Erica Scott

I attribute my success to grace - I really don't have anything else to add, but I think grace has gotten me this far. I've also had mentors and people who invest in my career and love on me, telling me to just be myself because I am enough. That's what I've had to learn in my journey of acting, whether I'm on stage or behind the screen helping someone with an order - it's so important to be yourself. I also believe in being unapologetic about who you are and treating everyone with kindness, respect, and honor, whether they're the janitor or the CEO. My mental health has been both my biggest challenge and my biggest gift, and I've realized that with a little bit of assistance and help, I can do anything I put my mind to. My dad also played a role by always having me fiddling with stuff, especially technology, which has made me really techie and someone people come to for help.

The best career advice I've received is about being in the power of now and being in the present moment. I've also been told to be unapologetically myself, because when you have mentors and people that invest in your career and love on you, they tell you to just be yourself because you are enough. I think that's what I have to learn in my journey of acting - whether I'm on stage or whether I'm behind the screen helping someone with an order, it's so important to be yourself.

I would say keep your head up high, real high, as high as you can, because there's gonna be good days, there's gonna be bad days, there's gonna be days you're unsure and you wanna give up, but the journey is the mission. We can't be anyone other than ourselves, so why not be the best you can be, period. A lot of what I advise younger women is what I would tell myself - be yourself, love yourself, and primarily give yourself what you know you need. If you're in a season of doubt, you know you need faith. If you're in a season of hardship and financial struggle, you probably need a little bit of prayer and a little bit of inertia to push forward. Today was a prime example of wanting to give up, but I was like, I have too much going, I can't give up, because there are younger women looking to me, like my family members, to see that I'm doing good because I haven't given up. The moment you give up is the moment you let go of everything, and I can't ever say that I've been that person that just gives up. But I will surrender when the time or position isn't right for me. I think that's so important for our young women to understand - not every opportunity is your opportunity. What's for you won't pass you.

I think right now, especially getting into real estate, this is the time for me because so much is going on in our world. Once we get past this hard stuff, things will open up again, and I think I'll be right at the precipice of the time where I'm supposed to be doing real estate. There's a lot happening, but I see it as an opportunity to position myself for when things improve.

I think one of my biggest values is health, and that's why I got into the medical field, because now I shed light to everyone I know about my health tips and tricks to stay healthy. I think people underestimate the power of sleep, because that literally rejuvenates your cells overnight and helps you have a cellular turnover so that you can be the best version of yourself. I advocate for 8 hours of sleep, but there are so many other aspects of health that mean so much to me. That's why I stay in the medical field, and that's why I also choose performing, because I think health is everything overall, and if we don't have our health, we can't move forward. Health is wealth. I also value kindness - I think kindness is the best anecdote to a lot of our hardships and just the world. I think kindness will change everything. I try to be kind, respectful, and honor every single person that I come and encounter with, whether they're the janitor or the CEO. I try to treat everybody equally with respect and honor. Movement is also medicine to me - I enjoy movement whether it's yoga or walking, and I've started to make working out a little bit more fun rather than something I have to do.