Meet Shanique MJ Davis | Author, Content Creator & Talk Show Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shanique MJ Davis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shanique MJ, is there something you believe many others might not?
Growing up in Jamaica, a common parenting factor was the use of colloquialism. This is a set of words or phrases (parables too) that are used to caution anyone who deviates from what is right. As a child, I would often hear my parents and other adults say, “Weh yuh don’ know who hurt yuh.” When translated into more formal English terms it means, “What you don’t know won’t hurt you.” Now, I say that’s ludicrous. You know why? I grew up sheltered by my parents. I didn’t know that being shy would cost me a lot of opportunities. I didn’t know that I’d get hurt by other people and the sooner I forgave and moved on the sooner I could enjoy my life. I didn’t know that I could be my own BARRIER because I’ve told myself some really negative things that deterred me from achieving my goals. I didn’t know that self-confidence is important because without it I’d be seeking validation from other people. I didn’t know that being around toxic people would slow me down and make me unprogressive. I didn’t know that if I didn’t believe in myself no one else would. I didn’t know that every day comes with a lesson that I’ll have to learn. I didn’t know that I don’t deserve every lemon life throws at me. I didn’t know that it’s never too late to try. I’ve been stuck for years because I didn’t know. It was hurting me because I didn’t know. Now I know better. Not knowing hurts more than knowing, because when you know something you’ll know how to handle it. If I had settled with, “Weh yuh don’ know who hurt yuh,” then I don’t know where or who I’d be today. KNOWLEDGE has given me POWER over my past, PROGRESS for my present and HOPE for my future.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m the author of the book entitled, BREAKING YOUR BARRIERS. I must say that this is my proudest achievement so far. I’m 27 years old and I’ve never been very excited about anything until I wrote and published my first book. Despite my success, I had a rocky start in this world. The past two decades of my life were not without its fair share of sorrows, loss, closed doors, missed opportunities, anxiety, failures of all sorts, and just about every symptom associated with an individual who is uncertain of how she’ll survive let alone thrive in this world. My discouragement got so bad that I thought about quitting altogether. Just the mere memory of quitting without finished what I started made my journey even more unsettling. Deep down, I knew I wanted more and I wanted to see what would happen if I did not quit. I later found out that a lack of commitment can cause a person to miss out on the finer things in life. All the sorrows, losses, closed doors, missed opportunities, anxieties and failures are seasonal- not eternal. It is in these low moments that I developed a love for positive change, a sincere value of self and others, and knowledge for growth and resilience. Today, I write and speak to others who are going through the same things. I share experiences, lessons and recommendations in my book, BREAKING YOUR BARRIERS, on how to break free into a life of positivity, purposeful existence and productivity. Experience a paradigm shift in your mindset as you take the journey towards maximizing your full potential to show up BIG the way you should. I hope that sharing my story with you will undoubtedly inspire you to radiate from the inside out because healing comes through a smile, not a pout.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m pretty big on simplicity, there’s something about the little things that make a world of difference for me. I’d take my friend to Kingston (city) for some site seeing, beef patties, pan chicken, a local restaurant for curry goat and stewed peas with some pigtail, then Devon House for some ice cream. Street food is an excellent way to enjoy Jamaica’s authenticity. The street’s where the vibe’s at. Next, we’d go to the beach, again somewhere that’s not too crowded, like Hellshire or to Gloria’s for some crabs. A lot of people enjoy watching cricket, so off to Sabina Park. I don’t party so I’d be attending a few church services with my friends, we can never live without God, play dominoes at home, and that should be enough for a week.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I acknowledge that I am nothing and will never amount to anything good without the love and help of Jesus Christ, who is my Lord and Saviour. I would also like to thank my husband, Kemar Davis, for being my confidant, a constant motivator- you’ve been my help in so many ways. I love you. I’d like to shout out my Pastor, Rev. Anglin, and his wife for all their love and support. I also thank my family, friends, counsellors, teachers, lecturers, employers and colleagues, for the love, harsh and kind words, good and bad intentions, and support, because in all this I have gained the passion for growth in God and to stand as an overcome. To my TalkTruth Series family and all BARRIER BREAKERS who purchased a copy of my book, BREAKING YOUR BARRIERS. Lastly, my online circle, whom I’ve ever met in person, Genesis Amaris Kemp, Kadian Palmer-Asemota and Dedrick L. Moone, for showering me daily with love and encouragement to keep going after my goals.

Website: https://linktr.ee/ShaniqueMJDavis

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisshanique/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanique-mj-davis-872940126/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThisShanique

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisshanique

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P86bH2gURmU&t=122s

Other: BREAKING YOUR BARRIERS on Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/BREAKING-YOUR-BARRIERS-Unhealthy-Unravel/dp/9769643106/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Breaking+Your+Barriers&qid=1617820828&sr=8-1

Image Credits
Zelia Gibson-Brown, Pastor Keith Salmon, Pastors Mark and Keron Grant, Nicole, Tashanie Morrison, Ranique Cousins, Shanique MJ Davis