more water.
7. People watching has become a lost art. We can learn so much from watching people interact from mirroring, modeling, and empathy. Put the phone down. Look up.
8. My daughter is starting middle school. This hit hard and came quickly…it was in this moment I realized the little movements were indeed the big moments.
1. Be kind. It really is that simple. No amount of degrees, achievements, awards, money, things, etc. will ever amount to kindness. How you treat other people is a direct reflection of you feel about yourself. Re-read that sentence. Let it sink in. 2. Water is the most important thing you can put in your body. Right now, go have eight ounces. You probably need it! (And I do too.)
3. Be protective of your bandwidth, your energy, and where you choose to put your decision making forces. There is a reason Steve Jobs was very basic in his clothing attire, he chose to put his energy and decision making power elsewhere. Drama will suck your bandwidth… choose carefully how you engage.
9. Self-love is crucial. Enjoy your own company and who you are. If you do not love yourself or enjoy spending time with you, how can you expect others?
10. Create family. Humans have this crazy way of circling the wagons of support when they need it. Build families often. They offer meaningful, supportive relationships outside the bloodline, and sometimes, stronger than any genetics could be.
11. Never underestimate the power of timing. 12. Smile. Even if you are on the phone or wearing a mask. Smiles can be felt head to toe and through vibrational energy. Pass it on! After all, most smiles are started by another.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 25
13. Minimize your time wasters. We all have the same number of hours in a day…where are you spending your energy? Have you reached the end of Instagram? Snapchatted everyone in your contact list? Minimize your distractions to maximize your life. You can find the time…if it matters. 14. Following the three Gs will get you everywhere: Grit, Grace, and Guidance. 15. Resilience is the most important attribute you can strengthen. Life will continue to throw curve balls. It is up to you to keep rising, time after time, like the sun. 16. Meditation is the kindest think you can do for yourself. (And easiest, theoretically…difficult practically…but we really should make the time!) 17. Water works better than coffee or caffeine. In my 20s, I thought this concept was crazy…and I still have problems practicing this, but in reality, when you need a pick me up with an energy post, drink some water and go for a walk. It works wonders! 18. Breathe. How many times do we ignored our iWatch and hit dismiss when it tells us to breathe? Take the moment for yourself, inhale the amazingness that is life. Exhale, relax your shoulders and repeat. 19. Focus is how things get done, no different than bandwidth or energy. Where you can hone in your focus is how tasks, actionable items, and strategic points get marked finished/achieved/done. Focus! 20. Spend more time in nature, outside, and get some sun! You will feel better. Nature heals, is incredibly beautiful, and getting outside puts your energy in a freeing space. 21. Organize: Time, life, and mind. The little things help. For me, I put outfits (yes, head – to – toe and jewelry) together 30-days at a time. Same for workout clothes. This leads to less decision making power/excuses when it is all laid out for you in advance. Put them on and go! Carpe diem!
22. Clutter. Feels. Heavy. If it is not currently adding value, bringing joy, or moving you forward, it is necessary to keep? Marie may not have been off…
23. Pain. Pain is always a lesson. Never waste pain. Embrace it, learn from it, sit with it, and move on. It is okay to be sad. It is not okay to turn yourself into a victim. Find productive ways to process being sad. Journal, sit with your emotions, and find a way to release.
24. Journaling is power. Journaling is a psychologically safe space to explore your feelings and emotions you carry inside. Let it out! Writing is cathartic. Try it. You will feel better. 25. Accountability. No one is going to save you but you. It is up to you to rise. It is up to you to want your success. It is up to you to put forth effort. It is up to you to design a life you love. Hold yourself accountable and show up! JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 26
26. Build a Board of Directors. These can be real people you talk to regularly or historical figures or family members with whom you would have seated as your counsel to listen, advise, and provide direction. 27. Celebrate wins… big and small. Celebrate your own and celebrate your friend’s wins! We all need cheerleaders in life and we need those people with whom we can share success. Pop the bottle and drink in the moment. For added celebration, make sure to add glitter and sparkles.
28. Trust yourself. Trust your intuition. If something feels off to you, it probably is! People, situations, decisions,… pay attention to yourself! Get quiet and get clear. You already know. The answers are inside you. Oh, my younger self, if you would have simply paid attention!!
29. Dress for you. I love high heels. LOVE. I have an awesome shoe closet. I like wearing high heels. I feel good wearing them. And good for me. Whatever your high heels are, good for you. Dress however makes you feel great… confident…and fabulous! PERIOD. 30. Similarly, do more of what makes you feel beautiful. I love wearing giant false eyelashes. It has become my thing. A male friend of mine recently told me he could tell they were fake. So… I love them! Do more of what makes you feel beautiful! 31. Elevate others. Always. We are better when we help encourage and inspire each other. There is enough prosperity and abundance for everyone. Too much content exists to make other people feel lesser. Make people feel more whole. Elevating others also increases your own frequency. While things are not always perfect, taking a 20,000 foot view to practice empathy and understanding will do a lot more for you, the other person, and can start a ripple effect. There is always another seat at the table. And you are always welcome to join mine!
32. You are only in competition with yourself. It is your duty to be a better version of yourself today than you were yesterday. Remember, someone else’s success or accomplishments do not dim yours. See #27 and #31. Be the best version of you! Love yourself! 33. Connect. Connect. Connect. Your story is not that different from mine. We all have connection pieces. An element of connection exists inside each one of us. We can all be human connectors making good things happen for one another. Connecting your circle to my circle makes a bigger circle of inclusion. Help one another…it all comes full circle. 34. Authenticity is a superpower. The more comfortable I become with who I am, the more the things that do not serve me fall off. Take the enneagram. Learn your love language, your attachment style, and your strengths. Truly know your authentic self so you can unapologetically improve and learn what you want. Awareness is a giant leap into forward momentum. The more you speak your truth, the more you can step into your purpose of what is meant for you. 35. Not everyone is going to like you. Not everyone is going to cheer for you. Not everyone will believe in you or want to see you succeed. And guess what? That is okay!! Those are not your people. CAUTION: There will always be someone who does not see your worth. MAKE SURE IT IS NOT YOU.
36. LOVE. Love yourself. Love others. Love your life. Love hard, love often, and love fiercely. The greatest gift you can give is love.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 27
don't adapt to the energy in the room.
influence the energy in the room. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 28
GET TO KNOW THE CEO
I hold a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration (MHA) from Ohio University and Bachelors of Science Degree in Radiologic Sciences from Adventist University. I am a Certified Medical Practice Executive (CMPE) and Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA). As an advocate for education and in support of an authentic desire to serve, I am honored to sit on the Board of Trustee’s for AdventHealth University and serve on the Board of Directors for our state Orthopedic Society (Florida BONES Society). I also volunteer time in mentoring upcoming healthcare professionals through the internship program at the University of Central Florida. At a personal level, I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother of three, and most recently a grandmother. My family is truly the driver behind everything that I do and without their love and support I would not be who or where I am today. Can you tell us about your early career and what was your journey like to get where you are?
Shannon Stewartson CEO of The Orthopedic Clinic Tell us a little bit about yourself! Let our readers get to know you on a personal level. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I moved to Florida in 1990 and have called myself a Floridian ever since. Since 2015, I have served as the CEO at The Orthopedic Clinic (TOC). Prior to joining TOC, I served in several leadership positions at top institutions, including: Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of MCR Health Services in Manatee County Chief Operating Officer at Coastal Orthopedics & Pain Management in Bradenton, Florida Vice-President for Advent Health’s outpatient imaging enterprise within the Central Florida market Market Manager/Director of Operations at Center for Diagnostic Imaging (CDI)
At a very young age, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare and commit my life to serving, caring for and making the difference in the lives of others. In pursuit of this dream, I obtained my degree in Radiologic Sciences and began my healthcare career as a Radiologic Technologist. Over the past 25 years, I have been incredibly blessed to have progressively grown in my career, serving in various roles ranging from staff technologist to senior level executive in complex hospital, outpatient and practice management settings. The most pivotal part of my journey was my experience at CDI, where I was given the opportunity to build several outpatient imaging centers from the ground up – from the design of the center to turning the keys over to the new center manager a couple of months after opening. This experience allowed me to touch and learn every aspect of leading a successful healthcare organization. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 29
What do you like to do with your free time? Any hobbies or passions? As a busy and committed executive, I have to continue to remind myself to “never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life – Dolly Parton”. As I get older (and hopefully wiser), I have done a much better job finding work-life balance. In my free time my number one joy is spending time with my family. On any given weekend you will probably find us out on the water soaking up the sun and taking in the fresh ocean air as we decompress from the previous week. Beyond that I enjoy traveling and experiencing new cuisine with my husband, along with an occasional escape to the spa. As a life-long learner, I am also passionately committed to my continued growth; so, I spend a great deal of time reading, learning, and mastering new skills. Do you have a mentor? Can you share the impact that person or people have had in your life? he greatest mentors I have had in my life are my parents, after 60 years of marriage they continue to instill strong core values in me, including an unwavering work ethic, loyalty, integrity, accountability, and compassion. These core values have guided me throughout my personal and professional life. Over the past 17 years, my husband has served as a trusted adviser, counselor, and is truly my rock. Again, I would not be who I am today if it were not for my family. I have also had the honor of working with many great professional mentors over the years. They taught me to be an authentic and resilient leader, along with helping me understand the importance of emotional intelligence as I progressed in my career. This has allowed me to be more adept at connecting with my team, understanding the needs, acknowledging and managing frustration, and identifying long-term solutions. Do you have a mentor? Can you share the impact that person or people have had in your life? In my current role, I believe creating a culture laserfocused on excellence has the most significant impact. Every decision we make impacts the team and the health and well-being of the individuals we serve.
I take my leadership responsibilities seriously and understand that I am a role model to others around me. As a result, I must make decisions and take actions with the highest level of integrity, honesty, respect, and fairness, while always doing what is in the best interest of the patients and organization as a whole. I continually challenge the team to set expectations for high performance, hold each other accountable, and stretch themselves beyond what they believe they are capable of. These efforts have resulted in marked operational, financial and customer service improvements. How would others define your communication style? Do you prefer to be close to your employees or maintain a healthy distance, and why? Others would define by communication style as assertive, meaning a healthy balance between not being too passive or too aggressive. Others have said that I am friendly, confident, articulate, approachable and encourage effective open, honest and transparent dialog. While I am sociable with my employees and like to get to know them at a personal level to understand what drives them, how they like to be recognized and what their goals are, I prefer to maintain a healthy distance. I believe it is important that the lines between leader and employee do not get blurred in order to remain fair and objective; thus, I set appropriate boundaries with my team. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it? The biggest challenge I have faced in my career was breaking through the proverbial glass ceiling. In an industry where women consumers make 80 percent of the decisions and represent 65 percent of the workforce, only 13% of healthcare CEO’s are women. I overcame this challenge through an unwavering commitment to excellence, creating a shared vision, engaging my team, working hard, continual growth, executing on key initiatives, and driving real change. The lessons learned have been countless; however, as women and leaders in the industry, we must promote, inspire, encourage, support celebrate, and build one another up.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 30
What’s the most enjoyable or fulfilling part of what you do ? The most fulfilling part of what I do is definitely centered around creating the best possible experience and outcomes for our patients. It is about making a personal connection with our patients as unique individuals, creating a compassionate and caring environment, treating them with dignity and respect, listening to and responding to their needs, and engaging them in their care plan to ensure the best possible outcomes. I am passionate about championing change that is focused on delivering the best possible experience for our patients and creating innovative solutions to transform the healthcare delivery system. Knowing that we are working together to achieve this common purpose is incredibly fulfilling. Do you have a mentor? Can you share the impactWhat makes your practice stand out from the rest?that person or people have had in your life? Without a doubt, the key differentiator is our physicians and the quality of care provided. The group is an incredibly well-respected and has a rich history of providing Orthopedic care to the community over the past 60 years. With a focus on providing the highest quality comprehensive care, the surgeons at TOC believe every patient, not matter who they are seen by, will receive the very best care possible. Our patient relationships are built on trust, confidentiality and honesty. Our surgeons deliver care in a courteous, compassionate and professional manner. While cutting-edge, the surgeons are conservative in their approach and only operate when absolutely necessary and when both the patient and physician are comfortable with moving forward to achieve the optimal outcome. How do you see the company changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change? We are experiencing dynamic changes within the healthcare industry that are requiring us to develop innovative solutions and make strategic decisions at an extraordinary pace in order to maintain our independence.
Over the past 5 years, we have experienced significant growth to prepare us for the future, including the addition of five (5) new sub-specialized physicians, expansion with two (2) new locations, addition of two (2) new Walk-In Clinics and the opening of wholly owned ambulatory surgery center. As our community grows the demand for our services continues to rise. As a result, we are working on breaking ground on a new main campus within the next two (2) years and adding additional sub-specialized surgeons to our team. As the leader of the organization, I will partner with our team in creating a strong group culture that is focused on executing on our growth strategies, leveraging collaborative relationships, building effective and efficient operating systems, containing costs, and delivering quality outcomes through value-based care.
Want to Learn More About The Orthopedic Clinic? orthotoc.com Phone (386) 255-4596 Fax (386) 254-6819
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 31
GET TO KNOW THE CEO
Can you tell us about your early career and what was your journey like to get where you are? I began my career working in the aircraft manufacturing field as a Customer Service Rep. At that time in South Florida the industry was shaky. A friend of mine said, "go into healthcare..it's recession proof". I immediately took some healthcare courses and was lucky enough to land a Secretarial Job with a large healthcare company. Over the next 6 years I was eventually promoted to Asst. VP for the Southeast (Georgia to South Florida). After some internal troubles I branched out and eventually found my home at Orthopaedic Center of South Florida. I've been her for 22 years and very thankful!
What do you like to do with your free time? Any hobbies or passions?
Robin Fielding CEO of The Orthopaedic Center of South Florida Tell us a little bit about yourself! Let our readers get to know you on a personal level. Although I was born in Brooklyn, NY, I moved to South Florida when I was just 11 years old. Consider myself a Florida girl with Brooklyn roots! I'm the proud mother of 2 grown (married) boys...no grandchildren but I keep hoping, lol!
Of course during these times, I had to adjust but I'm an avid live music lover! Love music cruises and live shows! Love the ocean. Everything about it!; beach boating/deep sea fishing, snorkeling! My passion is to give back. During the summer I spend most of my nights as a Zone leader for an organization called Seaturtle Oversight Protection for the past 7 years. I protect nesting mom's and make sure the babies make it to the ocean. I'm also very involved with Give Kids the World which is a village that provides a cost free carefree week for children with life threatening illnesses.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 32
Do you have a mentor? Can you share the impact that person or people have had in your life? My mentor was my grandmother. She was everything I wanted to be. Although she was a homemaker, she taught, me not by saying what was right or wrong, but by example. She always told me, it's not what you say, "it's what you do".
What’s the most enjoyable or fulfilling part of what you do ? Watching the practice and personally and professionally.
staff
grow
What makes your practice stand out from the rest? Our quality care and customer service.
In your current role, what do you believe has the most significant impact?
What makes your practice stand out from the rest?
I wear many hats, CEO, COO and CFO. Because of that there are so many moving pieces to succeed. However, there's no chance of success without a quality and dedicated staff!
Continue to evolve through innovation.
How would others define your communication style? Do you prefer to be close to your employees or maintain a healthy distance, and why? My style I'd say is open and available. If you care about your staff, listen to their ideas and concerns, they will realize the important value they have and want to succeed, for themselves, their families and the company. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it? There have been so many challenges that I have faced, however I cannot look away from what we are dealing with now. This pandemic has been challenging professionally and personally. To continue to try to run a business, care for patients and keep our employees as safe as we can as the rules keep changing...well, we're all in it together, aren't we.
Would You Like More Information on Orthopaedic Center of South Florida? Phone: 954-463-6344 Email: appointments@ocsfdocs.com
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 33
GET TO KNOW THE CEO
Can you tell us about your early career and what was your journey like to get where you are? My original journey started in the clinical department as an Orthopedic Technologist. I realized that my passion was on the administrative side about three years into my time at Vero Orthopaedics and began studying Health Administration. What do you like to do with your free time? Any hobbies or passions?
During my free time I like to spend time reading, playing with my goldendoodles and spending time with my family. Do you have a mentor? Can you share the impact that person or people have had in your life?
Jennifer Davison CEO of Vero Orthopaedics & Neurology Tell us a little bit about yourself! Let our readers get to know you on a personal level. I am a mom of two daughters and two Mini Goldendoodles Tory and Bella. I was born and raised in Ottawa Canada. I have been with Vero Orthopaedics for 21 years and have really grown to develop a passion for what I do. I was a dancer for most of my life and have taught all styles of dance (jazz, tap and contemporary for the last 15 years) I currently have a house divided with one daughter studying Accounting at Florida State and another studying Medicine at the University of Florida.
My mentor is the prior CEO to Vero Orthopaedics. She believed in me before I believed in myself and was my motivation to pursue the Administrative side. Approximately a year after I finished school she was diagnosed with Cancer and had to take an indefinite leave. I transitioned into my current role with her help while she underwent Chemotherapy. Unfortunately she passed away a year later. This forced me to take on the role of CEO without much experience at the time, however, the skills she taught me and the years we had together have shaped me into the Administrator I am today.
In your current role, what do you believe has the most significant impact?
Servant Leadership. I believe in serving others and taking care of my staff, physicians and patients first and foremost. They are what make our business succeed.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 34
How would others define your communication style? Do you prefer to be close to your employees or maintain a healthy distance, and why? I have a very Open Door communication style. I don't believe in chain of command and take the team approach to management. Staff can come to my office anytime and i'm happy to spend time talking with them. What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career? How did you overcome it and what did you learn from it? The biggest challenge was definitely taking on the role of CEO quickly and without much training. It has taught me that when life throws you challenges you need to keep pushing forward not matter what the obstacles are. What’s the most enjoyable or fulfilling part of what you do ? Knowing that I am providing the best Orthopedic care possible to the Indian River County community.
What makes your practice stand out from the rest? We have open access scheduling offering same day appts for patients and we work hard to recruit top quality well trained sub-specialized physicians to ensure patients are getting the best treatment possible. We also offer a one stop shop for all ancillary services (MRI, PT , DME) making It more streamlined for the patient.
How do you see the company changing in two years, and how do you see yourself creating that change? We are in the process of building and developing a 66,000 square foot building in Vero Beach with an Ambulatory surgery center. Our plan is to continue to grow and recruit additional top quality physicians to the community and be the Premier Orthopedic group for our residents.
Would You Like More Information on Vero Orthopaedics & Neurology? Phone: (772) 569-2330 Fax: (772) 569-8349
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 35
we are powerful when we empower each other.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 36
ROYO'S LEADERSHIP MAKING A DIFFERENCE WITHIN MIAMI DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS By: Anailis Diaz “I eventually took over the human resources department. So, When I left the Y after 18 and half years, I was the director of risk management and human resources.” After leaving the YMCA, Rosa began her leadership role at MiamiDade County Public Schools where she has shaped, changed, and built safe programs. Royo has been with Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 17 years. She began setting the example of what a program should look like. As the director for one of the largest school boards in the United States, Rosa has made her programs fun and unique. Rosa focused Meet Rosa Royo, a true superior within the Workers’ Compensation Industry. The Director of Workers Compensation for Miami Dade
on changing the Workers’ Compensation industry. “Deciding to focus on Workers’ Compensation was a decision that I wanted to change this industry. I wanted to have an impact. I did not view this
County Public Schools, currently manages a $30 million
industry as a ‘nice’ industry. The moment someone has an accident ,
program and has reduced lost time days from an average of
I realized you can go from employee of the week, to a week later
77,000 to approximately 25,000 lost time days per year.
not getting the necessary treatment. I believe that when someone gets hurt, and it's a compensable accident, then we owe them the
The Miami Native is a graduate of Barry University in Miami,
highest value of care that I can provide. I need to take care of them
FL. During her time studying, Rosa says, “I was a science
so they can come back to work.”
student in school and I ended up changing majors. I thought that I would lead student groups through Europe and focus on
To take care of her employees, Royo has launched many programs
art and language. I did two semesters in Italy and I thought to
during her time with MDCPS. In 2007, she launched a program
myself, ‘I need to do this for the rest of my life.’ I came back and changed my major and focused on language study but at some point I had to earn a living.”
called, The Rebuilding Me Program. The Rebuilding Me team has engaged the Transportation employees in fitness classes, nutritional education, and ergonomic awareness activities. Since its inception,
After coming back from aboard, Royo was working for the
Workers’ Compensation claims for Transportation employees have
YMCA and stayed on as professional staff. During her time
been reduced by 61%, resulting in a savings of approximately $2.7
with the organization, Royo developed new programs. “I
million dollars.
developed and ran programs. I developed a reputation for running safe programs at a time where kids were getting
“I was trying to provide health and wellness information to our
hurt.”
workers, particularly in areas where we had concentrations of accidents. So I thought, if we got this information to people, that
While developing these programs, Royo began doing the loss prevention and launched the risk management department within the local organization in Miami, FL.
they would make changes in their lives and that would allow us to prevent accidents and/or shorten the duration of an accident that did occur,” says Royo. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 37
Relationships for Royo are very important to her and her leadership role with MDCPS. “My relationships with the provider community is very important, along with my relationship with the injured worked, with the TPA, we all come to this as partners and it is important.”
As a leader, Rosa believes it is important for a leader to build relationships when leading a department. “We need to focus on changing the perception of what it means to have a Workers’ Comp claim.” After the program took off, Rosa was not happy with the results and a few years later, in 2016, she relaunched the program. Rosa began
With accomplishing her goals for the programs, there is a lot
providing trainers to MDCPS personnel. Whether they were Zumba,
to be proud of . When asked, what is she most proud of? “We
Bootcamp, etc., Royo and her team would send out the athletic
have proven with our model that you can do the right thing by
trainers to the work sites to work with people. “I wanted to get
people and you can provide high value care. At the end of the
people moving. I wanted to focus on range of motion, focus on
day, as a school system, you have to watch the dollar and we
balance, focus on increasing strength, cardio, this way they would be
have shown that we can do it. If you do it right, you will
in better health,” says Rosa.
actually save money. Hopefully we have shown that you don't need to cut care or cut services, you can provide good care.”
This program has had a great impact on claims. While the claims have been reduced by 61%, there are bigger things that have come from these programs. To get the employees to participate, Rosa began offering incentives to get them to join.
These incentives have had a ripple effect to what Rosa and her team have done. “One of the incentives we had the first and second year, was if you went to X number of classes, you would get a bicycle. We had a number of our folks from different parts of the county that won and they created a bicycle club. They would meet on Saturdays and ride. They developed relationships as co-workers that hadn’t previously existed.”
Rosa has always had a passion for helping making her the outstanding leader she is today. “I have a passion for service. I have a passion for helping people and that is one of the things that guides me personally. This is an opportunity to help people get through something that has happen to them.”
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 38
INTROSPECTION SOUL-SEARCHING AND SELF-ANALYSIS WRITTEN BY: MARGARET SPENCE
Introspection is not an emotional process but one that
family. We have the pressure of taking on a persona
Social conditioning would have you believe that fitting in as a “good girl” means you must be soft, pretty, welldressed, well-educated, and soft-spoken. But more importantly than the outward appearance, you must be lovable and seek approval from others. Your validation is social acceptance: being seen and not heard. We’ve had little time to decide what we truly want because we’ve spent our lives looking for our social place within our families, as well as social acceptance within our workplace. While you may have forgotten all the subtle forms of social conditioning in our lives, your mind hasn’t forgotten; it repeats the expectations of the role until you no longer notice them. You become oblivious to the damage this conditioning does to your relationships and
the minute we were born; we were either daddy’s little
ability to grow.
princess or mommy’s adorable baby girl. We’ve been
What did your social conditioning look like? How is it affecting you now?
allows you to evaluate and examine your thoughts and feelings. You and you alone know what you’re feeling— there’s no need to share this feeling with anyone but you must acknowledge the emotions within your mind and surrounding your career. Introspection asks what baggage have you been conditioned to carry and how is
it
showing
up
and
stopping
your
career
advancement. I know personally, the dilemma that most women face, we are the caregiver—the stalwart champion in our
asked to take on a role that others decided for us. Very early in our life, someone said, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and just as soon as they
Introspection demands that we look at our past to see
asked the question they provided us with the answer.
how it affects our present and how it will affect our future. Introspection asks us to unmask our hidden persona and live the life we want—through the lens of our baggage,
They then conditioned us to be the person they wanted us to be—even if you don’t think this happened to you, I can assure you that you’ve had some wellmeaning social conditioning that is derailing your career today.
despite our social conditioning. We can look at introspection through three lens—What defines you? What inspires you? What challenges you? JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 39
Looking at my career through the rearview mirror, I
Here was a man who could barely read and write, armed
can tell you exactly what defined my life— my mother’s
only with his technical construction skills, and the ability to
death on December 23, 1996 – I was sitting at my desk
outsmart and outbid his counterparts who had college
working as an adjuster when I got the call. I tell
degrees in engineering. His street smarts and technical
everyone there was my life before she passed away,
ability allowed him to maneuver and overcome every
and my life after. Before her death I was comfortable,
obstacle to develop a significant part of what is now SoHo
I had a career as a workers’ compensation adjuster,
or the Bowery District in New York’s Lower Eastside.
and I was on the path to sitting in that desk forever. I saw myself as a department manager: I loved my work
Looking inward, my father’s journey was the catalyst that
and my colleagues. My children were young; all I
fueled my vision. The visual conditioning of ownership and
wanted to do was be a wife and mother, have a
self-employment showed me that becoming a CEO has
decent job, and own a great house. For all intents and
nothing to do with education—it has everything to with
purposes, I was living to my full potential. I was not
confidence. The second dose of inspiration was my need to
uncomfortable. I had no desires beyond the boxes I
do more than just work—I needed to make an impact and
checked, and I had no intentions of unpacking my
my mother’s sudden death fueled that burning desire.
gifts. Then, she died. Introspection allows you ask yourself bold questions like I woke up from the shock of my mother’s sudden death
what do I want my impact to be? It give you permission to
to question everything I stood for and believed. I no
unpack, acknowledge, reflect, and let our baggage go. You
longer felt that my career was fulfilling. I wanted more,
cannot change the past. You can only affect the future—but
which meant I had to leave behind everything I knew.
you must live purposefully in the present.
Within six months of my mother’s death I quit my job, took a few months off, and happened upon what
The introspective question for you, what baggage have you
should have been my dream job as a Corporate Risk
been conditioned to carry, how is it showing up in your
and HR Director. My story could have ended there.
career, and how is it stopping you from living bolder? If not
Instead, the same day I started that job I also
now, when?
incorporated my company. My vision was no longer to be a worker beaver, I had decided to become a CEO. In retrospect, I can now answer what inspired me to make this bold move. It was a twofold dose of inspiration and challenge. My father, who had been a formidable influence in my younger years but a source of angst in my adult life. Arrived in the United States with a less-than-grade-school education, and after working as a bricklayer on the construction of the World Trade Center, started his own construction company.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 40
NEWS & EVENTS
BECOME A MEMBER OF JUST BEGIN Sign up on our website at www.justbeginmag.com ANNUAL AROUND THE WORLD
CEUS HOT TOPICS
WELLNESS WORKSHOPS JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 41
DARE TO BEGIN
What Women Create First Annual Awards To nominate, you must become a DARE TO BEGIN member at daretobegincommunity.com JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 42
LIVE, REAL-TIME, INTERACTIVE, CEU'S & WEBINARS
CEP VIRTUAL CLASSROOM FREE Continuing Education Units for Nurses, Certified Case Managers (CCM) Attorneys (CLE) and Workers' Comp Claims Adjusters
Presented by industry-leading experts with specialized knowledge in workers' compensation. To learn more and see a list of available speakers/topics or to schedule a FREE class contact ozzydiaz@ommktg.com JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 43
DOCTOR TO KNOW DON'T TRUST YOUR INJURED EMPLOYEES TO JUST ANY DOCTOR!
This feature is designed to highlight workers’ compensation doctors and practices following best practices and helping injured employees recover and get back to work in the most effective manner possible. Want to make a nomination a Doctor or a Practice? Submit it today! Go to justbeginmag.com
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 44
The American Dream Doctor to Know - Dr. Marisel Medina, MD By: Anailis Diaz
During their time in the jail, the brothers came across a Captain General who asked them, “Aren’t you Medina’s kids?”
Dr. Medina recounts her grandparents having a farm and helping the less fortunate. The General told Medina’s father and uncle that their mother would give him and his family food.“ He remembered how wonderful my grandparents were to his family and they didn’t starve. The guard told my father that he was forever indebted to the family. He later took my father and uncle out of the camp and sent them to an excursion in Spain.”
A month later, the Medina brothers came to New York and quickly moved to California. They worked 5 jobs to bring over their families from Cuba. A few months in California, the Medina’s experienced an earthquake and
DR. MARISEL MEDINA
quickly moved to Orlando, FL in 1969.
DPM Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Her father later started the first Cuban grocery store for Meet Dr. Marisel Medina is a Board-Certified podiatrist specializing in podiatric medicine at the Orthopaedic Center of South Florida. The surgeon was born and raised in Orlando, FL. Her parents originated in Cuba and later made their way to the United States in 1967 to flee the Castro regime.
the community in 1970. In 1973, Dr. Marisel Medina was born and she recalls growing up in the store. “I was born and raised in the grocery store, literally, my first words were 3 for .99 cents in Spanish. I didn’t say ‘mami, papi’ No, I said, 3 por 99 centavos. At 9 months, I was already
During an interview with Dr. Medina, she recounts how her
walking, I was in a playpen behind the register.”
father made his way to the states. “People think that my parents came straight to Florida from Cuba but it didn’t
Later, her father and mother started their own restaurant.
happen like that. They actually came in way of New York from
Many questioned why Dr. Medina did not stay with her
Spain.”
family’s business. “This may sound funny, but I saw the long hours, I saw the hard work and here I go and become a
Medina says her father, Rafael Medina, was against the communist regime and was placed in a concentration type jail
doctor. My dad wanted me to be an attorney. I was really stuck on if I wanted to do medicine or did I want to be an
with his brother. attorney?” JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 45
After successfully completing her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree, Dr. Medina went on to excel in a comprehensive, handson, three-year surgical residency program at Kendall Regional Medical Center in Miami, Florida. Medina says she was later introduced to Orthopaedic Center of South Florida where she became the first female doctor of the practice. In her free time, Dr. Medina enjoys a wide variety of sports including diving, yoga, cycling and running. She also is actively involved with many local charities, performing volunteer work and offering her time personally and professionally. Medina says she began shadowing a family friend who was an attorney who later became the first Cuban senator in the
As a mentor to students and the youth, Medina says “Practice with
United States. In addition, Medina says that she did volunteer
your heart. If you are getting into medicine because you want to
work within the hospital in the emergency room. “ When I went
make money, this not the field for you. If you are doing this, it is
to the hospital, I was in the emergency room, I was bilingual
because you truly have a calling and you truly want to help. You
and I remember one evening there was a kid that came in
have to have great heart.”
from a motorcycle accident. His ankle was snapped in half and I wasn’t sure exactly what it was. These podiatry residents came running into the emergency room and I was translating for them and the patient. I asked to go into the operating room to see what they were going to do and they said sure. I
“Practice with your heart and it will never steer you wrong”
put my scrubs on and I went in. I fell in love!” Medina was in the family business after high school before deciding to go to medical school at the age of 21. “My family always said they were going to support me in my decision.” Dr. Medina later received her undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. During her undergrad, Medina recalls working full time in the family restaurant and jewelry store. She then attended Barry University, receiving her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine in 2003. While at Barry University, she was the recipient of several awards for outstanding achievements in Biomechanics and Orthopaedics as well as in clinical
evaluation.
She
was
also
involved
in
many
organizations and volunteered much of her time to the local community, where she received various awards as well. “I was able to shadow people during my early years and that is why today I still teach. That is what got me to where I am today.” JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 46
Mindset is KEY Doctor to Know -- Dr. Tosca Kinchelow, MD By: Anailis Diaz
Meet Doctor Tosca Kinchelow, a board certified orthopedic surgeon. The mother of 4 has been in private practice within the South Florida area since 2007.
The New Jersey native attended Duke University as an undergraduate. She then attended Michigan State College of Human Medicine as a medical student, where she was awarded a research fellowship. After receiving her Doctor of Medicine degree, Kinchelow returned to her home state of New
DR. TOSCA KINCHELOW Hand Surgeon, Orthopedic Surgeon
Jersey and completed a Residency in Orthopedic Surgery, a year of Orthopedic Research, and a Fellowship in Hand and Microvascular Surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School.
Early in her career, Kinchelow says she may have focused more on getting an injury to 'recover perfectly.' “Now, I still do want to strive for 'perfect' or 'complete' healing and recovery, but not for perfect's sake. I want my patients to
The hand, wrist and upper extremity specialist says, “my goal is to not only properly diagnose and treat my patients' orthopedic
heal perfectly for them, for their wants and requirements in life,” says the doctor.
conditions but, with an energetic and straight forward style, also empower them and guide them to participate in their regeneration, restoration, and recovery.”
Dr. Kinchelow spent time living, studying, and volunteering in Bolivia, France, and Costa Rica before, during and after her college years.
So What is Dr. Kinchelow’s WHY? “I try to empower all of my patients to be active She says, “God has blessed me with the ability to have this career, to do this job, to take care of people. Every day, my patients look to me and trust me to treat their orthopedic issues, and guide them to a place of healing. It is an honor to help them, and I want to fulfill my responsibility by pushing myself to be better and more excellent.”
participants in their care. Being injured at work does not remove the responsibility each patient has to engage in her/his care, including being proactive in their treatment. Mindset is key, and the more proactive and participatory the patient is, and the more realistic the expectations, the better the clinical outcome, even with the pre-injury range of motion, strength, etc. are not fully achieved.”
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 47
The Veteran & Now South Florida Doctor Doctor to know -- Dr. Sophia Deben, MD By: Anailis Diaz
Once completing her orthopaedic training, Dr. Deben went on to serve the United States of America for 7 years.
While on active duty with the U.S. Navy, Dr. Deben was attached to a Marine Corps platform and was stationed at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune and Naval Medical Center San Diego. She deployed with the 2nd MLG to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008 with a Forward Resuscitative Surgical Suite supporting U.S. troops and foreign nationals. While at Naval Medical Center San Diego, she focused on limb-salvage and high-energy wounds as well as teaching surgical residents and participating in limb salvage research.
How did Dr. Deben begin her path in medicine?
“To be 100% honest, I really think that the path chose me. My mother tells me that I was 5 years old and she gave me the Fischer Price Doctor kit and the electronic game operation and I became obsessed with begin a doctor. I really did not want to do anything else my whole life. It was wonderful because I had vision and drive but not great because I was so scared to not make it into medical school.”
DR. SOPHIA DEBEN, MD DPM Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Meet Doctor Sophia Deben, a fun, caring, & loving person! The first generation American is the daughter to Cubanborn parents. Her father came during operation peter pan to the South Florida area. Dr. Deben was later born and raised in Miami, FL. The orthopaedic surgeon at International Orthopaedic Specialists, graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School. The board-certified surgeon and a foot and ankle subspecialist attended The George Washington University on a full, Presidential Honors Scholarship. She stayed at GWU for medical school, utilizing a Health Professions Scholarship from the United States Navy. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 48
So, what is Dr. Deben’s why? “I feel like we are all called spiritually to bring our light into this world. We all do it in different ways. My ‘why’ is that I am very good at connecting with patients in inspiring them and consoling them. I have a very helpful bedside manner and I notice that when people leave my office, that they leave feeling good. My goal is to not only help them with their medical condition but to help them feel better about what is happening in their body and their lives.”
Dr. Deben regularly cares for patients from all age groups and all walks of life. “I love people to be physically active. I love to coach my patients to get better.”
Her mission is to return her patients to their desired level of activity and comfort on their time frame and in a way the aligns with their goals.
During her free time, Dr. Deben loves to cook, exercise, swim, & cycle.
Her advice to those who are looking to start something new, “’Move in the direction of fear.’ 9 out of 10 times as women, we stop ourselves because we are scared of failure."
"We need to try and if we fail, we fail. Go hard and try your best! Have faith!” JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 49
BUT I DON’T WANT TO RETURN TO THE HOSPITAL! HOW CASE MANAGERS CAN HELP DECREASE A READMISSION
WRITTEN BY SANDRA ZAWALSKI
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
How does a hospital claim these payments? All
define a hospital readmission as a person who is
patients
discharged and readmitted to the hospital within thirty
discharge instructions. These instructions should be
(30) days of discharge. Lay people define it as another
both verbal and in writing. The person that performs
obstacle they need to overcome to get better. The
these discharge instructions could be the nurse taking
bigger question is how to reduce or prevent the
care of the patient or a case manager or another
readmissions?
person of the healthcare team.
Before we talk about actions that can be done to help to
“Case management is a collaborative process that
prevent a readmission let’s discuss the Hospital
assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and
Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) from CMS.
evaluates the options and services required to meet
This
improve
the client’s health needs”. (2). In a nutshell, a case
communication and care coordination to better engage
manager is a patient advocate. There are many types
patients and caregivers in discharge plans and, in turn,
of case managers and their work environment. Some
reduce avoidable readmissions”. (1).
could be board certified by several credentialing
program
“encourages
hospitals
to
With specific
discharged
from
the
hospital
receive
diagnoses, there are incentives to the hospitals that
bodies.
The Commission for Case Management
demonstrate this activity. If the hospital is eligible, there
Certification is one such body.
is a payment adjustment factor that will correspond to
manager will assist a patient in evaluating home
the percent a hospital’s payment is reduced.
needs, assist in referrals for care outside of the
A hospital case
hospital, such as equipment, home therapies and follow up appointments. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 50
When discharged from the hospital you will be given a written set of directions for care when you go home. The nurse will also review these with you verbally. Many, once they return home, never look at this paper again. Think about a time you or a loved one was in the hospital. What was the first thing you wanted when you returned home? A shower, food, comfy bed? What happened to those discharge instructions that were given to you? Where they still in the bag of “stuff” you had to bring home or perhaps thrown in the trash? We should all be taking an active role in our healthcare. We can start by reviewing those home instructions again, and it doesn’t hurt to have someone else in the home review them. Mark appointments on the calendar. Know what is normal for your body and when you should call your healthcare provider. Understand what your disease process is and what can occur if not managed. This is the scary part. Chronic diseases could be genetic or because we have not taken care of our bodies. Do you have heart failure? If so, what actions are you taking to decrease an exacerbation? “More than 20% of patients with heart failure are readmitted within thirty (30) days and up to 50% by six (6) months” (3). Most patients with heart failure do not realize they will most likely not experience chest pain. They should be looking for a sudden weight gain, such as 2 – 3 pounds in a day of more than 5 pounds in a week, extra swelling in the feet or ankles, swelling or pain in the abdomen, shortness of breath not related to exercise, discomfort or trouble breathing when lying flat, waking up short of breath are a few of what the patient should be watching for. How is your diet? Are you eating a lot of processed food, luncheon meat, canned soups, beer? These are all high in salt and can exacerbate your heart failure.
Do you have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)? “One in five will require rehospitalization within thirty days” (4). Have you stopped smoking and/or have the others that live in your home stopped? Do you have oxygen, O2, in your home and do you know how to use it? Once you are discharged from the hospital, that hospital case manager is no longer part of your care team. It is up to us, patients and family caregivers, to become good healthcare consumers.
There are case managers who are employed with insurance companies, offices of the aging or have independent practices. They follow the same process as was mentioned earlier, with the goal of keeping you in your home. Their follow up may be a bit different. First, they do not perform any hands-on care, even though approximately 89% of case managers are nurses. (6) You may have phone calls with them, and they may come visit you in your home. This case manager wants to assess your knowledge of your disease, why were you in the hospital? Are you following the discharge instructions, which most likely have physician’s orders on them? Did you obtain your prescriptions and if not, why? If there are financial reasons the prescriptions have not been filled, they may be able to recommend programs that are available to assist. They will help you understand what those medications are for. Don’t have transportation to an appointment? They may be able to arrange for transportation. Maybe you just don’t understand what you should be doing. The case manager will help you with this. This case manager may ask you the questions you either don’t want to hear or want to answer. They may ask you if you are ready to make a change in your behavior. If you say no, they may follow up later to establish goals to assist you in reclaiming your health. Case managers may use the Prochaska method to assess a person’s want to change. “Prochaska has found that people who have successfully made positive change in their lives go through five specific stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. "Precontemplation is the stage at which there is no intention to change behavior in the foreseeable future”. (5). Simply put, if a person is not ready to change there is no reason to spend time trying to help a person change. However, once a person is ready to make that change the case manager is their to assist. Need a diet change, matching you with a nutritionist will help. Want to stop smoking, a healthcare provider can work with you, etc. BUT, you must be honest with yourself and case manager. It takes many levels to decrease a hospital readmission. The healthcare providers in the hospital, if you are lucky to have the services of a case manager once discharged, and the most important step is YOU. Arm yourself with knowledge. Listen to those around you, seek out assistance when needed and hopefully you can find yourself remaining at home! JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 51
WE WONT BE DISTRACTED BY COMPARISON IF WE ARE CAPTIVATED WITH PURPOSE.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 52
H O L I S T I C L I V I N G
IN THIS HOLISTIC LIVING SECTION YOU WILL FIND EVERYTHING HOLISTIC, FROM PRACTITIONERS, PRODUCTS, CLASSES, RETREATS, BOOKS & MORE.
Our mission is to be the bridge to help those on their journey to Health and Wellness. Alternatives for Healing's goal is to provide natural alternatives for those that are searching for a holistic path to wellness. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 53
THE FASTEST PATH TO SELF-INSIGHT BY SAMANTHA DIAZ Writing offers you fresh insights. Write several pages a day or jot down a paragraph every Sunday morning. It will teach you to be the uncensored version of yourself. Try out this writing exercise, it’s fun to do, we promise. IMAGINE THIS: Your house key breaks after you’ve walked home in the pouring rain, a colleague calls to say you forgot to send that important email. Plus, you’ve been feeling unwell for weeks. But then you come home, you look down at your soaking sneakers, and you see a letter on the doormat. A letter for you, written last year by you. It’s a love letter. “If you only knew how beautiful and kind you are, how brightly your eyes shine, how you have the biggest heart,” the letter says. And: “What moves me most is that you’re so energetic and that you love looking after people…”
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 54
A letter to yourself
Reading out loud
Writing is a way to get to know yourself better and to gain more insight into yourself and your relationships with others. It can clarify how your life events are linked, it can help you remember pure thoughts you have that often get lost in your Facebook presentation of yourself. Writing can be used as a healing instrument, even if it’s just a diary. If you want more than a diary, or if you want to give your diary a nice boost, there are loads of methods, courses, books, exercises and therapies to help you. Writing yourself a love letter is one of them.
Reading out loud what you’ve written is an important part of a lot of writing methods. Obviously your letter is private, so everyone promises beforehand not to be judgmental. A discussion about the text is not the idea; it will always be the writer’s personal possession. And yet reading it out loud has a great effect. Sometimes you’re dry-eyed while you write, but reading it unleashes all kinds of emotions. When you voice the words they suddenly have a much bigger impact on you. Another nice thing is that it makes you feel connected to the others. It’s not just the writer who feels comforted, but the listeners too. It’s comforting to know that you’re not the only one with an overwhelming sense of loss or loneliness — or joy. Sharing a story or listening to one can be a healing experience.
It’s a great way to outsmart your fears and your feelings of inferiority. Somehow the letter will always arrive when you can really use it. If you do this exercise with one other person, they will mail it at exactly the right moment.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 55
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: 01 Write what made you loveable What were you like when you were little? Picture yourself as a child and write a few short lines on what made you lovable. See yourself through your own eyes, not the eyes of your parents or someone else. What was fun, kooky, funny, stubborn, typical and sweet about you? Write 7 to 10 lines.
02 Write about someone you love Think of someone you especially appreciate. Write a few catchwords and short sentences to explain what it is exactly that you appreciate in them. In what way are they creative, self-willed, attentive, special, loving, innocent, remarkable, sublime, clumsy or cute? Write 7 to 10 lines.
03 Read aloud what you’ve written Read out loud to yourself what you’ve written. Can you see the qualities you described in that other person in yourself too? Now write a letter to yourself, as fast as you can, using a whole sheet. It’s important to write fast and most of all to keep writing. Don’t let any sneaky critical voices whisper in your ear. You might want to start with one of the following phrases: Nobody knows how much, If you only knew, What moves me is. Write for 10 minutes.
04 Mail the letter to yourself Put the date on the letter and stick it in an envelope addressed to yourself. Find someone to mail it to you later, say after a year, or do it yourself. When you get the letter, it will move you and help you. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 56
6 SELF CARE IDEAS TO DO AT HOME
BY SAMANTHA DIAZ
Sure, treating yourself to a retreat in the Italian mountains or in Bali is the summum of self love, but in these times of uncertainty and finding ourselves more indoors we need to pay attention to ourselves, at home, for free. Make it a habit and practice self love every day.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 57
1. GO FOR A WALK Walking outside in the fresh air every day, helps you to connect with nature and empty your mind. The exercise will improve your mood and give you energy, even if you only go outside for ten minutes.
2. TAKE A HOT BATH Bathing for half an hour has a miraculous effect on your wellbeing. There’s not much you can do while soaking – besides, perhaps, reading a book. And that’s why it’s so good. If you want to relax a little more, add some magnesium, Epsom salt or lavender oil tot he water. Don’t own a bath tub? A warm shower helps, too.
3. TREAT YOURSELF TO A HOT DRINK A warming cup of tea or matcha latte means a conscious short break. Have a seat, take a deep breath, slow down and enjoy.
4. ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE Especially if you’re busy, it’s important to have a peaceful place to come home to. In an organized home, it’s much easier to relax. Regularly take fifteen minutes to clean out (part of) a room in your house: the countertop, the kitchen drawer filled with small things, your wardrobe, etcetera.
5. PUT SOME MUSIC ON Listening to good music makes you disappear into another world. Put on your favorite album and blow of some steam. Dancing is allowed!
6. PUT YOUR PHONE IN ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ MODE Allow yourself to be in the present and enjoy the moment, without being distracted by the continuous stream of messages. They can wait! JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 58
EMBRACING THE WOMEN FROM WITHIN There is a lot of responsibility that come along with being a strong independent woman. It requires you to take on certain roles, sustain emotional independence and maintain happiness without relying on the purpose of others. You must be assertive and be willing to learn the outcomes that stem from the choices you make. The selfconfidence that you maintain does not require validation from others, you must be able to embrace and acknowledge your worth. You must be able to know how to embrace the woman within.
PUT YOURSELF FIRST: Never apologize for putting yourself first, only you hold the key to your happiness. If you feel that you need some alone time to re-group your thoughts, then take the time to do so. Be able to set some time aside to customize a schedule that allows you to do what needs to be done and still be able to accommodate the things that you love. Be able to evaluate your personal needs and wants and make sure that you are not stuck in a routine that neglects self-reflection time.
BE UNIQUE: We often find ourselves in situations where we compare ourselves to others. Every one of us was built and uniquely designed and destined to be something great. No one else can take away the gift that you have. Analyze what your strong points are and focus on utilizing those strengths into building something for yourself and towards your career.
RESPECT BOUNDARIES: Learn how to set boundaries for yourself. Boundaries is a respected guideline built for yourself to demonstrate to others what it is that you tolerate and do not tolerate. Whatever you choose to tolerate only shows others how they can treat you and get away with it. There is nothing wrong with selfrespect and knowing what it is that you want and standing your ground until you get to where you need to be. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Remember you are the queen of your own empire. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 59
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: Always believe in yourself, no matter what the circumstances are. Not everyone is going to be for you, or believe in your dreams, but none of that matters if you do. Never give up hope or lose sight of what is important. Create a plan and execute it because you are worth it. Never let anyone else decide what you are worth and what you are capable of. You are meant to do great things and you will be surprised of how far you can get, just by believing in yourself. We all must embrace the woman within. Never apologize for doing what it is that you love and never apologize for putting yourself first. It is crucial that you learn the keys to self-love and master the skills because you are worth it.
Written By J.M. Gonzales JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 60
ANNIE THE ALCHEMIST: A SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEUR HEALING OTHERS DURING A PANDEMIC By Barbara Estrada
When the first waves of the pandemic hit the United States, people sought to find solace from their reality. No job, income and/or possibly consider a new career change. However, the Founder of Annie the Alchemist, Annie Vazquez sprung into (virtual) reiki.
Where did the inspiration to start your own business begin? My family. I grew up seeing everyone with their own prospective businesses and I wanted my own. I first launched TheFashionPoet.com in
Don’t know what “reiki” is? Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us like a vessel.
2010 and then decided it was time to expand in
The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words Rei which means "God's Wisdom or the Higher Power" and Ki which is "life force energy.” So Reiki is actually "spiritually guided life force energy."
spirituality a core pillar of your business?
Annie is widely-known for her award-winning blog, The Fashion Poet but has put her reiki certified skills on public display to heal others during these difficult times by shifting focus on the negative into the positive. Her Instagram sessions started off three times a week, which gathered hundreds of people to collectively heal. In our conversation with the spiritual entrepreneur, we at Just Begin Magazine learned that spiritual work is work like no other but a rewarding one nevertheless.
2017 with the thing that has always helped me: wellness.
Why was it important for you to make
Spirituality is what helped me launch my first business, heal from heart aches, find my inner power and believe in myself. I wanted to make it accessible to the everyday person so they could see anything was within reach. A lot of friends had told me in the past, the way I explained things, they felt comfortable and it wasn't "hippie,” per say, but more accessible.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 61
How did the book, The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo affect you in a way that inspired the name to your business? That book inspired me when I was a journalist starting out and I wanted to quit. I saw the signs and I ended up sticking to it and it was a huge pay off. It took me many places from New York Fashion week front row to do T.V. work after a former reporter asked me to cover for her to then launching my businesses. Along the journey, the dots connect. The name actually has nothing to do with the book. I just needed a word that matched with Annie and my purpose. An Alchemist changes things and that's what I wanted to do for people - change their perspective to see their inner power.
The key is to stay in your dhamra and the universe will guide you. When you leave here, you will not care about how much money you made, or awards you won or anything that deals with ego, you will care about everything you experienced and how much you loved, withstood, learned and gained in the heart. My writing has given me so much and opened doors I never dreamed of entering from traveling the world as a journalist to doing t.v. segments/commercials, being in Vogue, covering fashion week front row and helping others have hope and feel better. It's my vehicle here.We all have to find ours and it comes through remembering what fulfills you and ultimately what makes you feel like yourself.
What does spirituality mean to you and how is this connected to your purpose? Do you believe it helps you serve others in this way? Spirituality to me is finding yourself and the reason to exist here in this time and place. I do believe we all have a purpose here. The only way to do that is to connect with oneself in stillness and quiet. My dharma is to write from the heart and share as well as help others with my work. All my work has been writing from teaching kids how to write, writing about upcoming and established designers, to now writing about spirituality. All my doors open through writing and that is how I know it is my dhamra.
What does spirituality mean to you and how is this connected to your purpose? Do you believe it helps you serve others in this way? Everything is connected actually. They aren't career changes necessarily; although a human eye would say that, but a spiritual eye can see the connection. Everything goes back to my dharma writing from the heart. It was what I was born to do and I do know that I have to do 2 things before I can leave this planet. I've known it since I was very young.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 62
MAKE YOURSELF A PRIORITY. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 63
Be Inspired. Every single day there are people helping
in this section:
others and doing incredible things in all corners of the planet and the majority of
KINDNESS AND VULNERABILITY
them aren't celebrated, but we think they deserve to be recognized. We aim to bring a refreshing twist on what we typically know as 'news', reporting on positive changes, and truly inspiring people.
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 64
EMILY VILLAFANE - AN ANGEL ON EARTH & HOW ANGEL HUGS FOUNDATION BEGAN By: Anailis Diaz
Meet the Angel on Earth -- Emily. Emily
They were married for 22 years. He played
In 1998, Emily says she separated from her
Villafane was born in New York and
for several teams including the Yankees
husband and that's when her journey
raised in Puerto Rico until she was 14
and the Cubs. “I was a baseball wife for 22
began.
years old. Villafane later moved with her
years”
parents to Ohio where she attended
Villafane recounts waking up one morning
catholic school. Later, the Founder and
Emily had two beautiful kids, a boy and a
at 3:00AM in Seattle, “I looked at my
Owner of Angel Hugs Foundation went to
girl. ‘Henry (33) was born in Puerto Rico
house, my life, and everything I had -- and I
Kent State to begin her college education
and Claudia (29) was born in Scottsdale,
said ‘you know what God, I have all this but
and discover a passion.
Arizona, she was a spring training baby.”
I don't really think I deserve this. There are other people that have done more and
A few years later, Emily moved back to
Emily moved back to the states in 1993 and
deserve this.’ And soon after that I said,
Puerto Rico and she met her now ex-
lived the ‘baseball life.’ “When I think of
‘take everything but don’t take my kids and
husband who was a professional baseball
that life and who I was, I was a different
I am good.”
player.
persona. We all have different ‘Emilys’ or ‘personas” as you grow.”
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 65
The Mission of the Angel Hugs Foundation is to create unique, one-on-one interactions for marginalized and at-risk youth to encourage hope and inspiration in their otherwise broken world.
Angel Hugs’ equines used in all interactions and therapy were once themselves at-risk by abandonment or neglect, rescued, rehabilitated and adopted. “I wanted to give them a better opportunity and give them that life-line.” Horses are known to mirror your energy and really let one know Emily says soon after that, they were traded to the Miami Marlins
how he/she is feeling. “I started exposing the horses, I wanted
and her journey and venture started. people to experience what it was to have they majestic animals She lost everything and began raising her kids on her own. Emily
next to you. I wanted to feel that peace and connection that I
began working in sales and was doing radio/television/print media.
feel everyday with my horses. This is what I was supposed to be
A few years later, she began working at MEGA TV. “After working at a few stations, I asked myself, ‘what am I doing? My daughter and son are adults. I am not feeling fulfilled. This is not my calling.”
doing.”
“We are not here to self-serve ourselves, we are here for the purpose of making a
She decided to walk away from her career and that is when she discovered her passion and journey. In 2016, Emily began working on herself as a person. She realized that she wanted to pay it
difference. We all have a mission and we all need to find it.”
forward. She says, “I was blessed. I wanted to give back and I decided to give back by doing volunteer work at the Children’s
To donate, visit angelhugsfoundation.org or email
House. I started working with children and I realized that in life you need to be able to give someone a life line and as a mother I did
Emily@AngelHugsFoundation.org.The facility is located
that with these children. I wanted to help them. I always tell the kids,
at 15505 Miami Lakeway N #204 Miami Lakes, FL
they are doing more for me then I am doing for them.”
33014.
After helping the kids, Emily began working as a financial advisor. In the meantime, she began looking for new and more non-profit organizations to sever and she came across a non-profit called Helpthehorses.org. She contacted the organization and she had a meeting with the founder. Emily recounts her love for horses while in Puerto Rico. While serving on the board for the non-profit, Emily fell in love and began adopting horses. “I had no idea what I was doing. This was something I needed to do. I knew it was part of my journey. I was scared and something was telling me I had to do it. I didn’t have money to do this but I knew it would be taken care of and I had to have faith.” After her adoption of the horses, Emily began equine therapy for kids and the mission of the Angel Hugs Foundation began. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 66
WHAT DO TOU WANT? WHY DONT YOU HAVE IT? EMPLOYEE TO CEO By: Anailis Diaz
Ask yourself, ‘what do you want, and why don’t you have it now?’ Think about that for one minute. Do you have an answer? Are you willing to work to get what you want/where you want?
Meet Margaret Spence! An author, coach, business strategist, and visionary who wants us to ask ourselves those two questions. The Author of Leadership Self-Transformation challenges women in her new book to clarify their vision, pivot from expert to leader, and build the career they want.
Spence has been inspiring individuals for over 30 years. As the founder of The Employee to CEO Project and CEO of C. Douglas & Associates, Inc., Spence helps individuals reach their highest potential in additional to Risk Management consulting.
After analyzing the issues within the industry and trying to change them, Spence says, “One of the biggest issues right now, for women,
She encourages women to challenge the status quo. “You
is if we don't manage our careers when we are in our 30s, 40s, and
don't get a road map when you start the job. What we help
50s, when we get to our 60s and we are ready to retire, we have
women do is create that road map. Really think about
millions of dollars on the table and we retire poor.”
where can you go!” Over the last 10 years, Spence has been mentoring women one on one before founding The
Spence expresses that she often sees men climb the ladder at a much faster rate than women. She wants women within the industry
Employee to CEO Project.
to questions the industry and ask ‘Why is this happening?’. “We have
"A part of what I am trying to do is to
a ton of women who have great skill sets, who are just sitting. Is your
help people go on a journey that is
life purpose to take the first job you ever got and stay in that first job
bigger than the one they are currently
until they wheel you out in a wheel chair?,” says Spence.
on. I want people to get started because
Spence and the Employee to CEO Project, trains individuals
you don’t want to look back in twenty
to innovate their career path and reach for more.“ One of things that
years and regret that you didn’t at least
I found, for women, is that they enter this industry very prepared to
try.”
advance and they still won’t give us the opportunity to advance.”
To learn more about Margaret visit her website – www.EmployeetoCEOProject.com
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 67
BE INSPIRED C E L E B R A T E .
R E C O G N I Z E .
A P P R E C I A T E .
If you know a person, a group, organization, charity - in any part of the US - who has done something wonderful or just makes the world a little happier!
Nominees will be featured in the BE INSPIRED section in the next issue of JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE. Whether it is someone who has devoted their time to volunteering, someone who has helped the local community, someone who has cared for others, or just someone who is uplifting and makes a difference to your life – nominate them today and make a difference to their life. We believe that people deserve to be celebrated!
To nominate a person, a group, organization, charity, Visit justbeginmag.com JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 68
TELL YOUR BRAND STORY ON JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE. WANT TO LEARN MORE? CONTACT US TODAY AT INFO@JUSTBEGINMAG.COM
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 69
The Power of You! B E C O M E
A N
A M B A S S A D O R
J U S T
B E G I N P A Y S
G O
T O
F O R
M A G A Z I N E Y O U !
J U S T B E G I N M A G . C O M M O R E
I N F O R M A T I O N .
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 70
STAY IN TOUCH
WITH INTOUCH
be different. learn, grow, & thrive with
our platform
JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 71
DARE TO BEGIN. JUST BEGIN MAGAZINE | 72