The Short Of It
I’m Suset Laboy, and once upon a time, I spent my days jumping through hoops, chasing goals that society invented for me and my community (read Puerto Rican, female, Latinx); and I internalized with gusto.
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Graduate with the highest honors from high school and 9 extra-curricular activities? Check.
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Ivy League Education, a double major and 3 side gigs? Sure.
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Work over 70 hours a week at a corporate job while copy-editing on the side? Why, of course.
- Somehow find the time to get certified as a yoga instructor? Yep.
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Finish PhD while building my own business and supplementing my income with freelance work? You betcha.
It was all a frantic whirlwind of successes and while I was incredibly thankful for these experiences, I was often left exhausted and drained.
Fast-forward to a year ago when I was diagnosed with a paraganglioma (Para what?!) two months before my wedding, and right as hurricane Maria was destroying the island where I grew up. I had no freaking idea what this thing was, but it did not sound like a fun diagnosis. I soon found out that I had an incredibly rare, benign tumor (henceforth known as Barney) that needs to be managed daily, and stands as a constant reminder to chill the eff down.
It also made me come to the conclusion that I couldn’t be alone. I couldn’t be the only person that felt overwhelmed and moving too fast for their own good, could I? I asked around, and guess what? I wasn’t. Lots of ladies like us are burning the candle at both ends and it needs to stop.
That’s why I started A Little Awareness. Because my health gave me a little awareness to the fact that I was going too fast, and I want to help women like you realize the same thing (except you know, without the health scare). So let’s slow down and gain a little awareness together.