Elsa Chahin

The first word that comes to mind is discipline. Discipline and healthy habits have been essential to my growth across every stage of my journey. Whether it's ballet, music, education, or my international work, discipline has allowed me to continue learning, evolving, and embracing new opportunities. Healthy habits are not only about physical wellness, but also about nurturing emotional balance, creativity, and a positive mindset. These values have sustained my passion and purpose throughout my life.

One of the most influential figures in my journey was my ballet teacher and mentor, Margarita Contreras, who believed in me when I started ballet at the age of 21, which is considered unusually late for classical dance training. I arrived at the studio as a beginner, and she simply asked to see what I could do. She invited me to join classes twice a week alongside very young students. Despite the unconventional beginning, my passion and determination quickly became evident. Within just a few months, I progressed from training with six-year-old students to studying alongside teenagers, and in less than a year, I had become a substitute teacher at the studio. Margarita's belief in me was life-changing. She not only helped me develop as a dancer, but also empowered me to believe in possibilities beyond conventional expectations. The experience taught me the transformative impact that encouragement and genuine support can have on a person's confidence and future. Another profound influence in my life has been my son, whom I described as my main teacher. When I was working as a ballerina, my husband wanted us to start a family, so I had to retire. During my pregnancy, I started learning about the field of early childhood education and applied this philosophy with him. Just watching him grow into this extraordinary being - he is my main teacher, and I tell him all the time, thank you for everything that you've taught me. He just got married, and they were together for 20 years since 9th grade. For me, family, mentorship, and love remain at the center of the work I do and the values I hope to pass on to others.

I would say never give up on your dreams. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, because mistakes actually take us to learn something, just like a scientist when they're creating a vaccine - they're gonna make many mistakes. This formula doesn't work, or we gotta add more this, or even when you're gonna bake a cake. I had a wonderful speaker tell me that I have to make mistakes - spill the water on the table, drop an egg - you can see that it's okay to do that. I just performed yesterday, and I was gonna get cold feet because I flew my dance partner in from Mexico, we didn't even have time to rehearse, and I was having a little bit of pain in my feet. But there's no way I wasn't going to do it. I got up there on stage and I just started saying some affirmations to myself: you do it, you just show up and you do it. And I did it! It's so important for young women to understand - take a chance. My teacher would always say, have no expectations, just be in the moment. One thing I would say for reflection is when you do something, do it for yourself. Sometimes we're doing things to please others, we just want to make them happy or please them. And then, what about you? Feeling proud of your success, whether it's going down to the treadmill and walking that day. I always tell that to myself - even if it's like washing the dishes, I don't want to do it, and then I do it. You did it, little bear. True success comes from feeling proud of one's own journey, honoring personal passions, and recognizing the courage it takes to pursue meaningful dreams.

I also will be adding detail in regarding her inspirations and motivations and her career, the people who have motivated her, her joy is outside of work including her interest in hobbies, the things she attributes her success to, How she would like to connect with other incredible women within our network and how she would like to inspire our readers as well as any additional details she can share to bring to light her accomplishments and what she looks forward to at the next chapter of her career is Written.

When reflecting on the personal values that have guided me throughout life, I immediately identified discipline as one of my most important attributes. I believe discipline has been essential to my growth across every stage of my journey, from ballet and music to education, philanthropy, and international advocacy. Alongside discipline, I emphasized the importance of maintaining healthy habits, both physically and mentally. I explained that consistency, self-care, and intentional daily routines have helped me remain focused, resilient, and capable of pursuing ambitious goals throughout my life. For me, healthy habits are not only about physical wellness, but also about nurturing emotional balance, creativity, and a positive mindset. These values have allowed me to continue learning, evolving, and embracing new opportunities well into adulthood. Whether performing on stage, teaching students, traveling internationally, or leading humanitarian efforts, I credit discipline and healthy living as the foundation that has sustained my passion and purpose. I also believe in humanity - I really believe that we can have a kinder world. We come together, we respect each other. Our philosophy is all about respect. We start with the baby, zero to three, talking to them and letting them know what's gonna happen. It's really about seeing the other and having an interdependence, showing interest in the other person. A good connection comes when you show interest in another person.