Confidence, the "Gap Year" and Learning How To Thrive Through Change.
As a social media influencer with over a million followers, Hannah chats with Nicole about confidence, self-discovery, independence, and the challenges she faced along the way. Between her two Youtube channels, Instagram account, TikTok account, and Starlite Village, her jewelry and apparel business, Hannah has a lot to manage for only nineteen years old. In addition to her extensive resume, Hannah is also Nicole’s daughter. Confidence, a core vale of Urban You, looks different for everyone.
How does Hannah, a teenager and social media influencer manage all these exciting avenues with confidence even in uncertain times? Some of her secrets include adding structure to her life, knowing herself, and learning from her mistakes.
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When it comes to confidence, Hannah stresses the importance of organizing her day. During the coronavirus isolation, Hannah and her mom Nicole worked together to create a schedule. Each day, family members were expected to wake up at a reasonable hour and complete productive activities. Simply having a purpose within every day brought Hannah more confidence by giving her a direction to channel her energy. Not to mention, ticking things off a to-do list can generate a surprising amount of self-assurance and accomplishment. Nicole would say that productivity is Hannah’s “love language,” but Hannah mentions how she inherited her drive from growing up around her mom’s productive habits.
If you’re in need of a confidence boost, try simply adding some structure to your day, whether that means working out, taking care of your skin, or checking your email. Confidence is often about small gestures. Even though she’s an influencer herself, Hannah says that following influencers who share positive messages help her tackle every day with the right mindset. She considers spreading uplifting messages as part of her responsibility and purpose as a creator.
Hannah’s goal is to help viewers, “be kinder to themselves which leads them to be kinder to others.”
Last year, after graduating from high school, Hannah decided to take a gap year to focus on building her brand and learning more about herself. Although her gap year did not go according to her plans, Hannah managed to take away some important lessons about herself from the year.
“I wish I would’ve pushed myself to go to school,” Hannah reflects, “but it’s definitely given me a lot of perspectives.
Hannah says she’s always been independent but wasn’t ready to live in her own apartment at only nineteen. Without family and friends around, she didn’t feel like she had a healthy balance between social media and real life. This spring, she made the tough decision to move back in with her family. Thankfully, Hannah had the emotional maturity to acknowledge her dissatisfaction.
Many people struggle for years in the same uncomfortable situation, promising themselves it will get better. In those situations, it’s important to make a change, even if that means acknowledging your mistakes. Honoring your emotions and recognizing when a situation isn’t working is one of the toughest skills to learn, but you’ll feel a thousand times more confident once you start being honest with yourself. Whether you’re a college student with a fresh outlook on life or a seasoned professional in a steady career, it’s important to remain true to yourself. If something in your life is making you unhappy, it’s time for a change.
Sometimes, even a small superficial change, like some fresh eyelash extensions, can shift your attitude and boost your confidence. There’s a lesson to be learned from every experience. After taking a gap year, Hannah says she values her youth and her education much more.
With millions of eyes watching her videos, self-assurance is very important for an influencer like Hannah. There will always be non-supporters and those who leave hate on her content.
Even when others criticize her, Hannah reminds herself, “nobody truly knows you like you know yourself or your friends and family know you.”
Even if you’re not a social media star, grounding yourself in your own identity rather than seeking external validation will lead to a happier, more fulfilled life. Focus on those who support you rather than those who bring you down.
Confidence is nearly impossible if you constantly worry about what others think of you.
As Hannah expresses, “For other people to believe in you, you have to believe in yourself first. Be passionate about who you are and what you’re doing, and other people will see that passion.”
Hannah’s biggest piece of advice for her peers and her younger viewers is to “take advantage of your youth.”
Teenagers and college-aged kids often worry about making mistakes, but Hannah and Nicole agree that youth is precisely the time to chase your dreams and try new things. Even if you’re a little further down the road, it’s never too late to start your own business or take a new direction in life. If you have a dream, don’t wait to make it happen. Start today. There’s no use wasting time worrying about failure. Hannah approaches her role as an influencer with the same attitude. Rather than worrying about making mistakes or not pleasing everyone, Hannah simply continues making videos that she can be proud of. The confidence she exhibits today reflects the years of hard work she has invested in her channel and herself.
“There are no shortcuts,” she says, “you have to have a good heart, prove you’re passionate, be creative, and work hard.”
Looking forward to the future, Hannah has big plans for 2020, including college, Starlite Village jewelry collaborations, continued Youtube videos, and some possible traveling if the virus subsides. No matter what the future holds, Hannah will continue influencing, or more accurately inspiring, her viewers and those around her to gain confidence. The professionals at Urban You seek a similar goal, helping others grow their confidence and feel more comfortable in their own skin.