Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Harris.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Born and raised in Chicago but eventually relocated to the Dallas area a few years after graduating College and receiving a Bachelor of Criminal Justice. My story is really about the evolution of a man. Growing up in Chicago, I always knew I wanted to help others, even as a child. It was there where I had lots of great experiences as well as unfortunately a good deal of not so good, where I saw a lot take place and had my own personal challenges, trials, tribulations, and traumas most of which I just kept inside without working through. It’s interesting because I was the go-to person for many throughout my life, but I didn’t reach out when I needed it most. As a young man coming up you weren’t really conditioned to speak on certain things because it just wasn’t the norm, and you feared being judged for doing so. So, like many, I suppressed and never really healed from a lot of the experiences and disempowering ways of thinking that followed me for so long. I guess you can say I tried to take care of symptoms instead of realizing there were root issues that needed addressing. You come to realize at some point that life is trying to nudge you and let you know that there is something greater for you. However, life will continue to teach you the same lessons until you learn from them, so that it can prepare you for more. Eventually, you realize that in order to understand the world around you, you have to have a really good understanding of your own nature first. That starts with you having to bring things into your awareness in order to heal and learn from them. Once you have the awareness you can begin to do the necessary work to become a better version of yourself.
Through arduous and consistent work, including but not limited to; attending therapy, seeking knowledge, becoming more open minded, challenging my own limiting beliefs, not caring what anyone else thought, and just showing up as my authentic self. I gradually began to heal, love, and pour into myself like never before. Was it easy? Not at all! Was it worth the time, effort, energy, and pain along the way? Absolutely! The wisdom, awareness, emotional intelligence, experience and growth is priceless. As a result, I have had the honor to speak at different events and work with some amazing organizations, companies and brands along the way including but not limited to AFSP “The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention” as well as the NAMI North Texas “National Alliance on Mental Illness.”
I don’t believe we are put here to go through the many challenges that we will face only for ourselves. I believe we go through and grow through different experiences to share with others you cross paths with to help them along their journeys. Through my own vulnerability and creative expression, I have been able to build a following and community where I promote mental health, healing, and wellness. I have been able to connect with and impact thousands of lives across several countries. Honestly, it’s been single-handedly one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I used to think being vulnerable was a weakness, but I now know for myself it’s a strength that can impact so many to become higher versions of themselves. Sometimes people just need to know that they aren’t the only ones experiencing different life challenges and to know there are resources that will assist them along their journeys.
My message is that you can bounce back from almost anything, you just have to believe and know you are worthy.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life and the experiences I have been through have been nothing close to smooth. But honestly, I’m blessed to know that there is no such thing as a smooth road. It’s in the twists and turns, the ups and downs, the bumps and bruises that truly shape and build you into the person you ultimately become. Ultimately, getting out of my own way was the biggest struggle I faced. That included internalizing too much, fears, trying to control things outside of my control, altering my perspectives, and dissolving my own limiting beliefs. I now embrace the challenges because I know they only come to make me stronger and wiser.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an entrepreneur, speaker and content creator. I focus on inspiring others by providing tips, tools, and resources needed to create sustainable, healthy and thriving relationships with themselves. I enjoy speaking, creating content and dialogues around overall personal wellness, healing, mental health and self love. I believe what sets me apart is the fact that I’m a black man who believes there is strength in vulnerability, as well as I speak on issues and challenges that a lot of men aren’t comfortable with speaking about. I ultimately encourage more men and women to find safe spaces and kneel into healing to live a more fulfilling and healthy lifestyle.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve always been somewhat of a risk taker. I did things and went after things that were authentic to me but went against the norm, and I was often judged for. One of the biggest risks was I relocated across the country away from my family to go after my dreams. I stepped into entrepreneurship, creating my own businesses where I took some losses yet learned lessons along the way. Don’t get me wrong, there were times I took a break away from risks to re-evaluate, as some plans didn’t go exactly as planned. I’ll leave you with this, some of my biggest rewards came from taking risks. So, it’s my belief that nothing great really comes from playing it too safe and will require you to get out of your comfort zone, boldly step into the unknown, become comfortable being uncomfortable and take some risks.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iam_chrisjharris/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@iam_chrisjharris
Image Credits
Chris Harris
