Becoming a content creator has been the most difficult yet rewarding journey I’ve ever undertaken. Since I love writing, I have always been inspired by quotes. My leadership professor in our capstone course, who I deeply admire, always reminded us to “follow the joy”. There have been many instances where I have received hate or people who doubted me. Even those who are really close to me have specifically told me that they don’t think I would be successful as a marketing major or a content creator.

However, my positive attitude and desire to learn have pushed me to work hard and push through all of the uncertainty. At the end of the day, my dream is to simply make people smile. If I can just help one person or change one person’s perspective on life, I will feel successful. I’ve learned to never measure your success or tie your self-worth to the number of likes you receive on a post. At the end of the day, we are all human and there is nothing more meaningful than connecting with each other in a positive way.

Pursuing a leadership minor in college and my extensive leadership experience has made me realize that my positivity is a defining characteristic of my leadership style. I have a natural ability to get others excited about the future or dreams that I have for them. Communication is also one of my strengths, so I love making meaningful connections with people.

Lastly, I have a strong desire to learn new things. Specifically, I love learning new things about new people. When someone comes up to me and tells me that I inspired them to go after a goal they wanted, that is what I am most proud of. My desire to make the world a more positive place, especially in the sometimes cruel world of social media, inspires me to keep creating and to keep dreaming.

Leadership and content creation is a journey, not a destination. Embrace the failures and lean into the discomfort.

There will not be a “right time” for you to call yourself a leader or a content creator. No one is born a leader, just the same as no one is born successful. What truly matters in life is your will to succeed and at the end of the day, you feel proud of yourself. Do not live for other people’s approval.

If you want something, go after it! Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying something you love because there is no worse feeling than regret. One of my biggest inspirations is Brené Brown because she embraces vulnerability and explains the importance of being human.

One of my favorite quotes from Brené is that “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” Always embrace who you are and never be afraid to pursue your passions, because you never know who you may inspire to do the same.