We recently connected with Amanda Kirby and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
Optimism comes from within, but surrounding myself with positive people has helped me develop resilience and a more positive attitude. Working around mental health professionals, I have learned that starting a daily gratitude practice is often one of the first recommendations for someone hoping to develop resilience and optimism. I think of optimism less as an inherent personality trait and more of a skill that can be practiced and improved.
Before I graduated from William Carey University, our president, Dr. Larry Kennedy, was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. At his memorial service, someone honored Dr. Kennedy by telling us about his practice of handwriting thank you notes anytime he had a bad day. I remembered my roommate receiving one of Dr. Kennedy’s thank you notes. She was a theater major, and Dr. Kennedy attended a comedic dinner show she was performing in. This was before he announced his illness. The next day, she got a lovely thank you note from Dr. Kennedy telling her how much he enjoyed the performance. I remember how happy she was that he wrote to her and that the show brightened his night. Seeing that practice of gratitude play out and knowing the massive effect he made with just one note greatly impacted me. I try to follow Dr. Kennedy’s legacy and reach for gratitude when I’m feeling sorry myself, and it usually does turn things around for me.
Pine Grove’s Director of Business Development, Colleen Munkel, has also made a huge impact on me and helping me to find my optimism and confidence. Colleen is the most optimistic and hopeful person I have ever met. She assumes the best of others and goes out of her way to build us up, as a team, and encourage our personal goals. Even chatting with Colleen about the mundane, like the weather, can flip my perspective. Early in my career at Pine Grove, I went out on a visit with Colleen. We were waiting for our appointment, standing in front of a wall of windows, and I said, “it’s such a gloomy day today.” And it was a gloomy day – cold, rainy, and dark. And Colleen said, “It is gloomy… That’s ok, though, because we need rainy days, and summer will be here before we know it. We’ll have plenty of sunny days then.” Colleen has taught me many lessons about leadership, but I think the most useful thing I have learned in this position is that good things can happen on rainy days.
It’s not necessarily that I choose optimism for the sake of being optimistic. I want to live in such a way that I choose to express gratitude rather than feeling sorry myself. I choose to acknowledge that gloomy days are necessary, but the sun will come out tomorrow (literally and metaphorically). I want to assume the best of others, because I hope they grant enough grace to see the best in me. All of that together just happens to add up to optimism.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I work as a business development coordinator for Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. I spread the word about our treatment services to professional referral sources and the general public to help people learn more about our care and hopefully, enter treatment for their mental health conditions. Pine Grove is one of the most comprehensive treatment campuses in the United States and has helped thousands of patients since it opened in 1984. Because Pine Grove is a nationally recognized organization, I also travel frequently to represent our highly respected treatment facility. My favorite part of our campus is our Spiritual Grounds, which has a beautiful meditative labyrinth, medicine wheel, and fire circle. Pine Grove recently broke ground on a chapel – an exciting addition to the Spiritual Grounds for our patients. I love my job because I am able to educate people about our life-saving treatment options while connecting with other professionals and creating meaningful relationships across the country.
In addition to my work for Pine Grove, I have spent many years serving on the board of directors for Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center. Kids Hub conducts forensic interviews for children who are victims of physical or sexual abuse or neglect or witnesses of violent crime. They bring together professionals from law enforcement, child protection, and medical and mental health so that children only have to share their stories once. They also offer family support and guidance, case coordination, and mental health services. I love being a part of this organization and its success. It is all about helping children and families to heal and find their footing again.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The ability to build relationships. Networking has a terrible reputation, because so many go into it looking for people they can use. I think, “networking,” becomes, “relationship building,” when you shift the focus from what others can do for you and zero in on what you can bring to the relationship. It doesn’t have to be anything groundbreaking. Introducing people, telling a someone about an open position you think would be a good fit, or even congratulating them on an accomplishment can all be a great way to continue building a connection. I’ve also offered rides to the airport, but I know that’s a hard no for a lot of people!
Problem solving. I love to solve problems. I think the ability to track down the source of an issue and find a viable solution is such an important skill that has served me well over the years. I try to never present a problem without also offering a possible solution. The decisionmaker may not like my solution and may choose to go in another direction, but I tried.
Pivot! In marketing, specifically during any type of event, there is power in the pivot. No one wants their plans to change (that’s why we have a plan), but events and campaigns have lots of moving parts and even more hands touching them. With that much involved, things are going to change at some point. The ability to think quickly, revamp the plan or make quick decisions, and move on is vital.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents, James and Pam Kirby, have always been my biggest fans. If I was performing or doing anything in public, I knew my parents would be there to cheer me on. My dad spent hours building platforms at the local high school and large props for community theater shows. Fun fact: The Atmore Arts Council’s 1998 production of “Grease” is the best version of that show because my dad found a 1962 Ford Ranchero Falcon, cut it in half, put in on wheels, and gave it a custom paint job. We had an actual car! The idea of his kid sharing the stage with a cardboard car didn’t cut the mustard for him. (No offense to crummy cardboard cars. I’m sure your show was good, too).
My mom exposed me to all types of art early on. She never assumed I wouldn’t understand or that a topic would be too big or too complicated for my age. Mom was a nontraditional college student and would often take me with her to plays, museums, readings, and classes (all summer long). Anytime we encountered something new, she would ask me what I thought of it, and then we would talk about what the artist probably meant and how to look for the underlying themes. Spending the summer cosplaying as a college student may not be for everyone, but I loved to learn and have the extra time with my mom.
Overall, the most impactful thing my parents did was make themselves available. They spent a lot of time with me engaging in my hobbies and helping me to explore my talents and things I enjoyed.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manda_panda33.3/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-kirby-52b764336/
Image Credits
Seattle Ferris Wheel- Rachel Waters
Coffee talk- Brittany Geer
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
