These People & Places Help Me Find Inspiration When I'm Feeling Stuck
"You're incompetent!"
"I NEED THE ROOM NOW!"
Four days out of the week, I was screamed at for not having a patient's room ready. I sat there for two years every evening, including weekends and holidays, being talked to like I was a stupid human being. Stuck in a windowless office in the heart of Washington Heights, I felt tired and uninspired. I wondered during those times if I would ever get to see my Big Apple dreams realized.
You see, I left Howard University with an air of arrogance. I had this bomb resume and a degree from my illustrious alma mater and no one could tell me anything. I felt like Kanye circa the Graduation album. However, three months after my commencement I was hit was a large dose of humility. I was unemployed and later underemployed. I was equipped with a degree that I was proud of, but I was embarrassed because I felt like I wasn't living up to the hype. Everyday was hard as I watched my peers gain promotions and cool job opportunities, while I wallowed through my setback. I wondered how I could get that old thang back – meaning my confidence, faith and motivation.
There was inspiration all around me when I attended Howard. Choosing to attend my alma mater allowed me to be surrounded by individuals who sought to be challenged and pushed to reach their full potential. Before moving to the District, I lived in a place that tore me down more than it uplifted me. I searched high and low for spaces where I could be myself and surround myself with positivity. It seemed as though I was in the same predicament once again and I needed to find a space or a group of people to encourage, inspire and uplift me.
It can be a hard task, but there are ways to find inspiration and support even when you may feel alone or discouraged about your possibilities. Not all of us were lucky to be in a space that promotes a healthy environment to succeed, but it's not too late to find the right group of people to push you toward your potential. Here are some ways to find your place of inspiration.
1. FIND AN ONLINE COMMUNITY
I find inspiration in online communities like Levo. During my post-graduate job search, I connected with Lauren Millan Bias, an entrepreneur that I followed on Twitter. She suggested that I create a profile on Levo. The online media hub started off as a place where Millennials could connect with one another and it granted access to industry power players that signed on as mentors. Since then, Levo has added other offerings like video chats, city networking events, career tips, and inspirational articles. These online media communities are a great place to connect with like-minded people. Since then other lifestyle sites like xoNecole, Her Agenda, In Her Shoes, Brit + Co., and Career Contessa feature great content to help you become your best self. These sites also have an amazing community of followers who you can connect with for support and encouragement. Participate in a Twitter chat, attend the site's events and make use of the various ways to connect.
2. DON'T SHY AWAY FROM ALUMNI OR PEOPLE FROM YOUR HOMETOWN
When I moved to New York, I interned at a mid-size PR firm where I had the chance to work with someone from my hometown. He supervised the social media accounts for Taco Bell and Diageo beverage brands, and now he is a marketing director at Apple Music. Knowing and watching someone who is exceptionally exceeding is cool, but what makes him extraordinary to me is the fact that he comes from the same city as me. Some people are able to make it out of the barrel of crabs, so when someone from your hometown does, it's an incredible thing to witness. Knowing him and having the chance to work with him was amazing because he understood the journey that I was on, which made him a great source for navigating through tough times. Therefore when you find a connection to someone you admire, stop living vicariously through them on Snap Chat and find a way to connect with them. If you see an alumnus from your alma mater making strides in their career, don't be afraid to reach out. A simple, “I see you sis!" can go a long way. They may be able to lead you to the right resources to get you started on your journey.
[Tweet "Don't be afraid to reach out to alumnus from your alma mater making strides in their career."]
3. GET INVOLVED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
The best way to combat complaining is to do something about it. Invest in your current community to discover and fall in love with it again. I was so impressed when my friend decided to get involved with her city. She is on the board of the local museum, she is a community volunteer for the county, and she oversees the Southeast region of her sorority's alumni chapters. Her involvement allows her to utilize her degree and work in her purpose until she is able to get a full-time job doing what she loves. She is making it work for her and meeting people who support what she is doing. Get active in at your church or community center. Implement projects that will impact your community, but also refuel your sense of purpose.
4. STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Sometimes you have to step outside your comfort zone to find the space and people that you want in your life. I was so nervous to leave my parents and all the people that I knew and love, but I had to leave to find the inspiration that I was looking for. Even though my journey had a few roadblocks, I was reminded why I choose this life every time I stepped foot on a rooftop. The 360-degree views of Manhattan proved to me how far I had come and showed me how far I could go. Without risks, there are no rewards. You have to take the fear out of not knowing and start doing things that you've never done before. Join a travel group and explore foreign lands or pack up your bags and move to a new city. You'll begin a journey of self-discovery that may lead you to the space and people you've been waiting for. It's okay to shake up your world.
[Tweet "Have people in your corner who see the greatness in you."]
5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE DOERS
Surrounding yourself with a group of people who push you to be your very best and inspire you to want more is an important thing to have. We've been told time and time again to surround ourselves with greatness and to surround ourselves with dreamers and doers. We've also been told to have people in your corner who see greatness in you, and it's so true. My friends were always a great source of positivity and encouragement and together we continue to strive and thrive.
What are some places that you go and people that you connect with to find inspiration?
Brittney Oliver is a marketing communications professional from Greater Nashville. Over the past three years, Brittney has built her platform Lemons 2 Lemonade to help Millennials turn life's obstacles around. Her platform is known for its networking mixers, which has brought over 300 NYC young professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives together to turn life's lemons into lemonade. Brittney is a contributing writer for Fast Company and ESSENCE, among other media outlets.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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ItGirl In Motion: Paige Shari Addison Shows Us Why She's The Hostess With The Mostess
Paige Shari Addison is the epitome of an ItGirl, which is why she is one of 100 ladies on xoNecole's inaugural ItGirl 100 list in partnership with Hyundai. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Paige started her journey as a host in high school by hosting parties. Since then, she has made a career in hosting, from parties to big-name events, and she launched Strictly RNB, a platform for new artists and R&B lovers. Paige reflects on her creative path in the limited video series "ItGirl in Motion."
“My first curated event at Criminal Records was incredible. It was all for up-and-coming artists,” she says. “I needed a platform for us as a collective to be able to give ourselves the platform instead of asking for it, instead of looking for it. I was like, I want to make sure I let people get this experience that I would give as a performer but enjoy the experience with them. It was a dream come true.”
The Atlanta native also has her own line of acai bowls called Soulfull Bowls. She started it during the pandemic after events and parties shut down. But it was her love for eating acai bowls and the reactions others had to them that made her want to make it her next business move. Being open to creating new ventures in the midst of uncertainty is a bold move and one of the reasons why Paige has the “it” factor.
“Being an ItGirl means you’re just authentic. There’s an air to us. We have confidence that exudes from the way we speak, the way we put our lip gloss on, the way we walk, the way we talk. I show up as myself everytime I walk into a room. I’m hospitable, I make sure everybody’s good,” she says.
Get to know more about the hostess with the mostess in the video above.
See our ItGirl 100 list in full here. Click through the gallery below for some BTS moments of Paige and our partnership with Hyundai.
Director: Mikkoh @mikkoh
Production company: @polly___studio
Producer/AD: Samuel Cho @choboi90
Producer/Tech: Paul Nguyen @paul__winn
DP: Cristian Bernal @cristianbernal
Editor: @30inthemorning
2nd Cam: Paul Nguyen
1st AC: AJ Paug @ajpaug Gaffer: Dennis Albert @dennisalbert_
Audio Mixer: Victor Chavez @vic_the__
PA: Rick Carreno @ispeakrick
PA: Tiffany Do @tivani.doee
BTS Photo: Prime @theartofprime
Car Detail: @sud_studs @slugglobal
Creative Director @hellobosco
Team Lead @kevgumbo3000
Project Manager @zakk_jullot
Creative Producer @iamkingsheyla
Designers @miacolemxn @noelspiva
@xoNecole
Director, Integrated Marketing @_vang
Campaign Manager @kingchachiii
Talent Lead @kaylawalker
Feature image by Prime/ @theartof prime