Meet The Crew: Talking Growth, Gold (bottles) and the Good Life
MEET THE 2016 #easterJRINKhunt CREW
Growth means something different to each person but it's an integral part of all of our lives. This month, we got skin deep with 7 DC influencers about their life experiences, goals and views on how to keep it pushin' even when things get tough.
JRINK: So let's just jump right in. We'd love to know what "self-growth", the theme for March, means to you guys.
Ashlee Larson (@districtrunningcollective): To me, self growth means having the courage to confront my own flaws and faults head on, and taking the necessary steps to correct them. Self growth means not becoming complacent and finding new ways to challenge myself.
Diego Gonzales (@diegodowntown): Self-growth is a journey of self-realization when you acknowledge who you are as a person and what goals you've set for yourself to achieve personally.
Ashlee & Christy (@gripthemat): To us, self-growth means being humble enough to take a step back and observe what we are doing and how we can be better for ourselves and those around us. Your relationship with yourself will strengthen. In turn, so will your relationships with others. Self-growth is a win-win.
Mona Garcia (@monalavinia): It means building a good name. Not making compromises. Being Authentic. Being concerned in doing good work.
JRINK: While it means something different to each of you, there are definitely some constant themes here – the most prominent being questioning yourself. That's huge. Can you name 1 moment of personal growth that sticks out in your mind, as being the most formative?
Carl Maynard (@carlnard): I think traveling through London & Paris by myself a few years back changed things for me. I knew nothing when I went and ended up having one of the best weeks of my life. It was the first time I just "let go" and stopped trying to control everything in my life.
James Jackson (@thisisjamesj): Coming to the realization that the stories we tell about ourselves are what limit us the most.
Randi Gloss (@randigloss): Just a bit after graduating college, I stopped trying to validate my worth based on what others thought of me. It’s so easy to get caught up in comparisons—jobs, friends, cars, clothes, accolades—but what really matters what you think of yourself.
JRINK: All of you are inspirational in your own right. How did you find "THAT thing", that passion that lights your day?
Mona Garcia (@monalavinia): When you make your passion your purpose and wake up everyday with an intention the universe finds a way to give you what you need. Self-love is an incredible tool, make time for it because it'll keep that fire fueled.
Matt Green (@marsgreen): I keep everything I do connected in as many ways as possible. I try to create a seamless environment that fuels my passion. Whether its the work I create, articles I read, music I listen to, or things I buy. Everything is connected.
Ashlee & Christy (@gripthemat): By creating space! We made the choice to rid our lives of distraction. We quit our jobs, cleaned out our apartments, and took a good hard look at ourselves. Then, we took time to think about what we actually want and made daily conscious efforts to turn them into our reality.
James Jackson (@thisisjamesj): Well, the short answer is that I just quit my day job to pursue a freelance photography career. Photography had been a hobby since I moved to DC, and I began striving to be more mindful and deliberate about it. I 100% believe that if I don't see where this path leads that I'll regret it later in my life.
JRINK: What's your advice for someone feeling stuck; be it in work, in a personal relationship, or even their own self-perception?
Ashley & Christy (@gripthemat): Ask questions and invite in answers. Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone and actively ask questions to the people you look up to.
Randi Gloss (@randigloss): Make a list of the things you love and hate in each area of your life — relationships, yourself, job, etc. Make a list of the things you’re currently doing with your free time and make a list of what you want to being with your free time. Literally seeing what your life looks like will create a more clear image of the things you want to change.
Mona Garcia (@monalavinia): Best advice I can give is to not be afraid of your own strength. What you can endure and deal with is incredible. The journey changes you – it should change you. Be brave enough to live (creatively), find like-minded individuals and keep them near you.
Diego Gonzales (@diegodowntown): Focus on making yourself happy first before trying to make others feel happy. Stop and think about what parts are making you unhappy and address them right away. You are the only person that can control your growth and personal happiness.
