Cherina Johnson is our guest blogger.
The topic of discussion for September’s Women in Leadership luncheon was “Seasons of Change and Transformation” with guest speaker, L’Oreal Hartwell. The author, entrepreneur, and business woman shared valuable life lessons from personal experiences and family situations that have shaped her into the awesome woman she is today; which also include being a beloved wife, mother, and sister. However, her transparency in sharing her story was magnetic. It drew you in to want to hear more and more of what she had to say. The positive outlook on life, despite the many obstacles she and her family had to overcome to reach the level of success that they enjoy now is admirable. The sincerity from her heart to want to see others succeed in life, and her willingness to make herself available to assist in whatever way she can to help make it happen, even giving complete strangers her personal phone number to reach out to her to connect later, so that she can see how to help to make their dream a reality. I was really impressed with our guest speaker in action up close and from afar in her interactions with others as well as myself. She was down to earth and personable.
There were so many things that resonated with me during L’Oreal’s presentation that caused me to have an inward excitement. For example, her positive outlook on life was one of my favorites. Positivity attracts positivity! I was leaping inside with excitement, and different Bible verses were coming to mind as she spoke. Such as, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26) and “Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:24). However, she was not just a positive voice, but shared practical things that she put into action to improve her quality of life for she and her family. For instance, from academic probation to MBA graduate and from her and her family temporarily living with her grandmother to having a home in the neighborhood she envisioned living in. Even though she shared with the group how nervous she was to speak at the Women in Leadership luncheon it was not obvious for she gave an awesome presentation that was shared from her heart that was practical and sincere. As a result, you could see and feel her positive energy, choosing to look at things from a positive perspective despite what she has gone through in life. Being a person of resilience, bouncing back from obstacles, disappointments, setbacks, and lack into a beautiful person of gratitude for the blessed life that she now enjoys with a desire to help others to enjoy a blessed life as well; through living their God-given dreams and accomplishing their goals.
Some of my takeaways were the following:
- · “Breakdown and breakthrough happen at the same time”
- · “Everything is based on perception”
- · “I do not lose I learn.”
On behalf of Women in Leadership Great Lakes Bay, thank you, L’Oreal Hartwell for sharing your story with us. We were inspired, challenged, and blessed by your presence!
