Misty

Misty was born and raised in Gainesville, FL to a single mom who taught her the value of education, the importance of self-reliance, leading by example, and who would often say: "actions speak louder than words." She is the proud mother of an empathic, bright, and spirited 5 year-old daughter named Harper. She was married for 8 years but refuses to define herself as "divorced" because she believes that the image this label often conjures up (failure. quitter. sad. alone...) is not reflective of how she sees herself; rather, she knows that she is a strong, passionate, intelligent, altruistic, resilient, and driven woman. Misty earned a BA in Sociology from UF in 2009, an MSW from USF in 2012, and has since become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has served in various roles as a volunteer and employee in the child welfare system for 12 years. Currently, she serves as the Program Manager of a comprehensive, client-focused early psychosis treatment program at a mid-sized non-profit in Tampa... one of only 7 the entire state of Florida! Misty lives her life each day striving to carry out the mission and vision that she shares with her fierce, resilient, empathic mother, Yvonne: to improve the lives of all sentient beings and to change the world, one act of kindness at a time.  She thrives on giving a voice to the (literal and figurative) voiceless, serving the under-served, and instilling hope in those who feel hopeless. Misty believes that the point of learning is to teach, the best part of living is to serve, and that we each have the strength to support our fellow Goddesses on the path to peace if we have the courage to heal ourselves first. As an editor on the Soul to Sisterhood book, combing through and digesting the experiences of each interviewee has reminded Misty that we are both hurt and healed in the context of relationships. Reading each story has also reinforced her belief that we must have the courage to be vulnerable in order to experience joy. Being a part of this project has led to immense personal growth, and Misty believes wholeheartedly that each person who reads these stories will feel less alone, more connected, and will develop a more positive self-image and optimistic outlook on life. 

Her Favorite Quote is: "When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change"   - Anonymous