Meet Cherise Scott. Mom, divorcee, and realtor based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Most women that go through a divorce are scared, lost, and confused as they navigate a new life chapter. And Cherise was one of them. She lost her identity and purpose after a strained marriage. But Cherise was able to heal through her faith in God. As part of Cherise’s healing journey, she decided to blog about her experiences. Cherise shares her story in hopes of inspiring other women to live through their experiences and not become them. And now, Cherise is thriving in her real estate career and teaching women how to thrive on the other side of divorce.
In a recent interview, Cherise Scott reveals to FEMI Magazine what it means to her to walk into her purpose, her self-care routine, and what women should know as they navigate a divorce.
How did your healing journey begin?
“My journey began a few months before my marriage actually ended. I was mentally and emotionally done in from the toxicity of my relationship. And at that, the blinders were beginning to come off. Nothing was going to get better and my children were not going to see the best version of me. I’d realized that my true inner essence had almost dissipated. Eventually, I’d finally worked up the nerve to file for divorce. It was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to make but it was for the best.”
How has writing and sharing your story publicly aided your journey?
“OMG! It has done wonders! But I can only give credit to God for leading me in that direction. But what led me to it was that I’d already been journaling and venting on paper. One day God planted this seed in my head, and I realized that I can’t be alone in this situation. Other people must be going through these storms too. So, in that time, I realized that my story, my journey, can help and inspire others too. Actually, I did an interview with Pastor RC Blakes over a year ago and one thing he mentioned that sticks with me to this day is that “The scars on your heart can be a roadmap to others’ healing.” And that’s something that I stick by as I continue to share my story with others.”
Can you share some of your daily self-care practices?
“First of all, I gotta say with this pandemic, self-care has been a little harder to come by these days. I’m a Realtor, I homeschool both of my sons and of course, I still have to cook, clean, and the whole nine. So, self-care seems almost impossible sometimes. BUT where there’s a will there’s a way! I usually get up before the rest of the house to pray and journal. During that time, I also have a nice hot cup of tea as well. I also take time to meditate for about one minute every few hours to clear my mind and kind of reset and breath. That has been a huge help in getting me through the day because it’s so easy to lose yourself in all these activities and daily duties. That’s pretty much it for me during these crazy times but it definitely works.”
What does it mean to you to walk in your purpose?
“When God is in the front, things are a heck of a lot better. For me, walking in your purpose means that you’re putting God into every situation that you encounter—good or bad. It’s so easy to sit and wonder “why me” or get angry at God for the things that are happening in life. But I’ve found that the challenges that we go through can lead us to become the masterpieces that God wants us to be. To elaborate, the storms that I have gone through in my life have led me to be ten times better than who I used to be. When I go through any good or bad situation, I always ask God to reveal to me what He wants me to see. It may take some time, but He eventually reveals that to me and I’m able to go in the direction He wants me to go. And there’s a lot of peace in that process.”
Tell us more about your Keep Praying, Keep Pushing campaign.
“My motto since I started my journey was “Always Pray and Keep Pushing.” It was something I always said to myself whenever I found myself at a low point. So, it was the perfect motto for my blog and beyond. When the chaos that was 2020 came along, there we so many crazy emotions running rampant for everyone. There was so much uncertainty. We’re living in a time where it’s so easy to just give up. I decided to create this campaign so that women can see that other women were also able to overcome challenges and find their own purpose(s) in life. It was to show that, even though times are hard, your journey is not over!”
What are three things women should know as they navigate a divorce?
“It’s a lot of things that I can list here for women to remember as they go through a divorce. It’s one of the hardest things for anyone to go through. But three things that stand out to me the most are the following:
1. You validate you. Don’t let anyone, be it family, friends, or society, make you think
that divorce is taboo or that something is wrong with you. Yes, things didn’t go the
way you hoped. But at the end of the day, you bring value to yourself. Not a title.
2. Find a healthy way to vent your frustrations. Divorce is certainly not fun. Tensions
are high and emotions are all over the place. So, it’s good to find a healthy way to let that out. Journaling and therapy helped me a lot. Exercise is another good outlet that I use as well. It’s good to find outlets that best help you navigate those emotions
3. Keep God First! When God is in the picture, that just means that there are bigger and better things waiting on the horizon. It doesn’t seem like it at first. I certainly wasn’t thinking that way in the beginning myself. But now that I’ve seen what’s on the other side. With God’s help, you will get through it. And you will be stronger than ever. You just have to Keep Praying and Keep Pushing!”
Whether it’s divorce or another life-altering event, we as women can always choose to thrive on the other side of unfavored experiences. If you need the inspiration to jumpstart your own healing journey, check out Cherise’s website www.cheriselaron.com.
