YWCA Women of Excellence: Lacy Barnhart
What inspires you?
For me inspiration comes from many sources but most importantly it simply comes from the sense of knowing I’m making an impact. Whether I’m making an impact on one person’s life or a hundred – knowing that I’m helping someone, in some way, inspires me to keep going and trying to make a difference.
What advice do you have for others?
DON’T GIVE UP AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. The attitude and outlook you have on life is solely your choice and determines what kind of life you live. For me, positive self-talk and daily routines have been a crucial part to my success and have aided me in keeping an optimistic attitude. Learning to become comfortable being uncomfortable is the best way to transform yourself. Don’t beat yourself up over the failures, learn how you can do better next time, improve upon it and move on.
What is the greatest lesson you have learned on your journey?
It is all about mind over matter. Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it. Like everyone else, I have faced many hurdles in both my professional and personal life, but the most important lesson I’ve learned is to face every obstacle as an opportunity and grow from it. Challenges make you stronger, they make you more agile and they help you learn to not take things for granted. Every day is an opportunity to be your very best. It’s so easy to give up when we feel we’re up against a wall, but you have to keep pushing through because you will become a better person for it, you will learn that you’re stronger than you think and hopefully you will inspire those around you to do the same along the way.
What does your vision for our community look like?
People helping people. I want our community to be a place that from the moment you step into it, you feel a sense of belonging, that everyone in it is rallying around you to help support whatever you dream of doing. I want it to be a place that people are eager and excited to be a part of. I want it to be a place where small businesses thrive, where people feel safe, I want it to be a place where people feel can really feel our momentum.
What does "Equal - Powerful - Unstoppable" mean to you?
To me those words mean “Enough”. Enough to be absolutely anything you want to be. You’re equally equipped to go up against the challenges you’re facing. You’re powerful enough to push through it and you’re relentless in your endeavors. So often we feel the need to be “enough” for everyone else, but all we need to be is “enough” for ourselves and someone with that mindset can take on the world without allowing anything to stop them.
