We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patrice Hernandez . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patrice below.
Patrice , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?
For any entrepreneur, vacations are a must! We spend many of our days and nights “hustling” to become successful, so much so that we tend to forget we need to add self-care to our daily routine. The rest. Vacations are for enjoyment, but we, as business owners, forget that rest and breathing are essential to our growth.
Giving our bodies the attention they deserve begins with recognizing when to rest. Life changes when we slow down and honestly care for ourselves. If we are constantly working, how do we have time for self-care?
It has been ingrained in us to hustle and work hard, and while it is essential to do so, we become detached from the reality that rest and relaxation are ok. We feel we do not deserve a moment to breathe and recover. Taking the time to replenish ourselves allows us to be inspired by events in life. Vacationing enables us to slow down and notice the simple joys in life. When we reset, we begin to feel vibrant from the inside out.
Take a break. Turn off the phones, computer, and step away. Your business will stay strong even if you take time off to rest. Silence the mind, and toss out the things that cause you stress. We can grant ourselves permission to rest and recover. Release any notion of self-judgment. We believe others will think we are lazy, weak, and unorganized…And it causes us not to want to take time for ourselves.
Patrice , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
As a young girl, I fell in love with writing poetry. As an adult, I have served in the United States Air Force, Graduated College with my Master’s in Business, and successfully operated our family business for the past 4.5 years with my husband. It has been a labor of dedication and love. We have two daughters, whom I call my Cheetahs, and have homeschooled and now attend college.
Fast forward to today, I write a little poetry but enjoy writing in all forms. I am thrilled to launch my new business, Red Apple Writes, LLC, which focuses on writing what you love. The Evil Queen Regina from Once Upon a Time inspired the name. I want this to be a fun adventure!
I have written my first children’s book with my daughters–My oldest daughter will soon illustrate it. I am working on a second children’s book, Ellie the Elf. Reaching best-seller status in two anthologies, I will be featured in a third, Effective Immediately, this Fall. I have also written my first screenplay! Baking Spirits Bright is currently in the editing phase; this heartfelt story is based on the relationship between my daughters and their great-grandmother Shirley Ann, who passed away this past May. It’s a sweet story that I cannot wait to share!
You will find me immersing myself in all things Christmas year-round, Disney, reading, traveling, volunteering, and sprinkling kindness wherever I can. I love living a life of positivity and enjoy dreaming, so teaching others how to create and envision their best life by making vision boards that work has been a passion for eight years!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Writing gives me an enduring sense of gratification. Making space to be creative is invaluable. Writing is an art form available to all. It is not limited to just certain people. Writing allows me the freedom to express what I am feeling at any given time. Happy, sad, lonely-Those are some of the emotions that I have experienced in my life. You form a connection with each word you pen to paper. Life experiences give me the link to be creative and build confidence.
Changes in how I see the world and myself inspire dreams and stories I can share for generations. Writing a story allows me to become the character and live a life I typically only dream of living. Write whatever thoughts come to mind, not considering grammar, but just writing. I don’t limit or restrict myself from what I want to write. I write what I feel: experiences, dreams, and hopes…The ability to romanticize life through writing can never be taken away from you.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Pushing myself outside of my comfort zone. We love staying inside our boxes because it is comforting. It minimizes a life of the unknown. I have found that to be a fear of speaking loudly and needing to trust. It is mainly because we want things to be perfect. If I step even a pinkie toe outside the box, I may lack control, and things may crumble. I have learned to recognize that I am perfectly imperfect. That comes with making mistakes, but it is okay because that is how you learn. Learning from others, being curious, connecting and trusting others, and not comparing myself have allowed people to see the real me.
Living true to myself has been a beautiful adventure. My days are filled with interacting with others, whether interviewing a potential employee or chatting with someone I have met in a store. I’ve learned that kindness is an important character trait for one to have. It comes naturally to me. Connecting genuinely and openly with others by sharing my stories, supporting others when they need it most, being a listening ear and embodying my values, and living in total truth of those values has opened doors for me that one could have only imagined. I am grateful for the doors easily opening for me!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://patriceshawntia.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lady.patrice/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrice.hernandez
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricehernandez/
Image Credits
Charmed Life Photography- Lisa Haynes Dana Hernandez Alana Hernandez