Meet Trailblazer Tabitha Panariso

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tabitha Panariso.

Tabitha, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Words have always been important to me, in one way or the other – and people, too.

I’ve spent most of my life trying to find creative ways to connect the two.

I started as a School Counselor. I had this incredible opportunity to show up daily for kids ranging from 6 to 13 in their classrooms and hallways. When they had bad days or traumatic experiences or just needed advice, I was able to provide them with words; words of hope and guidance. It was powerful seeing how our time together could change the trajectory of their day. Words really mattered. Being present really mattered, too.

Eventually, things got turned upside down. Eventually, I was the one who needed words. I was the one who needed the community.

In May 2014, I miscarried our first baby. We were devastated. I searched and googled for anything that might bring me out of the depths of despair. I looked for people who might sit with me in my grief. At the time, I didn’t find much.

It was from there, from this place of scarcity – that I decided I wanted to use my words in a new way. The internet felt like an unclaimed land filled with possibility. I could build hope and create a community with just a laptop and my words. So, I started writing.

And now, three kids, two dogs, and a mortgage later — I’m still writing. I write about motherhood, daily life, and fighting for an unyielding faith in an unsteady world. When I have the opportunity, I speak on these subjects as well. It’s an honor to serve people through my words, but it’s wildly more significant when I have the chance to talk with them face to face.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I was in college, I had it all figured it out. I was ambitious and nothing was going to stand in my way.

And actually, nothing did. I went from my Bachelor’s degree to my Master’s degree to my career all in a very short span. I got married. I bought a house with my husband.

According to society, I had checked all the boxes. It had been smooth.

And then, I took a risk and quit my job to stay at home with my kids. Because I wanted to. For months on end, I grieved the loss of what I thought had been my identity. I had put so much of an emphasis on my achievements that without them – I thought I was nothing.

Life is going to throw us some curveballs, and some of them we’ll be prepared for and for others, we won’t. But, you’ll be less likely to end up curled up into a ball questioning your existence if you hold on loosely to degrees, careers, and expectations for what you think you want your life to look like. You’ll be happier, too.

What I needed to hear then, and what someone needs to hear today, is this: We are not the sum of our accomplishments. We are not human “doings”, we are human “beings”.

Make goals. Dream big dreams. Take risks. But remember – your life’s value doesn’t hinge on those things. You’re valuable because you are you. Your life was significant the moment you were conceived.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I have my hands in a lot of things. I’ve learned to embrace that. But, I am first and foremost- a writer. I’m known for writing boldly and authentically as I share stories that lead people to hope, and sometimes conviction.

The best compliment I have ever received is that my life is congruent with my work. I find there’s freedom there. I don’t play to the masses, but show up as myself and with my whole self.

At the moment, I spend a lot of time on Instagram and use tiny boxes to convey big messages. But quite honestly, I care the most about connecting one on one with people. I work hard to create relationships not just online, but in real life too. I love speaking to groups of women and encouraging them and look for any chance to involve myself in my surrounding community.

For example, I also am a Noonday Ambassador. Noonday helps create dignified jobs for vulnerable communities all around the world by creating a marketplace for their handmade, fair-trade, and ethical fashion. Noonday gives me the opportunity to get in front of women, tell stories full of hope and use my words.

I’m proud that my work goes beyond just a single title – that my life lends itself to these things I do; that they intermingle with each other so perfectly.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
As a writer, I spend as much or more time learning as I do creating. Here are some of my favorite resources:

+Lightroom
+Unfold
+Voxer

+Going Scared with Jessica Honegger
+Jesus Over Everything with Lisa Whittle
+JourneyWomen
+Go and Tell Gals
+the Bible Project

+anything by Brene Brown
+The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
+A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Petersen
+Obedience over Hustle by Malinda Fuller

+She Works His Way (An Online Community for Business Women)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tabithapanariso.noondaycollection.com
• Email: tabitha.panariso@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tabitha.panariso

Image Credit:
Faith Photography by Kati

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