Dr. Alisha Reed

You know those people that you follow on social media, and though you’ve never actually met them in real life, you’re convinced you know them? Yeah, that’s how I feel about Dr. Alisha Reed. She’s a Pharmacist, mother, bougie New Orleanian, and also a widow. She shares her journey about losing her husband, and learning how to mend her heart and her spirit, with such ease it’s remarkably admirable. She doesn’t share her journey for sympathies sake, but out of the understanding that vulnerability and honesty is the only way through life, and when you master it, you begin to help others by doing so.

Alisha allows her followers to get to know her life and family through her testimony, and is proof that anyone can fly after experiencing tragedy. In fact, @flywithalishareed is not only her Instagram handle, but F.L.Y—First Love Yourself is also the moniker under which her website, podcast, and life coaching are all named after. Her courage to put herself first, in order to best show up for her son, family, friends, and community, makes her a woman of inspiration, and I hope something in her story resonates with you.

This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

1.) What inspires you to do what you do professionally?

I’ve always wanted to be a pharmacist. I love helping people, and seeing people get better. Most people want to be doctors because they feel like they want to save lives, but I feel like the pharmacy career is a little underrated and undervalued. We are that person that is dispensing the medicine and counseling the patient, we’re trusted medical professionals. I just always wanted a career where I could help someone and make a difference in their lives.

2.) What person has had the biggest influence on your life and why?

I would say my mom. We were obviously raised different, but we have similar experiences. She experienced loss in her life, and she kept going. She has a chronic illness, and seeing her get up everyday and never complain, and do everything she possible can for us, now I see the sacrifice, and what it meant to her to see us be successful.

3.)  How do you practice balance in your life?

By saying, No. I really take inventory of what needs to be done versus what I want to do. And figure out what can be crossed off and what can be delegated. I like to plan things, I have a planner, and I write out all the things I want to accomplish, and then from there figure out what really needs to be done. A lot of things won’t make it. I may write out a list of 20 things, and may only get to 5, and that’s okay. I just do what truly needs to be done.

4.)  How do you use your inherited gifts, platform, and or particular privilege to give back?

Sharing my life, and sharing my experiences with other people. I think by sharing what I’ve gone through and how I’m looking at things, helps a lot of people realize things they may not have payed attention to.

5.)  What person living or dead would you like to sit down for a meal with?

Michelle Obama, and the reason why is that I’d like to talk to her—I loved the book Becoming, and a lot of the things she discussed as a mother and I was a wife, those things resonated with me. And I would love to have a one-on-one discussion about life and about challenges.

6.)  What’s your ideal cocktail, wine, or drink?

I love anything with Champagne! I always ask for anything with Champagne or a pretty Champagne cocktail.

7.)  What’s your biggest vice?

Right now it’s junk food. Because I’m an emotional eater, but I think I would [also] say trying to save everybody. I have to realize that not everyone wants to be saved, and I have to let that go.

8.)  Name one thing you’d like to be kinder to yourself about?

I have to really give myself grace. And in some areas I do, but in raising my child through this grief journey, I have to be kinder to myself in that aspect because I’m trying to protect him from all the things and I just can’t do that. There are some things I’m not going to be able to shield him from and I beat myself up about it.

9.)  What’s your biggest insecurity?

I suffer from imposter syndrome. And often times I think “why me” or “why would people believe that I’m this inspiring person when I have my own challenges.”

10.) What outstanding goal do you have that you’ve yet to accomplish?

I want a talk show! I really want to be in media, and have conversations. I want to be a little baby Iyanla or something!