Teresita Helena

Meet Teresita from Western Michigan University - As you most likely know by having made it to this point, my name is Teresita :) I have my hands in multiple passion projects each of which I am immensely proud to be a part of. Whether it's Health, Fitness, Sales Operations and Leadership Consulting or Credit Counseling and Credit Repair my goal is always the same - to help those around me be the absolute best versions of themselves! (SISS)  Hi Teresita, where are you from and where are you currently spending your time?  (Teresita)  I am from Michigan, but currently living in Ft Lauderdale, FL. I spend most my time in South FL traveling back to MI to see family and occasionally to Texas for business.   (SISS)   What was one of the hardest things that you had to go through? What advice would you give someone going through the same struggle?   (Teresita)   Losing my Father last year was by far the hardest thing I have ever been through (and still going through). Advice to anyone navigating through the loss of a loved one is this … take it one day at a time. Also, know that there will be some days that you need to take it one hour at a time and even what feels like

one minute at a time, and that’s ok too.  (SISS)  Who is Teresita and what are you most proud of?  (Teresita)  A Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Cousin and Friend. I feel that what defines me are the quality of relationships that I have with my loved ones, everything else is just icing on the cake. I am most proud of growing beyond what is expected of one coming from certain situations that I came from. It would have been easy for me to say, I am a product of my environment, it’s not my fault. Instead I lived by the mantra that we have to take responsibility for the humans we want to be in this world and what our contribution to it will be. Easier said that done, but trust me when I say, it’s the only way to live.  (SISS)  How dedicated are you to fitness? What is your fitness goal?  On your body, what is your favorite body part and what is your least favorite?  (Teresita)  I love fitness! It isn’t always easy to make time for it when traveling or during busy times in the year as far as meetings go, but it is a must! If I expect my mind to be as sharp as it can possible be, then I need to make sure my body is where it needs to be as well. Its imperative to feel at my best at all times.  (SISS)  What makes you the happiest? What is fun for you?  (Teresita)  I am happiest when all things seems to be in alignment. Family, friends and business all doing well. Most times I feel like I strike the balance well. For me to be at my happiest, I need to be trying my best at everything I do on a daily basis, that includes 
running my businesses as well as managing my personal relationships.  (SISS)  How do you deal with disappointment? How do you Keep Going?  (Teresita)  Disappointment is inevitable, knowing that is half the battle! Each one depending on the subject matter will feel different, but I handle each in a similar matter. First I ask myself, what is the lesson to be learned here? Trust me, there is ALWAYS a lesson to be learned and we should all strive for continuous improvement of self and dealing with both disappointment and failure are fundamental in this learning and growth process. Second I ask myself how I might apply this lesson to my life RIGHT NOW. I think all too often we may recognize a lesson to be learned, but fail to put that lesson into ACTION. Recognition and acknowledgement mean nothing if not acted upon and implemented. Otherwise, what was the point?  (SISS)  What is your superpower?  (Teresita)  Perception and intuition of others’ feelings around me. This can be a great tool in business, being able to tap into and understand the points of view and feelings behind such of those you do business with or wish to do business with. This can also be somewhat of a challenge to overcome as well because I am able to pick up on others feelings and thoughts so easily I have to be sure that I am acting based on my own feelings and not of those I may be picking up on from other people.  (SISS)  What is your weakness and what do you do to overcome it?  (Teresita)  One of my weaknesses ….ahhhh everyone’s favorite question in any interview ;) I would say that one of my weaknesses is that once I learn and master a new skill or trade, I get bored easily. To overcome this I find new ways to challenge myself within the given skillset or trade. To do this I may find new ways to apply my newly acquired skillset that may be outside the box of normality. Or maybe I train someone else on it once I have it down, it’s surprising how much more you learn when you are reciting back and teaching others something that would otherwise be second nature to you.  (SISS)  Can you tell us four things people don’t know about you?  (Teresita)  With me what you see is what you get, but most people don’t know: 1. I grew up on dairy farms most my life. My Father was a dairy farmer, so cows to me were as common as the household dog in most families. 2. I am terrified of elevators, like irrationally so. I seem to always have final destination-esque visions when I have to ride them and I will take stairs if AT ALL possible. 3. I played clarinet for 5 years and was first chair in wind symphony even as a Sophomore. 4. I wear many hats and have my hands in over 6 businesses.  (SISS)  Can you tell us where else can our readers follow your daily inspiration?  (Teresita)  IG @teresita_helena    …. I post a lot of what inspires me there. From books I am reading, to quotes that I love and even family and friend pics, you will get a glimpse into who I am.  (SISS)  What’s your favorite quote?    (Teresita)   When you have the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.  (SISS)  At Smart is so sexy we love to see women who are thriving in their career or business.  What are you most passionate about?  (Teresita)  Helping people and changing lives! I have over a decade experience in sales, marketing and business development. After a 12 years I have found the 3 major areas that I am most passionate about: 1. Healthcare – without Health nothing else matters, trust me. 2. Fitness – If Health is the Foundation of your house, fitness and healthy living are the bricks, studs, support beams, dry wall and roofing. They go hand in hand really, which I love. 3. Credit counseling and repair – I love giving people their life back! The ugly truth is – unless you are in the top 0.02% of the population who are able to use cash for absolutely everything they may need in their life from cars to housing and anything in between, we ALL need our credit to get where we are going in life and unfortunately, the negative information reported on our credit reports stick around longer than most fully understand. That’s where I come in :)  (SISS)  Who was the most influential person in your life and why?  (Teresita)  I don’t have any ONE most influential person to be honest. Different people were influential at different periods in my life and for different reasons. I have a list of people that have impacted my life and greatly changed the direction of it at one point in time or another. A few of them are: Mom and Dad of course, my friends Bethann and Michelle, my old manager at Pfizer Michael Wallace and my best friend Andrea Courtney. I wouldn’t be who I am today without these folks for sure. There are also about 10 more not listed.  (SISS)  Where were you five years ago? What advice would you tell your five years younger self?  (Teresita)  5 years ago I had just left my small town of Muskegon, MI and move to the City of Angels (Los Angeles). At this time, it was the riskiest and biggest thing I had ever done. I was scared, nervous, excited you name it! Still to this day it is the best thing I ever did for myself. I thank God everyday that he helped give me the courage to do it!  (SISS)  Can you take us through a typical day? From Waking up to going to bed, Can you give us a play by play of a typical day for you?  (Teresita)  Being involved in a handful of businesses, I do not have a typical day, which is just how I like it! I can give you the skeleton of what a day may include, with the meat and potatoes of it changing daily. I wake up at around 6:00 – 6:30am. Morning run (on a fasting stomach of course). Then its breakfast, coffee and emails and off for my day! The middle of my day will depend on my meetings scheduled. Usually I’m home around 6:00 PM, then its gym for weights and then dinner. After dinner I may curl up for a movie, hop on FaceTime with my bestie or sometimes I am working late on a project that I want to stay ahead on. I love the fact that no two days look the same for me, it keeps things interesting! Even today, I left Tampa this morning after a business meeting, hopped a train and now I am completing this interview on my ride home. :)  (SISS)  What is your favorite meal? What is your favorite book and/or the latest one you’ve read?  What is your favorite song?  (Teresita)  My favorite meal is easy – Ropa Vieja! Yummmmmmmmmmm.  My fav book – Self Improvement book is “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and favorite fiction is the Crossfire series (Romance – how cliché right?)  (SISS)  When do you feel the sexiest?  (Teresita)  In my LBD (little black dress) and bright red lip – try MJ by Kylie and thank me later! ;)  (SISS)  Is there someone on social media that inspires you and is a great follow?  (Teresita)  Will Smith – he’s amazing!  (SISS)  What does Smart is so Sexy mean to you?  (Teresita)  SISS means that we are so MUCH MORE than our faces, bodies or clothing. We are more than our shape and the color of our hair and eyes. There is so much more that makes a woman sexy and what that is may be different from woman to woman and that’s what makes it most beautiful, the unpredictability and diversity of it all. And AMEN to that. I read a meme (yea I said it meme in an interview lol) and it read “If you’re pretty you’re pretty. But the only way to be beautiful is to be loving. Otherwise it’s just congratulations about your face” I think we can build on that and say “If you’re gorgeous, you’re gorgeous. But the only way to be SEXY is to be both physically and intellectually gorgeous”  (SISS)  Thank you so much Teresita, please follow her on Instagram!