If I had to define myself in five words, I would choose kind, tenacious, aware, adaptable, and thoughtful. Not only do these words represent the person I am today, but also the person I strive to continue to grow into. I value kindness and understanding in my relationships with others, and I make it a point to take on and create opportunities for myself. Having awareness allows me to recognize different perspectives, pick up on behavioral cues or shifts, and understand that there is rarely a single way of seeing a situation or reason. I am adaptable to change and understand its inevitability. I am also thoughtful in the way I communicate, work, and interact with the people around me in all areas of my life. Together, all of these qualities shape the way I approach both my personal life and my professional future.
One experience that shaped me as a professional was working on a project in a writing class with nineteen other students to create a resource guidebook for Grand Valley State University students. This was one of the first times I had worked on a project involving this large of a group. Unlike previous group projects that I’ve experienced with only three to four people, this experience required us to carefully allocate responsibilities, track progress, have consistent communication, and revise work throughout the entire process. I learned that successful collaboration requires more than simply completing my own portion of a project; it truly needed the teamwork we had to create such an extensive document in a limited amount of time. On top of that, I had to consider how my work affected everyone else and how the different pieces of the project needed to come together as one cohesive product. This experience strengthened my attention to detail, teamwork, ability to communicate with a variety of people, and also the importance of holding myself accountable to others while remaining flexible when plans change. This project turned out to be a piece of work I was truly proud of and by the end of the process I had developed valuable skills and learned so much about the process of a project like this one. My communication skills have also been shaped by my eight-year background in hospitality and service. Working in that industry has taught me how important communication is, especially when interacting with so many different individuals and expectations. From this I have developed my skills in problem-solving, teamwork, adaptability, and communication which have continuously benefited me throughout my life. Specifically with my communication skills, throughout the years I have learned to consciously think about what I am saying while also actively listening to the person I am communicating with. I believe that communication is not just about expressing what I want to say, but about making the other person feel heard and understood. From my personal and professional experiences, I have learned that even small interactions can make an impression, which has taught me mindfulness with how to treat and communicate with others.
My personal mission is to approach life with kindness, curiosity, and intention while creating meaningful connections while continuing to grow in all areas of my life. I strive to connect and contribute to spaces and communities I am part of and consistently engage in the meaningful relationships in my life. Right now, as a dedicated student, loyal friend, and developing professional, I value connection, self-expression, and personal growth. As I continue to discover who I want to become, I strive to express myself more confidently, maintain strong relationships, and create a fulfilling, healthy, and more balanced life. I want to have stable footing while also leaving room for spontaneity and excitement. I am passionate about people, communication, creativity, and experiences that allow me to learn about and understand the world from different perspectives. My passion for understanding and connection is something valuable that I can bring into all areas of my life. From my mission statement, it is probably easy to assume that my strongest skills are interpersonal. I am an active listener, adaptable, organized, and efficient. I care about doing things well and I value maintaining an organized and healthy environment. At times, I might become overly focused on details or hesitate to ask for help, but learning to accept things and lean on others has been an important part of my growth.
Beyond my education and future career, my personal goals include expressing myself more openly, building and maintaining solid relationships, preparing delicious meals, traveling, and developing a stronger sense of internal contentment. I would like to prioritize taking and creating more opportunities for travel to explore not only externally, but internally as well. As I began traveling more this past year – from various cities all the way to marsh life in the South – I realized that traveling is an important part of my life. It represents so many things that I value such as independence, unfamiliarity, and willingness which are key components to personal growth in my journey through young adulthood. Having said this, I would say my target audience is primarily like-minded young adults between the ages of twenty and thirty who are navigating personal growth, adulthood, careers, and relationships. I want my brand to feel genuine, authentic, and relatable while connecting with people who are also learning, changing, and creating meaningful lives without having everything figured out, because it’s everybody’s first time living.
Ultimately, I want to be known for my kindness and understanding, and remembered as someone who made people feel seen, appreciated, and heard. I care deeply and recognize the multi-faceted ways of life. My personal brand is not about being perfect or having all the answers, but about being genuine, expressive, and compassionate while continuing to grow on this journey of life.
Keeping Excitement With Sarah 