“Out of Office” means I’m Outside

 My Values

Mindful

What it means - I am mindful in my personal and professional relationships, but also with my actions. I believe that every word spoken and action taken should be done with purpose, and that purpose should be positive. I strongly believe that the work I do and relationships I build are direct reflections of myself, and that is why I put care into adding value to my environment and doing as little harm as possible.

What it doesn't mean - Being mindful does not mean overthinking things or being perfect. It has been found that dwelling on the details and shortcomings in life increases risk of mental health and actually harms production. The point is to set positive, productive intentions, not to over complicate situations where doing so is unnecessary and counterproductive.

Empathetic

What it means - I live my life hyper-aware of the experiences of others and the consequences that my actions have on my outward environment. I believe that my intuitive understanding of the feelings and emotions of others not only helps me build more meaningful relationships, but makes me better at my job as a public relations and marketing professional: I am able to tap into the pains and gains of those surrounding me, and adapt accordingly.

What it doesn't mean- Empathetic does not mean weak. While I am receptive and understanding to the needs and feelings of my environment, I stand by my beliefs and values very strongly. I am also immune to becoming overly affected by my surroundings: while I am aware of the negative feelings of others, I seek productive solutions to this negativity rather than taking it on myself.

Bold

What it means - My goal has never been to be like everyone else. In fact, I make efforts in almost every facet of my life to stand out in some way. My most common method of “being bold” is by contributing work that goes above and beyond the status quo, or finding new, unexplored ways of doing things and implementing them in my own life and work.

What it doesn't mean - Although I strive to be bold, I also strive to avoid arrogance. I believe that arrogance is an unfortunate way to shut out new ideas that lead to growth. It can also harm relationships, even before they have had a chance to begin. Being bold is about trying new things and living life confidently, not about feeling falsely important.

Curious

What it means - I love learning and have ever since I was a young child. While others watched the Disney Channel, a younger me could be found entranced by a nature documentary. To this day, I crave new learning experiences and seek the answers to my many questions.I believe that successful people are never content with what they know, and rather pursue the unknown.

What it doesn't mean - The curiosity ingrained in me does not make me irresponsible. For some, unbridled curiosity can lead to rash and dangerous decision making, all for the sake of  trying something new and unexplored. My curiosity is fueled by my desire to excel at what I do and contribute to conversation intelligently and productively, not to check experiences off a bucket list.

Resilient

What it means - I am a resilient person who never shirks in the face of a challenge. When an unfamiliar situation presents itself, I gather my resources and identify what more I need to learn or acquire and tackle it head-on. My resilience also makes me adaptable to new situations and flexible to change. I have found that those who never give up can never fail.

What it doesn't mean- Being resilient does not mean being unrealistic. I am not someone who will waste enormous amounts of time persisting with unrealistic or unimportant tasks or goals. While I fully believe in the power of resilience, I also find value in accepting unavoidable losses and moving onto more pressing issues.

My Purpose

I am a Student

I never want to stop learning. Whether that learning happens as a result of new experiences or comes from teachers, mentors and peers, I hope to expand my knowledge and perspective of the world continuously throughout my life. Even when I lose the title of “college student,” I want to carry the dedication to learning new concepts with me indefinitely. I will never become so proud that I cannot accept and process new ideas, which will help me stay relevant and competitive in my industry.

I am an Activist

As an activist, I will full-heartedly and steadfastly advocate for the causes I value and the organizations I associate with. My ever-growing knowledge of social media marketing, customer development, design, communication strategies, and other marketing tactics fully equips me with the tools I need to uplift and bring attention to organizations. When it comes down to it, branding is a lot like activism: a tribe forms behind a shared value and gets noticed through strategic communication and positioning. .

I am a Pioneer

I will never stop searching for more innovative, efficient and effective ways of getting jobs done. I will always be open and excited to implement cutting-edge processes, even if they contradict the traditional way of doing something. This means that I will have to constantly research the environment around me and build a rich network of similar-minded individuals, but also conduct experiments and try new things personally. I will never get too comfortable with the status quo, but rather prepare and plan for its disruption.