Hi guys!
After a little hiatus from blogging last week, I’m SO excited to share this post with you — and not just because I’ve been totally tweaking out about withdrawing from my comp for a bit (seriously though, I think my eye would be twitching right about now if I held out any longer lol).
While I was on fall break Thurs. & Fri., I had the amazing opportunity to attend a program at the Rochester Institute of Technology featuring Orange is the New Black’s one and only Jackie Cruz (aka Flaca!).
It. Was. Incredible.
I’m talking a total game changer. You know when you hear somebody start talking about something and you know they just get you? Everything that Jackie said just clicked with me. Her positive vibe was infectious, and her words of advice were completely invaluable. So, as per usual, I couldn’t resist sharing with you guys. Here are a few of the major takeaways from the night:
1. Anything is possible.
This was a line that Jackie repeated several times throughout her speech, and it definitely made an impression on me. She talked about some of her most difficult moments, including recovering from a severe car accident and losing 10,000 dollars to a con artist, and it was during those moments that I thought wow, all of these things happened to one person, and look where she’s standing today. Overcome your demons, come back into the game stronger than ever and success can’t evade you for long.
2. Believe in the power of each new opportunity.
One of the things that Jackie really stressed was never giving up. She said, if God told us we had to try something 100 times, and on the 101st time we’d get what we want, we’d all do it. Of course, we don’t actually know how many times we have to attempt something before we experience success. However, it’s important to take each opportunity as it comes, because you never know which one will be your big break. Jackie said that she didn’t even know she’d become a season regular when she first got the role as Flaca in OITNB! She had to work for it and prove her worth.
3. You don’t need to know anyone.
This piece of advice was definitely the most standout to me. I’ve heard so much about the importance of networking, and it was a huge breath of fresh air to hear Jackie dispute this common phenomena. Basically, she said that you don’t need to know anyone to be successful. If you work hard enough, that alone can take you places. Love it. No schmoozing for this girl.
What’s your favorite piece of advice? Other thoughts?
Happy Tuesday!
xx,
Holly
