We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jason Reyna a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jason, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
This is a great question. Growing up I did suffer feeling confident in myself. It was a continuous battle that only I could get out of. For me, going to the gym was a form of therapy. The gym was the place where I could be myself the most and how I started to gain confidence and interact better with others. Though that was a start of gaining more self-esteem, I knew I had to get out in the world and interact more with people. Another note to add is surrounding yourself with individuals who exude positivity and always boost you up when you aren’t feeling at 100%. Having a positive influence in your life does amazing things that no amount of money can buy. Starting this journey of creating my page was a way for me to get out of my comfort zone and be out in the world to show my face. It wasn’t easy at first but in time I eventually found my groove to interact with anyone I came across. I can hold a conversation, just like I am now. At this point in my life, I have never felt better about myself and hope I can help those who might also struggle like I have.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I work at a company called Harry and David. Been with the company for about two years. I am the Inventory Supervisor. It does have its challenges, but it is very rewarding. Recently what I get most excited about is this new interest I have in photography. I find pleasure in taking beautiful pictures. It can be from the pictures of the food I eat, architectural buildings or nature when I’m out on a hike. I love getting that one shot that makes the other hundreds that I take that much more rewarding. I started my page strictly for food content. As of late, I am slowly venturing out of the foodie world and providing new content to share. I am slowly working on getting my hiking/travel page up and running. Getting out in the world is something I want to share with everyone. Doing this helps me grow more confidence in myself and people get to see the amazing locations I am visiting.
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?
Self-reflection is one aspect of my life that I absolutely needed. Sometimes the truth we know to be true that are negative in our lives hurts to hear from those that love us. So, taking time to reflect and gaining a better understanding of who I was and exploring my own strengths, weaknesses, values, and goals. I think having some form of curiosity in your life can be beneficial for growth. I was one to typically stay within my bubble or comfort zone and invited change into my life. Being curious has led me to embrace new adventures. It also helped in learning ways to adapt to new environments that I would have been anxious to be in. Effective communication is a skill that I find most impactful during my journey to this point. I have worked on getting what I am mentally thinking and getting that into words. That is something that I’ve struggled with and found it hard to interact with people because they couldn’t read my mind. I know. It’s a crazy thing to say but it was who I was before taking a chance on myself. My communication is not perfect, but I am always learning new ways to communicate through practice and observing others’ communication styles.
For anyone starting out or being in their respective niche for some time, I think self-reflection is a great way to see where you are at. Asking tough questions of what you need improvement on. Looking into if there is training that you can benefit from, whether that is in a class setting, online learning or a YouTube video. I think finding a mentor is a great way to improve your skill set. I can say my journey has not been straightforward and there will be bumps along the way. Through all the ups and downs and learning from that, you will come out from the other end with strategy and being consistent.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
There are a few things that I do when I am feeling overwhelmed. One thing I’ve learned is not to power through a difficult situation. I’ll give myself a break to clear my thoughts. During that break I’ll go for a walk outside or get something to eat. This will help me recharge and get refocused on what I was working on. I’m a big movie buff so I will make a trip to the theatre and watch a movie. For me, this will always take my mind off any overwhelming feelings, and I immerse myself in the movie like I was in it. Another thing I do is get a power nap in. For me, I come out of a nap with more optimism and creativity for the task that I was finding difficult to complete. What I do for myself may not work for everyone. Finding a strategy comes with trials and errors. The advice/strategies I’ve just mentioned did not happen overnight. The main thing is to keep trying and have the willingness to accept change in your life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: hulk_hungry
- Linkedin: www.LinkedIn.com/in/Jason-e-reyna
- Other: hulk_hungrytravels
Image Credits
@updogsmoothies @mariettasquare @tuckerbrewingco @greciangyro
