Buenos Dias~
Today's post marks a momentous landmark & milestone on my blog. I have the unique honor & privilege to showcase the undeniable AWESOMOCITY of my mentor, Elayna Fernandez!
I was truly over the moon, bouncing off the walls excited to discover she had WON my giveaway of a Month's Promotion Package
To mark my Facebook Page reaching 30k LIKES:
Meet Elayna Fernandez aka The Positive MOM!
Elayna Fernández, known worldwide as The Positive MOM, is an award-winning storyteller, certified coach, trainer, and strategist, and an avid student of pain. Elayna helps moms worldwide transform their pain story into positive growth and build a life they love - on their own terms.
Elayna travels the world as an keynote speaker in the topics of motherhood, mindset, and mompreneurship and is often featured in global media. Elayna has been recognized as one of the Top Latina Influencers in the USA for the impact of her programs, products, and positive content.
Her philosophy is “BE Positive and You’ll BE Powerful!”
I have been following Elayna for as long as I have been blogging, yes, she's been there since the beginning. I can't exactly explain Why I gravitated towards her at first, I mean I'm not really her target audience now am I? lol! But I can tell you Why I stayed. For that SMILE! Just look at it, it's SMILE that could light up the whole world. In truth, her posts & wisdom has been invaluable in my growth as both a blogger/influencer & as a person. She's been there in times of Great Need, understanding & relating to me in a way that most if not all in my life have been unable to do. Her blog has been both a safe haven & a safeguard.
1. What is the best advice you were ever given?
· I read a poem called Desiderata when I was a little girl that taught me that "If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for ALWAYS there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself," and this concept can shift moments of self-doubt, self-pity, and self-centeredness into moments of expanded perspective. Comparison is a cancer to the soul.
2. Who inspires you and why?
· My children inspire me to be the ultimate version of myself. I've learned so much about myself, about love, and about the nature of God from them. Children remind us of our infinite potential, purpose, and possibilities. No matter where we are or how broken we feel we may be, each day is a brand new opportunity to make progress, and to me, Progress IS Success.
3. Everyone has bad days; how do you deal with a bad day?
· The first step is to give myself permission to be authentic, to honor all my emotions, as well as embracing who I can become as I move past it, surrender, and let it go. I know you like my OG quotes, so here's one that just came to me: Suppression is servitude.
4. Where do you go/what do you do when you need motivation?
· I go the only place you can find real motivation = WITHIN. Extrinsic motivators don't work because they don't last. We must find, build, and nurture our intrinsic motivation so that we find joy doing what we need to do. This is crucial when you want to be your own boss and run a profitable business. No one is going to cut your pay, fire you, or guilt you into doing something and you'll have your own deadlines. This is not to say that you'll love every step of the process, but that you trust the process. I don't think anyone becomes a mom to get to change the diapers as much as I didn't become an entrepreneur to track my income and expenses, for example, but if I focus on what kind of mom or business woman I am and what my ultimate desire is ("have a safe, healthy, happy child" or "have a successful small business"), I will find intrinsic motivation because it is linked to my WHY, my statement of purpose.
5. Failure is a big part of life, what has been your biggest failure to date?
· I always say that Failure is an opportunity for positive growth. Failure is feedback, redirection, and preparation for success. The moment I felt like the biggest failure was when a painful divorce launched me into single motherhood, not only because I didn't have a plan, but mainly I had bought into the cultural lie that my worth was defined by my ability to "get a man and keep him happy." As it usually happens, this turned out to be the biggest blessing in my life and I still love my Ex and always will because of it. I feel so much gratitude now that I've let go of those shoulds, because the truth really does set you free.
6. What is your biggest achievement?
· My biggest achievement is becoming a pioneer, a cycle breaker, and a student of pain. In this journey, I've been open to seek and receive healing and to inspire others to do the same. I love that my children think I'm the best MOM ever because they honor my experiences and want to walk in my footsteps, but more importantly, that they know I love and support them unconditionally.
7. Have you conquered any fears?
· Every day! We're all afraid, every day, whether we are conscious we are operating from fear or not. The voice of fear is sneaky, and it disguises in many ways: safety, worry, doubt, and even false comfort. An acronym I love is False Evidence Appearing Real. It’s up to us to destroy this evidence, get a grip and get unstuck so we don’t remain paralyzed. As Eleanor Roosevelt said: "We must do the thing we think we cannot do," on a daily basis!
8. Music helps lift our mood, What is your go-to song when you need a pick me up?
· I'm a Latina, so I love music and I can't just pick a song. I can't even pick a decade. How about the 80's and the 90's? I am fortunate to be trilingual (Spanish, English, Italian), so I get to enjoy amazing music in different languages.
9. Complete the sentence, Happiness is…
· just a start. We can make many choices that will make us happier, but in the end, it is meaning that will sustain us and infuse a sense of purpose.
10. What do you do to clear your mind?
· Tell stories! I believe we are all storytellers and we each have a powerful story to tell. I've been a storyteller since childhood. My dad jokes that my school notebooks were “my first blog,” because I used my homework as a way to unpack what I was going through in my childhood so my teachers would read. Telling my emotional, vulnerable, raw stories has sustained me over the years. It makes sense now why through the fear, doubt, and uncertainty of single motherhood, I had the courage to make storytelling my career path.
11. Life can be stressful, what are your top 3 things to unwind?
· Write, read, and laugh.
12. Have you watched any inspiring movies? Do you have any favorites?
· I watch a lot of inspiring movies because I am a Disney Mom! I feel really blessed to partner with Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Disney Animation, Disney Princesses, Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar, ABC, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm / Star Wars, Disney XD, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Kids, Disney Parks and other branches or the Walt Disney Company to bring awareness to positive stories that move, empower, and inspire! I am passionate about diversity, inclusion, and quality representation in the media, as well as positive lessons that help us and our kids think and grow. I do have to say that there was one moment in my life in which I was feeling hopeless, worthless and helpless in which I thought about the Academy Award winning film “Life is Beautiful,” by Roberto Benigni and it blessed me with a deep sense of gratitude and perspective that connected me to my core identity.
13. What is your favorite inspirational quote?
· My favorite quote is from Marianne Williamson's book "Return to Love" because I feel it summarizes who each of us is and who each of us can become and what really stunts our positive growth: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. You’re playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
14. Do you listen to motivational speakers?
· I love self-help books, seminars, and training programs. Words have the power to transform us. I have shared the stage and have been mentored personally by the best speakers in the industry, including my good friend Les Brown and mentors like Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Brendon Burchard, Tony Robbins, Mary Morrissey, Janet Atwood, and Reverend Michael Beckwith and many others. Certified Guerrilla Marketing Master Trainer, Certified Passion Test Facilitator, Certified DreamBuilder Coach, Certified Success Principles Trainer, and a graduate of the Steve Harvey School for Business Acceleration. I love traveling the world as an International keynote speaker and panelist in the topics of motherhood, mindset, and mompreneurship!
15. How do you cope with unpleasant people?
· If we are honest, we can all be unpleasant people, even toxic people, at times. I have identified 3 main ways to deal with someone who is being unpleasant or interacting with me in a toxic way (could be frenemies or fair weather friends). The first one you can use is being true to your vision, this means that you will access what fuels you to do what you set out to do and not let this exchange of energy affect it. The second is to set clear firm healthy boundaries to make sure your sanity is not jeopardized. And the third is to practice self-care, because when your needs are met, you are less likely to take things personally. In addition, it is essential that you forgive yourself for being toxic to others and take the proper steps to make amends.
16. What is your best piece of advice?
· Find a mentor! Albert Einstein once said that "Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them," so it is necessary to partner with people who have a higher domain of belief in order to move to a higher level. A mentor’s guidance, encouragement, inspiration, experience, perspective, and advice can make a huge difference between success and failure in motherhood and in entrepreneurship. A coach is a mentor, a guide, a teacher, a friend, a partner, a facilitator… someone who will ask the right questions, identify your blind spots, and provide the type of accountability that moves you to action, saving you stress, time, and money in the long-run. I am committed to help my coaching and mentoring clients build their dreams and create a life they love!
17. Complete the sentence “When life gives you lemons…”
· ...hold on to them and give thanks for the free lemons. I always say "Gratitude is the birthplace of joy!"
18. What is the most inspiring book you have ever read?
· I have read too many books to choose a favorite, but one I read at least once every year is titled “As A Man Thinketh,” by James Allen. It’s a short read and it keeps getting better. It has been a great friend throughout my journey and in my quest to be a student of pain, because it teaches us that "The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs;" in other words, you cannot outperform your beliefs of who you are and what the world seems to you, so we must always question our beliefs.
19. Do you have a place to pray or meditate?
· I am always praying and meditating. The beauty of divine communication is that it can happen anywhere, at any time, and under any conditions. We can tune in to the still small voice to access wisdom, answers, and guidance in any area of our lives.
20. What is your motto in life?
21. If there was just one nugget of wisdom you could share, what would that be?
· Two words: Forgive Yourself!
Regrets, guilt, and shame are destructive, not productive. Stop beating yourself up with the “I can’t believe I…”“Why did/didn’t I…?” “I should have…”“I could have…” and “If only I’d…” and invest your precious time, effort, and energy building what you dream and being present to those you love.
·
Quick Fire:
Being in a crowd or Being alone?
Writing or Singing?
Sea Vacation or Safari Vacation?
Blessings,
Elayna Fernández
Storyteller | Strategist | Student of Pain
Named one of the Top Parenting Blogs Worldwide 2017
2017 Award winner for "Best Parenting and Family Content Creator"
#12 of 100 Top Mom Blogs Worldwide 2016
Named one of the 100 Top Influencers In USA (two years in a row)
Certified DreamBuilder Coach
Certified Guerrilla Marketing Master Trainer
Certified Passion Test Facilitator
Certified Success Principles Trainer [Jack Canfield]
Graduate of the Steve Harvey School for Business Acceleration
Creator of @DisneyMomGuide
One of the aspects that I love LOVE about Elayna is the way she is raising her children. Elisha & Elyssa have their own brand called, WhollyART at just 8 & 7 years old! Which I'm sure was started long before that & has since received much praise & success. They've even published a book! These girls are such an inspiration that I wish my sister had had when she was growing up. It's such a beautiful testament to Elayna's parenting style & the way in which she has nurtured her children's talents & potential.
As a mompreneur, she has inspired my own mom to resign from her position of Director at a company to start her OWN company called Vanguard Accounting! As a student of pain, she's helped me through the darkest parts of my depression & anxiety. As a strategist, she's helped me evolve my influencer pitch to encourage my ambition of landing my dream brands! As a storyteller, she's captured my heart & imagination to propel it into the stratosphere of "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE".
Click on the below to read two incredible testimonies from moms who have sincerely benefited from Elayna's coaching:
Testimonial Karinee Lopez
Testimonial Vanessa Hernandez
Follow & Join in on these exciting upcoming "Elayna-Tastic" events:
Twitter https://twitter.com/thePositiveMOM_ Handle @ThePositiveMOM_ Hashtag #mindsetformoms #millionairemommindset
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thepositivemom
Instagram http://instagram.com/thepositivemom
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/thepositivemom 
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/thepositivemom/
Elisha and Elyssa's website: http://whollyart.com and @whollyART everywhere online
Eliana's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtOQ5Lt0gSxoYQsQX8RJclA
WOW! this has been, by far one of my favorite & most impactful blog posts I've had the pleasure of publishing. BIG SHOUT OUT to my mentor Elayna for taking the time & effort to answer each question with such immensely insightful detail & passion. I am both humbled & in awe of this opportunity. To all the moms out there:
I; Enricoh Alfonzo; undoubtedly, vehemently, and whole-heartedly recommend Elayna's mentorship & coaching!
© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words
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~Be Kind to One Another~ Ellen Degeneres
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