It really is a mindset. You have to figure out your ‘why’ and what is important to you. For me, it was my daughter. I was really worried about what ‘others’ would think and how they would view me if I went against cultural expectations and societal limitations but then one day my dad said to me….” Ruby, do these people pay your bills? If not, why do you care what they think?” That was the comment that stuck with me and helped me get through so many hurdles in my life. I’m not saying it was easy, but focusing on what was important to me kept me focused.
What would you say to women who feel unseen or underestimated because of their background or story?
You create your own journey. Again, it is a mindset of whether you look at your background/story negatively or positively. It’s unfortunate, but bad things and situations happen to everyone. The question is…. are you going to let it make you or break you? If I told you about all the tough circumstances that I have endured in my life, you might be shocked. I took them for what they were and recognized that I could either grow from them or I could retreat and feel bad for myself. I chose to grow and find the good in each situation.
Who or what inspires you most when you're faced with moments of doubt or difficulty?
So many people inspire me but when faced with moments of doubt and difficulty, the first person I turn to is my daughter. I have learned so much from her. She is my best friend and talks through every difficult moment with me. What I love the most about her is that she doesn’t just agree with me to make me feel better, but she challenges me to view the situation from different perspectives to better understand why I feel the way I do or why someone might have reacted the way that they did. There is never blame…. just finding a way to make the situation better. I am literally in awe every day that she is my daughter. How did she get so smart?