Connie Murry Gaston

I attribute my success to staying positive and focused on happiness, which I believe is at the top of the chart, not money or material things. I was raised with the values that you're never too little to share and you only look down to lift up, which has guided everything I do. As a single mother for 17 years raising three sons who are five years apart, I learned to work from home and manage my business while being present for my children. I practiced meditation and journaling to keep myself centered and balanced, especially during those challenging years. I always did five-year planning, not just for my children but for myself, asking where I wanted to be and what I wanted to be doing. Every position I've ever held helped me in every new position that followed. I've had mentors who gave me opportunities and stood for me, which taught me the importance of giving back and mentoring others. I've learned that you can't know everything, and what you don't know will make a whole new world. Even though I've been afraid in life, I've never been too afraid to move forward. My focus has always been on health, safety, and welfare, whether managing 300 Peace Corps volunteers or raising my own family, and that approach has served me well throughout my career.

I would say that, first of all, always take care of yourself. I always did self-development, and I encourage you to always do self-development and self-analyzation for yourself, just to keep yourself steady, keep yourself growing and advancing mentally, physically, and emotionally. It's very important because as you give, you need to have a reservoir where you are restoring. I'm spiritual, and I think meditation is crucial. If you get up and just take a few moments to breathe each day, to just sit in silence, even if it's only for a few minutes, it helps restore yourself before you move out to the outside world. I would have to get up hours ahead of time before my household woke up, just to take the time off the top for myself. So I say keep yourself in good mental state of being. You must be able to do self-analyzation and know that what you don't know will make a whole new world. In your ladder climbing, you must give back as well as receive. You need a mentor, you need someone that will stand for you or assist you, because you can't know everything. A lot of positions are on-the-job training, and I'll say what was very helpful to me is every position I've ever held helped me in every new position that I ever held.

The values most important to me are helping people and providing service to the community. I really like providing services and information and distributing information to the community and to people, because you have to know your resources, and I found that a lot of people are just not aware. Whatever I'm doing, I put that in the forefront in helping people. I was raised with the belief that you're never too little to share, and you only look down to lift up. Happiness is at the top of the chart for me, not money or material things. Happiness has to come from within; you can't depend on things and folks to make you happy. I believe in staying positive and giving encouragement to others. I want people to know that yes, you can achieve your goals, and to not be afraid. I've been afraid in life, but not ever too afraid to move forward. I focus on health, safety, and welfare in everything I do, whether it was managing Peace Corps volunteers or raising my three sons as a single mother. I practice meditation and journaling to keep myself centered and balanced. I believe strongly in team-building, because when you build a team, it's one for all and all for one, and that helps in every experience you have, whether it's family, work, or whatever you do. Education has always been important to me, and I'm grateful for what I learned at Michigan State University. I also believe in giving back and mentoring others, because I had mentors who gave me opportunities.