We were lucky to catch up with Alexandra Nicklas recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alexandra , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
Resiliency takes time to develop. It is a trait that develops in stages. Confidence and self esteem need to be developed first. If you have low confidence and self-esteem, it is easy to give up. I believe it was innate for me to develop high confidence and self esteem. Ultimately, this lead to my resiliency. Life has thrown me obstacles but I have learned negativity and giving up is not going to help. Rather, my high confidence and self esteem has helped me overcome these hurdles. This is my residency.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a 35 year old woman who was born, raised and resides in New York City. In utero, I suffered a stroke that caused physical, learning, speech, emotional and medical deficits. Fortunately, I had access to world class care where I was able to get the support I needed. I was able to overcome my speech delays and learn compensatory strategies for my physical and cognitive deficits. When I started experiencing emotional difficulties and was diagnosed with epilepsy, I started taking prescription drugs to treat symptoms.
Given my deficits, I attended a mainstream private all girls school from kindergarten through twelfth grade. It was a struggle, but I was able to graduate with decent grades. I graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BA in Speech Language Pathology. I went on to pursue a masters degree in Speech Language Pathology but realized half way in, that I was working hard and not getting enough pleasure from it. This was then I decided to look back at my life. I was a mentor growing up to other families who had children with the same or similar conditions as I. I would visit the families and talk about how I overcame my struggles. I gave them the contacts of my doctors and other professionals. It was this time that I reflected back on. I decided I would start a foundation to support others. Different & Able was born in 2018 which offers an online and in person free support platform where people can share their stories, find resources and participate in events in the tristate area.
In addition to Different & Able, I am writing a memoir on my life. It chronicles the physical, learning, social and medical struggles, the therapy that helped me , where I am today and a section of questions and answers.
I live on the upper east side of Manhattan with my goldendoodle Sadie. I am currently single. I have a nice group of friends and my mom lives nearby. In my free time, I like exercising, cooking/baking, trying new restaurants, movies, being with Sadie, hanging with my friends and hanging with my family.
I am living a happy and full life.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I am where I am because of my perseverance, bravery and courage. Giving up was never something I would settle on. It was not always easy and still isn’t. But I know that the more risks I take and keep pushing forward, success is on the other side.
I would advise to people who are early in their journeys to take it one step at a time. Never question your worth and capabilities. Even if you don’t have the same traits as I, there is always a way to find your way. Stay positive and never give up!
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
It is often said that you are a product of your parents. I believe this is true. From the start, my parents have been my biggest supporters. They have provided unwavering support and love. Growing up, my parents accompanied me to my regular doctor and therapy appointments. They consistently were speaking with each provider, tracking my progress and ensuring they could do everything to help me succeed. I know it was not always easy but they have been there every step of the way. It is with their support that I am the person I am. There are also no better advocates than parents. My parents will forever be the biggest impact of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.differentandable.org
- Instagram: @differentandable , @anicklas89
- Linkedin: Alexandra Nicklas
Image Credits
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