Lakhila Tellis, standing in her CPR training room in her offices on Church Street in Rockford, is the author of “Excuse Your Excuses.” (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — At first, Lakhila Tellis saw her pain as an excuse.

She was 15 when she returned from school to learn her mother, Lydia Denese Tellis-Jackson, had died unexpectedly at age 32.

Her torment triggered a self-destructive path filled with toxic relationships, drugs and alcohol, she writes in her debut book “Excuse Your Excuses.”

Within the next five years she would confront more loss, including the death of her grandmother, who raised her after her mother died, and the miscarriage of her first child. And she survived sexual assaults by three different men, two of whom she had trusted as she sought the love and attention of others to cope with her loss.

“I was so bitter and sad I could no longer cry at the saddest situation,” the Rockford nurse and entrepreneur writes in her book. “I blocked the emotion that even allowed me to cry.”

Tellis shares her most painful experiences in a book a that’s part self-exploration and part self-help. She recounts her hardest moments without gratuity, and fills the pages of her quick-read book with witticisms and feel-good sentiments meant to inspire people to take ownership of their lives.

Today Tellis is a multifaceted business woman who transitioned from nurse to entrepreneur with a company, Iconic Voice, that combines her health care experience and motivational guidance.

“A lot of women need stories like that to see that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Destiney Williams, who met Tellis while working with her as a certified nursing assistant. “Some people don’t realize that bad days don’t last forever.”

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“Excuse Your Excuses” by Lakhila Tellis.

Building her business

Tellis, a 39-year-old Chicago native, moved to Rockford with her four children in 2014 to be closer to family and get a fresh start after a broken relationship. This fall, she opened her offices for Iconic Voice at 730 N. Church St., alongside the business and entertainment incubator Ladiworkz.

There she hosts CPR training classes and recertification courses for nurses. She also offers nurse consulting, hosts special events like a goal-setting course planned for Saturday and has created a support network for nurses facing additional stress under the weight of the pandemic.

“She’s basically the whole package,” Williams said. “She’s a teacher, she’s a leader, she’s a nurse, she’s a mother, she’s an artist, she’s an author.”

“She’s very talented, and people should not be afraid to follow her lead.”

Kyias Smith, who also worked as a CNA with Tellis, said her “no stress approach” makes her a natural teacher.

“Ever moment was a teachable moment with her,” Smith said. “Everyone is not apt to teach, but she is. She made learning from her easy.”

She said Tellis’ book proves, “What we go through doesn’t have to be something we can’t overcome.”

‘Love yourself inside and out’

Tellis breaks down some of the tactics she used — including meditation, journaling and goal-setting — to let go of her hurt and move forward with her life.

“In order for me to heal and become a better person and to take control of my life, I had to take responsibility for everything,” Tellis said in an interview with the Rock River Current. “I had to have a real conversation with myself. I had to breakdown where my issues came from.”

She said she learned to own her mistakes and believe she deserved the success she chased.

“Life does not magically become easier or perfect,” she writes in the book. “It does become more enjoyable when you love yourself inside and out.”

As she grows her business, she plans to add courses for nursing certification in spring. She also wants to serve as a resource for people who need help navigating their health care.

“I would love to educate the community on what to say to your doctor, the questions to ask, the tests you should be having, why is it important to have this medication,” she said.

Her book, and motivational speaking, was a natural offshoot of her 20-year career in nursing.

“Anybody you ask that became a nurse” will tell you “I wanted to help people,” she said. “I’ve learned there are other ways I can help people as well.”

Event details| Vision Board Party

What: Lakhila Tellis will help you chart out your goals through a vision board during this one-day “Excuse Your Excuses” event.

Where: Ladiworkz banquet hall, 730 N. Church St., Rockford

When: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18

Tickets: Available on Eventbrite here

Learn more: lakhilatellis.com; 833-426-6426 (toll free)

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.

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