Meet Opal Harris | Founder of Flora Anns, Incorporated and Air Traffic Control Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Opal Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Opal, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Lets start with my original definition of work-life balance was Work…Live… Sleep when I can… Stop and smell a rose or two when I can… Eat and repeat! My body took it for as long as it could before it started saying ‘Waaiiittttt a minute! What about me?!’ I slowly but surely started to realize that I needed to find a new definition to work-life balance. So I started incorporating a schedule, self care and the word NO! I used to always be available at everyone’s beck and call and whenever an opportunity presented itself to be of service for someone but I no longer say yes all the time. If saying yes is going to take me from my family or effect my physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health then I politely pass up on the opportunity and try to refer them to another organization for assistance. I have set boundaries that protect my peace and happiness and in turn I have actual been a happier and more efficient person, ironically.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Flora Anns, Inc is a non profit designed to serve daily. Our mission is to pay it forward by providing individuals and groups with available resources and knowledge to grow and enhance their own personal needs for a better life and wants for a greater future. I honestly wouldn’t say that anything particular sets us apart from other organizations out here doing similar work. We all are serving our community in our very own unique way. My approach is from a village perspective. I believe that we all can contribute to improving the areas that we live in, our children attend schools in, we shop in, we vote in and etc etc. I am most proud of the students whom I have had the opportunity to mentor and the success stories they share with me as they embark on their journeys. Just as I have mentored many I have also had the pleasure of being mentored by many professionals. I am always open to learn something new and God has blessed me along my journey to meet a variety of people who have helped me fine tune my business structure and personal/home life structure. I’m a Taurus and we tend to be a little stubborn so change was definitely difficult. Esp at my age!!! But I also know that I have to lead by example and that includes walking the walk and talking the talk. On this journey my spirituality have helped me stay sane and disciplined to keep me on the path designed just for me. When it comes to branding my story I want everyone to understand my dedication to the cause and desire to always do unto others as I would want them to do unto me. Its all love and all from my heart.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Being an Atlanta native I am big on the little hidden jewels. There is so much to do in a week!!! Are we sleeping? And is COVID a factor? Ok great well we would hit up some of the best restaurants here including Le Petite Marche for brunch, Tassili’s Raw Reality, Milk and Honey at Cascade and The Optimist. We will hit up some beautiful scenic spots like Tallulah Gorge Sliding Rock Trail, Panther Creek Falls Trail and Sweet Water Creek State Park. We have to let loose some and play some old fashioned games at Punch Bowl Social, workout at Piedmont Park, grab some tea from Fresh From Earth Herb and Tea Bar, sample beer at Monday Night Garage and catch a church service at Tabernacle Baptist Church. Not necessarily in that order! We cant forget getting a little spa treatments at Pure Bella Spa, making sure our hair is laid from Shea Locs and Sew Pretti Salon. We are going to do some service and feed whomever we encounter on the streets and we will make time to hang out with some children in a local children’s shelter with my sorors of Beta Phi Omega Sorority, Inc. Is my guest tired yet? Yes? Lets end the trip with a body scrub at Jeju and a night cap on my deck while watching the stars and moon rest in the sky.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The name of my organization comes from my late Grandmother Flora Harris and my mother Angela Johnson. Watching them over the years has always been a reminder to never stop giving back. But I would like to recognize my late Aunt Brenda Tate. Being the daughter of Flora Harris she also had the same example of a giving heart. She continued to give carelessly during her time with us. She would conduct ministries under a bridge, in prisons and at a birthday party if she felt it was needed. I would be having an event and here she would come pulling up asking what can I do! Later in her life she was bound to a scooter but that never stopped her from showing up. Anyone that met her instantly called her Aunty because she had the brightest personality that would melt any ice storm. She deserves a honorable mention for inspiring me along the way.

Website: www.floraanns.com

Instagram: Flora Anns House

Facebook: Flora Ann’s House

Image Credits
Volunteers Angela Johnson and Davina Babb