In honor of International Women’s Day, we invited members of GCW’s 2025 class of 100 Successful Women to Know to reflect on how they got where they are and the lessons that shaped them. We asked: If you could write a letter to your younger self, what advice would you share? Here’s what they had to say:
“Don’t give up just because your timeline looks different. Your path won’t match everyone else’s — and that’s okay. One day, you’ll sit in an ACT testing room in your 30s, surrounded by teenagers who are friends with your niece, and you’ll wonder if you’re behind. You’re not — you’re right on time for you. Courage isn’t doing things early; it’s doing them anyways. Keep going. Your persistence will matter far more than the age on your student ID.”
Cathy Adams Pickering, Firm administrator/paralegal, Holcomb Johnson PLLC
“Success doesn’t have to look loud to be meaningful. You can build a career you’re proud of and a life full of love; both can exist together. Give yourself grace on the hard days. Celebrate the small wins, and remember that your greatest impact will come from the way you care for people — not the number of achievements on your resume.”
Jacqueline Foreman, Speech language pathologist
“I would tell my younger self to believe in myself and my dreams, even when that means stepping outside my comfort zone. There were many times I felt like I didn’t belong or wasn’t smart or good enough to be in the room — whether that was a courtroom, a classroom or a social setting. I had to push through the voice telling me to “pass on the opportunity” and trust myself instead. Taking risks helped me grow into a more confident person and opened doors I never thought possible.”
Amy St. Pe’, Judge, Mississippi Court of Appeals
“You may not be the most talented or smartest in the room (and you shouldn’t be if you want to grow), but you can always work the hardest. Never let the fear of failure stop you from taking a risk on yourself.”
Erin Rosetti, Communications manager, Memorial Health System
“The trials you’re facing are not punishment; they are preparation. The wilderness seasons, the loneliness and the unanswered questions are shaping your strength, not breaking you. Every hardship is a brick, carefully laid, building the woman you are becoming. One day, you’ll look back and real-ize you were being fortified, not forgotten. Trust that what feels heavy now will become wisdom later. You are not behind. You are being refined. Don’t fear your evolution; she is powerful, grounded, and compassionate because of everything you survived.”
Shanavier Clark, Lead Behavioral Health Specialist, Coastal Family Health Center
“That instinct you have to make people smile — that’s a skill. One day, you’ll teach kids they don’t have to be scared to go to the dentist, and you’ll become a real-life Tooth Fairy. Trust that your kindness absolutely can be a career.”
Ginger Christian, Regional community relations manager, South Mississippi Smiles
“It’s all going to work out. God is writing a story much bigger than the one you’re trying to control. Take Him with you in everything you do: your goals, your work, your decisions – EVERYTHING. Don’t call setbacks failures; trust that redirection is still movement. Listen, He will not fail you. Enjoy your days, and don’t focus so much on how the story ends that you forget to live it. The process matters. The becoming matters. And one day, you will realize that every step was leading you exactly where you were always meant to be.”
Julianis Wade, HR business partner, Island View Casino Resort
“First: Listen to the grownups in your life. They’ve survived everything you’re currently stressed about.
Second: Stop the comparison game. Whether that girl is prettier, more popular or has more money is irrelevant. You are a limited edition, not a knockoff.
Third: Trade the drama for better habits. Eat a vegetable, move your body and ditch the energy vampires.”
Most importantly: Pick yourself up after a failure. It’s ok to feel it, but don’t let it define you.”
Kay Daneault, Executive director, Mental Health Association of South Mississippi
“Let someone else tell you no! Don’t close doors that haven’t been shut yet.”
Stacy Fairley, Social worker at VA Health Administration
“You don’t have to rush your becoming. The pressure you feel now will one day turn into purpose. Trust your voice and speak up, even when you feel outnumbered. Your courage will guide students, families and your community. Education opens doors, but relationships carry you through them. Be kind. Show up. That matters more than titles. You’ll wear many hats — not perfectly, but faithfully. Grief will come, but it won’t break you; it will deepen your compassion and calling. Rest without guilt. Don’t shrink. You were never meant to play small. Keep the faith; God is carrying you forward.”
Brittany Harris, Student enrollment specialist, William Carey University Tradition Campus
“Stop talking yourself out of something before you’ve even tried. You will never know the answer unless you go for it! While it’s scary to ask for what you want, the worst you will hear is no … but what if you hear yes?”
Janet Schnurr, Media executive with WLOX
“God placed you here on purpose. Every spiritual, physical and mental detail about you was intentional. Walk tall and confident in that truth. Be authentically you without apology. The people meant for you will stay, and rejection will simply redirect you. Trust God, trust your voice and never shrink to fit spaces you’ve outgrown.”
Tori Bishop, Lamar Airports account manager
“They will call you ‘too much’ — too loud, too tender, too nerdy and too different. Let the words pass by you like weather. You are not here to be smaller for anyone else’s comfort. Being the child of a broken home will teach you how to build safe ones. Loving people the world misunderstands will deepen your empathy and widen your courage. One day, the very things they questioned will become your livelihood, your fuel and your light. Keep your kindness. It is not a flaw. You were never lost; you were learning how to arrive. “
Kimberly Allison, Owner, Sugar Magnolia Cakery
