Speaker Jessica Lundy offered motivational advice during the Run the World luncheon and book signing.
Everyone needs a little magic in their life, motivational speaker and author Jessica Lundy insisted.
To prove her point on multiple levels, she broke the word down by each letter.
M — Mission driven
A — Adversity that pushes you forward
G — Goal bigger than yourself
I — Igniting a fire within
C — Confidence, connection and community
Lundy detailed those philosophies to a luncheon crowd at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Titled “Run the World,” the event was part of Women’s History Month and sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Center for Women and Gender Equity.
Lundy focused on a theme of “black girl magic,” listing examples such as TV maven Oprah Winfrey, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, singer Rihanna and Madam C.J. Walker, the first female self-made millionaire in America.
“I think about someone who is unstoppable and resilient. I think of legacy, creating something so much bigger than yourself and creating that pathway to be easier for the next generation.”
It’s not just about admiring celebrities, she said.
“We want to look up to celebrities and influencers, but we forget that our friends are amazing,” she said. “Instead of just looking up to celebrities, I kind of encourage people to start looking to the left, to the right.”
Celebrate yourself, too, she said.
“We live such busy lives that we rarely take a second to make sure that we are good. We check on our friends. We check on our family. We check on our peers and the organizations that we’re a part of. We don’t check on ourselves.
“It’s not selfish to focus on yourself. You’ve got make sure that you’re good because you have to care for yourself.”
To succeed, understand where negative thoughts breed, she said.
“What I realize about negative thoughts is they only come when you’re doing something great. When you’re doing nothing, it seems like your mind is silent, quiet,” she explained.
“Soon as you start to apply for your doctorate, all these thoughts start to come, right? As soon as you start to finally apply for that job that you know you’re worthy enough to get easily, that’s when unbelief comes.”
If you don’t accomplish the goal the first time or even the second, use them as motivators.
“We have to be resilient. We’re not swayed by ‘No.’ When I hear the word ‘No,’ I hear ‘Next.’ The next person. The next opportunity. The next internship. The next job. Somebody’s going to say ‘Yes.'”
Trying to do it on all on your own doesn’t work, Lundy said.
“Sometimes we have to ask for help. Sometimes you just send that email. We go to that appointment. Sometimes we need to do that and know that it’s OK. No one’s judging you. No one’s shaming you. No one’s putting you down.”
