The F Word - Women Supporting Women: Meet Genesis Reyes "Happiness can be felt right now, as you are, no matter your circumstance. It is just a matter of perspective."
Exciting
things are happening! More women and especially women of diverse backgrounds,
ethnicities and religions are now sitting in congress than ever before.
Awareness of toxic masculinity, inequality and discrimination based on gender
is heightened, giving people all over the world hope and the courage to walk in
their truth. Change starts with each and every one of us; by supporting,
defending and encouraging women in our nearest environment, we form a unity
that is stronger and more powerful than anything than we could ever do on our
own. Being supportive of other women is an important part of my life, given
that I am starting a new series called "The F Word", a series meant
to introduce incredibly inspiring women, self-proclaimed feminists and change
makers, aka people like you and me! Let's do BIG things together!
Let’s kick this series off with a very special guest! Besides having gorgeous, perfectly moisturized curls, Genesis Reyes also has a huge passion for travel, dance and the people around her. To me, she basically IS the embodiment of adventure and joy for life. Reading her blog and following her on social media is so inspiring and encouraging to me, so of course I HAD TO ask her all the questions I ever wanted to know; and I am sure you do too! :-)
Hi Genesis, thank you for starting off
this series! Why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your
story?
Hey there! My name is Genesis, I’m the creator of ‘Ella-Va’, my personal travel blog. I’m also a dancer, and wanna-be yogi from MA. I grew up in a military family as an Army brat, and have been fortunate enough to see many places around the globe because of it. My mother is from Panama and my father is from the Dominican Republic, making me a second-generation American. I’m a kid at heart, and a sucker for lame-dad jokes. I studied performing arts in college, worked as a travel agent, and served as an administrative assistant to the President of a Community College. However, my current adventure has taken me abroad again to teach English to elementary students in Seoul, South Korea!
You've done so many things in your life already, what is your biggest achievement to date?
One of my biggest and favorite achievements is still so dear to my heart. In high school, I discovered I really loved dancing and joined the dance team. After graduating, I enrolled in Middlesex Community College to study nursing. I was so focused on working hard that I didn’t dance for the 1st semester and therefore, felt a void because of it. I found a local studio that offered adult classes, began dancing again and felt so happy! It served as the perfect outlet from all the stresses I was feeling. During my time at MCC I soon realized that nursing wasn’t something I was truly passionate about, but dance was. I never had formal training so according to the dancing community; I was really late to the game. In my heart I knew dance was something I wanted to pursue. Throughout high school and college, I had many vision boards with pictures of NFL and NBA dance teams. I began taking dance classes at MCC too. I had many late nights while in school thinking about what should I do with my life? What major should I choose? Is this the right thing to do? I was so scared and full of doubt, but truly couldn’t imagine choosing a major in something I didn’t care about. So, after a ton of research, I found a dance school, trained hard and auditioned. I got rejected a lot. However, I just kept auditioning. The next semester I was enrolled at Dean College as an Arts Management Major with a minor in Dance. Though I was happy, I always felt a sense of “imposter syndrome”, like I didn’t belong there. I wasn’t really a dancer. However, I auditioned and got into the Unyted Stylz Dance Company my junior year! Then, my senior year at Dean, I performed a solo dance, and after graduating joined the Danceworks Dance Company in Boston. Last year, I even tried out for the NFL Patriots Cheerleading team; something that was always on my bucket list. Though I didn’t make the team, it was still a win in my book. My journey with dance has been a special one. I was continuously able to cast my doubts aside. The process has shown me that with the right amount of grit, and determination, I can surprise myself and go far. Now I keep dance in my life for the pure joy of it!
That is really encouraging, and I think a lot of women need to hear that! Is there anything else you would like them to know?
Women should feel confident and free to be who they want to be without guilt or reservations. Social media has made it so that women feel they need to act a certain way, look a certain way, and accomplish certain things that “define you as a woman” There is no single way to live life as women. The beauty is that our options are limitless and that we are constantly changing. If you want to change up your look go for it. Fight for that promotion? Do it! Take a risk to pursue your passions? Chase it full force. Do this, as long as at the end of the day you’re living life according to how you wish, while staying true to yourself. Never apologize, and don’t forget to take proper care of yourself. Love yourself wholeheartedly, and rather than being your own worst critic, be your own cheerleader!
You sound so confident! How did you find yourself?
I would say that over time I have discovered pieces of myself, but that for years to come I’ll still be “finding” myself. That’s because I feel we are constantly evolving and personal growth is limitless. I can honestly say that year after year, I experience new realizations about who I am, and the person I want to be. What has worked for me so far is; setting my intentions for the upcoming year, and creating a vision board showcasing my desires for the next year. I try to focus on different areas of life on my vision board such as; travel, finance, health, fitness etc. I think visualization is so powerful. Waking up and seeing my dreams or desires on the wall helps keep me focused. I also take time to do a lot of self-reflection; to think about what’s really important to me. The key is to find space to listen to that inner voice, because I believe that who you want to become is always there. You just need to pay attention to it. I try to follow my gut instincts, and pay attention to what thought’s, ideas, or dreams keep resurfacing. I think in today’s busy world it can be easy to ignore that little voice and go with the masses.
Anything you would like your younger self to know?
I want my younger self to feel reassured that everything will work out in the end and that I don’t need to stress or be anxious. I should focus on having fun and enjoying my youth. I also wish could tell my younger self to never give up because all the hard work will pay off one day.
Was there an especially difficult time in your life that you had to overcome?
Is there something else that stands between you and happiness?
What has stood in the way before and will likely try to stand in the way again, is myself. My fears, worries, and doubts are what consistently try to prevent me from moving forward and hinder my happiness. To combat my negative thoughts, I try actively shifting my mindset to where I feel confident, and believe I’m enough to go after whatever it is I’m trying to achieve. Happiness isn’t something to go after or achieve. It can be felt right now, as you are, no matter your circumstances. It is just a matter of perspective.
I love that! On to the next, what are you passionate about?
Harry Potter! Okay but seriously, I’m passionate about self-discovery and the power of positivity. Specifically, how one can achieve personal growth through the tools they already possess. I’m also passionate about travel because it teaches so much about oneself. I think it’s important to get out of our comfort zones, and to experience life the way others do. Through travel, a person experiences tremendous growth, and I find that to be invaluable.
What is your goal in life?
My current goal in life is to continue to live according to my values and to keep following my passions whole-heartedly. I believe that by living your best life and living your truth, others become inspired to become their best versions too. Right now, I’m working on growing my blog and would like to get into vlogging on YouTube. I’m also considering becoming more serious as a writer whether that means attempting to write a book at some point, I’m not sure yet. I also have thoughts of becoming a certified yoga instructor in the future. I hope to be a role model for those who may doubt themselves, or feel they can’t live a life they truly want. I also want to remain humble and remain close with my family because they have been there for me through everything. It can be tough since my family is spread out all over the globe but I want to be able to connect with them and see them as often as I can.
You mention that you would like to be a role model, how do you help others? I like to think that I help others on a small scale. I hope that when people are done speaking with me that they are left feeling a little better than before we spoke. Life is short so why not spend it having fun and feeling as happy as possible? I try to make myself available to family and friends who need someone to listen and work through things together. Spreading positivity and kindness is especially important in today’s world.
I think the meaning life needs to be left up to each individual. Everyone has different circumstances, wishes, and desires. I believe that all of us want to live long happy lives but how we go about doing that depends on each person. I think as long as we are living our best lives while remaining humble and helping out others along the way, we can live a satisfying life. We learn to love and appreciate ourselves, then we are able to love and appreciate others therefore making the world a little kinder and brighter.
Instagram: @greyes09
Let’s kick this series off with a very special guest! Besides having gorgeous, perfectly moisturized curls, Genesis Reyes also has a huge passion for travel, dance and the people around her. To me, she basically IS the embodiment of adventure and joy for life. Reading her blog and following her on social media is so inspiring and encouraging to me, so of course I HAD TO ask her all the questions I ever wanted to know; and I am sure you do too! :-)
Hi Genesis, thank you for starting off
this series! Why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your
story? Hey there! My name is Genesis, I’m the creator of ‘Ella-Va’, my personal travel blog. I’m also a dancer, and wanna-be yogi from MA. I grew up in a military family as an Army brat, and have been fortunate enough to see many places around the globe because of it. My mother is from Panama and my father is from the Dominican Republic, making me a second-generation American. I’m a kid at heart, and a sucker for lame-dad jokes. I studied performing arts in college, worked as a travel agent, and served as an administrative assistant to the President of a Community College. However, my current adventure has taken me abroad again to teach English to elementary students in Seoul, South Korea!
You've done so many things in your life already, what is your biggest achievement to date?
One of my biggest and favorite achievements is still so dear to my heart. In high school, I discovered I really loved dancing and joined the dance team. After graduating, I enrolled in Middlesex Community College to study nursing. I was so focused on working hard that I didn’t dance for the 1st semester and therefore, felt a void because of it. I found a local studio that offered adult classes, began dancing again and felt so happy! It served as the perfect outlet from all the stresses I was feeling. During my time at MCC I soon realized that nursing wasn’t something I was truly passionate about, but dance was. I never had formal training so according to the dancing community; I was really late to the game. In my heart I knew dance was something I wanted to pursue. Throughout high school and college, I had many vision boards with pictures of NFL and NBA dance teams. I began taking dance classes at MCC too. I had many late nights while in school thinking about what should I do with my life? What major should I choose? Is this the right thing to do? I was so scared and full of doubt, but truly couldn’t imagine choosing a major in something I didn’t care about. So, after a ton of research, I found a dance school, trained hard and auditioned. I got rejected a lot. However, I just kept auditioning. The next semester I was enrolled at Dean College as an Arts Management Major with a minor in Dance. Though I was happy, I always felt a sense of “imposter syndrome”, like I didn’t belong there. I wasn’t really a dancer. However, I auditioned and got into the Unyted Stylz Dance Company my junior year! Then, my senior year at Dean, I performed a solo dance, and after graduating joined the Danceworks Dance Company in Boston. Last year, I even tried out for the NFL Patriots Cheerleading team; something that was always on my bucket list. Though I didn’t make the team, it was still a win in my book. My journey with dance has been a special one. I was continuously able to cast my doubts aside. The process has shown me that with the right amount of grit, and determination, I can surprise myself and go far. Now I keep dance in my life for the pure joy of it!
That is really encouraging, and I think a lot of women need to hear that! Is there anything else you would like them to know?
Women should feel confident and free to be who they want to be without guilt or reservations. Social media has made it so that women feel they need to act a certain way, look a certain way, and accomplish certain things that “define you as a woman” There is no single way to live life as women. The beauty is that our options are limitless and that we are constantly changing. If you want to change up your look go for it. Fight for that promotion? Do it! Take a risk to pursue your passions? Chase it full force. Do this, as long as at the end of the day you’re living life according to how you wish, while staying true to yourself. Never apologize, and don’t forget to take proper care of yourself. Love yourself wholeheartedly, and rather than being your own worst critic, be your own cheerleader!
You sound so confident! How did you find yourself?
I would say that over time I have discovered pieces of myself, but that for years to come I’ll still be “finding” myself. That’s because I feel we are constantly evolving and personal growth is limitless. I can honestly say that year after year, I experience new realizations about who I am, and the person I want to be. What has worked for me so far is; setting my intentions for the upcoming year, and creating a vision board showcasing my desires for the next year. I try to focus on different areas of life on my vision board such as; travel, finance, health, fitness etc. I think visualization is so powerful. Waking up and seeing my dreams or desires on the wall helps keep me focused. I also take time to do a lot of self-reflection; to think about what’s really important to me. The key is to find space to listen to that inner voice, because I believe that who you want to become is always there. You just need to pay attention to it. I try to follow my gut instincts, and pay attention to what thought’s, ideas, or dreams keep resurfacing. I think in today’s busy world it can be easy to ignore that little voice and go with the masses.
Anything you would like your younger self to know?
I want my younger self to feel reassured that everything will work out in the end and that I don’t need to stress or be anxious. I should focus on having fun and enjoying my youth. I also wish could tell my younger self to never give up because all the hard work will pay off one day.
Is there something else that stands between you and happiness?
What has stood in the way before and will likely try to stand in the way again, is myself. My fears, worries, and doubts are what consistently try to prevent me from moving forward and hinder my happiness. To combat my negative thoughts, I try actively shifting my mindset to where I feel confident, and believe I’m enough to go after whatever it is I’m trying to achieve. Happiness isn’t something to go after or achieve. It can be felt right now, as you are, no matter your circumstances. It is just a matter of perspective.
I love that! On to the next, what are you passionate about?
Harry Potter! Okay but seriously, I’m passionate about self-discovery and the power of positivity. Specifically, how one can achieve personal growth through the tools they already possess. I’m also passionate about travel because it teaches so much about oneself. I think it’s important to get out of our comfort zones, and to experience life the way others do. Through travel, a person experiences tremendous growth, and I find that to be invaluable.
What is your goal in life?
My current goal in life is to continue to live according to my values and to keep following my passions whole-heartedly. I believe that by living your best life and living your truth, others become inspired to become their best versions too. Right now, I’m working on growing my blog and would like to get into vlogging on YouTube. I’m also considering becoming more serious as a writer whether that means attempting to write a book at some point, I’m not sure yet. I also have thoughts of becoming a certified yoga instructor in the future. I hope to be a role model for those who may doubt themselves, or feel they can’t live a life they truly want. I also want to remain humble and remain close with my family because they have been there for me through everything. It can be tough since my family is spread out all over the globe but I want to be able to connect with them and see them as often as I can.
You mention that you would like to be a role model, how do you help others? I like to think that I help others on a small scale. I hope that when people are done speaking with me that they are left feeling a little better than before we spoke. Life is short so why not spend it having fun and feeling as happy as possible? I try to make myself available to family and friends who need someone to listen and work through things together. Spreading positivity and kindness is especially important in today’s world.
I think the meaning life needs to be left up to each individual. Everyone has different circumstances, wishes, and desires. I believe that all of us want to live long happy lives but how we go about doing that depends on each person. I think as long as we are living our best lives while remaining humble and helping out others along the way, we can live a satisfying life. We learn to love and appreciate ourselves, then we are able to love and appreciate others therefore making the world a little kinder and brighter.
Contact Info:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/genesisnreyes Instagram: @greyes09
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