The New Heart for Life Community

Ambassador Spotlight, Valerie Sanchez

• Dan Williams

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What if overcoming personal struggles could lead you to create art that inspires an entire community? Join us for a compelling conversation with Valerie, a rising senior at University of California, San Diego as she shares her remarkable journey from community college to excelling in sociology and marketing while battling imposter syndrome. Discover how Valerie's structured routine has been a game-changer in achieving her goals and hear her discuss the creation of her incredible digital media piece, "Reaching for the Stars," for the New Art for Life initiative. This artwork isn't just about reaching goals—it's a beautiful reminder to appreciate every step of the journey.

In this episode, we also explore the power of being present and the significance of reflecting on one's contributions. Valerie opens up about her experiences with self-doubt and perseverance, highlighting how embracing life's unpredictability has fueled her personal growth. Dan Williams, the founder of The New Heart for Life Community, wraps up the interview on how ambassadors, like Valerie, positively impact both themselves and their communities.  This episode is a heartfelt testament to the transformative power of setting clear goals, maintaining a routine, and enjoying the process along the way.

Visit our Community @ http://NewHeartforLife.com

Welcome to the Ambassador Spotlight Interview:

Welcome to the New Heart for Life podcast for a greater understanding of the New Heart for Life community and its ambassadors, individuals making a positive impact by championing the New Heart for Life mission within their personal and social networks. Every installment provides a platform for ambassadors to share their journeys, insights and the meaningful changes they're creating in their communities. Now let's welcome Dan and today's special ambassador guest.

Dan:

Valerie, welcome to the new Heart for Life. Community Spotlight.

Valerie:

Thank you so much for having me, dan. I'm very excited about this podcast interview.

Dan:

Yeah, as well as well, I'm very excited about this podcast interview. Yeah, as well, as well you should be, because you've done so much and this is an opportunity to showcase some of your contributions. So, just for the audience, your fellow ambassadors and those that will be listening throughout the world, tell us a little bit about Valerie and what you are all about, and your background and how you landed on the campus of University of California, san Diego.

Valerie:

Yeah yeah. So, like you mentioned, my name is Valerie and I currently am a rising senior at UCSD, and the way I landed to going to that school was I was going to community college to major in sociology and I just that was just the next step for me being able to transfer and finish my degree, and it was to my surprise that I was able to get accepted and I currently am now enrolled and I'm very excited to finish my education and go on to the next steps. But I'm also currently minoring in marketing and part of the reasons why I'm here today and making so many contributions to this organization is because of that, as well as just building a community and you're doing an excellent job doing that.

Dan:

You're the envy of, I think, many people, especially during the winter months over there in san diego, is the weather as awesome as we all think it is?

Valerie:

it is, um, I would say, being a sand yagan, I get, I'm a little spoiled. So if it's a little glooming out or if the temperature is less than 70 degrees or over 75, I might be a little annoyed, but that's just me, um. But if you're coming from the east coast and you want to come over to like somewhere sunny in like the winter months, it's perfect my goodness, a little spoiled when it gets a little gloomy out we should have you out here on the east coast in the middle of february I

Dan:

know it would be very gloomy with a capital g. One of the initiatives that we have within the new Heart for Life community creative initiatives is entitled New Art for Life. We have artists coming to us from around the world that are expressing their interpretation of the 21 fitness principles to their passions and talents. Valerie submitted a awesome expression entitled Reaching for the Stars and we will showcase that artistic expression of Valerie. But I would like, valerie, for you to just share with the audience and your fellow ambassadors what was behind that beautiful painting and what was the motivation for it, what was the passion for it and which principles did you want to express in that creative work?

Valerie:

did you want to express in that creative work?

Valerie:

Yeah, so basically, behind that it's a collage.

Valerie:

So basically, what I did was it's like a digital media piece that I was able to get through, images that I archived or pieces from vintage magazines that I that I archived, or like pieces from like vintage magazines that I really like, and just compile it all into this very more so abstract, I would say piece that was meant to get people draw people in and, you know, similar to like the principles make their own interpretation of what it means, but the idea is roughly the same, which is, or at least symbolically, I try to make it so that, um, it's like this sort of like more black and white, vintage aesthetic and um, and sort of just represent this person like running towards, like this, the sky, essentially, and um, while he's like directed at this one goal that he wants to reach, it's a matter of being able to see what's around him and, like the beautiful, how beautiful the journey can be, and that's one of the principles I really focused on journey, as well as goals and routine as well.

Valerie:

But the idea is basically like, yes, you should do every logical step that you can to reach whatever goal that you want. However, it's important to not more so fixate on the end goal itself, but to also be able to tilt your head up and be able to look around you and enjoy the present moment.

Dan:

What was it about your background and experience that inspired you to make this art piece?

Valerie:

Yeah, so this theme itself is a theme that I had dealt with for a long time in my life, or at least it would come up repetitively. A long time in my life, or at least it would come up repetitively and one of the experiences that comes to mind was recently, this past school year, transferring into UCSC, I was experiencing a lot of imposter syndrome, a lot of oh, do I even deserve to be here? I don't feel as though I am as smart as my peers, or I don't know exactly what I'm doing. I'm just going to class and figuring out where my path is, and I really relied on structure, very intense structure that, like I at the time, knew that it was going to be impactful and purposeful down the line and was going to do me good. But I was.

Valerie:

I was just focused on the day to day life of it and just like trying to get good grades, trying to, you know, eat healthy, like all of these goals that I had in mind, it was just very much like doing, doing, doing.

Valerie:

And it wasn't until I got to a point where just things that I didn't really expect to happen that really shifted my perspective in how I thought about my goal and how it became a lot more specific and niche journey as a whole to be more meaningful and to be more like I can wake up in the morning and be present and not have to worry so much about you know, um, what my grades are going to be at the end of the quarter, like it's. The goals are there and it's important that I'm mindful and self-aware, but it's also reincorporating, like presence and reincorporating gratitude, and being able to like tell myself oh, I am a college student right now and I should be enjoying my experience as it is right now, rather than to just, I guess, in a matter of way, like rely all of my self-worth and happiness in reaching the goal.

Dan:

You mentioned, valerie, when you were sharing that background and experience that you're inspired you with reaching for the stars, that certain things happened that weren't expected. Can you share with the audience some of those unexpected events that triggered your shift?

Valerie:

Yeah, yeah. So one of the things was over last winter I was let go. I was a babysitter and that was my way of making money, and I ended up being let go of that job just for circumstances. I had a very like linear mindset of like, okay, this is, this is the time that I've dedicated, that I'm just going to be making money. It's not a job that I necessarily enjoy, but it's what it is and, however, it was a blessing in disguise, because it left me the opportunity to really understand and really explore what is possible for me like being let go of this thing that I am now able to.

Valerie:

Okay, I have all of this leftover time, all of this leftover energy in my junior year a year that's supposed to be very impactful and something you're supposed to be gaining valuable experience in and I was able to really introspect in. Okay, I'm going to look into areas in my life, areas in my academic and career ambitions that I want to focus on and I think would be meaningful for me in the long run, and that enabled me to look into marketing and that eventually led to me to declare a minor in it, because I was experimenting with taking classes in it, and then I came across your post and I was able to apply and be able to apply, like the things that I want to grow in into the jobs that I now have, or to grow in into the jobs that I now have, or and able to gain experience and apply my learning in a meaningful way.

Dan:

Thank you for that. And you mentioned principles. Some of them, you said, came to mind, but what was be some of the principles that really were part of reaching for the stars that you want the audience and the viewer of your artistic piece to take away?

Valerie:

yeah, like grit and motivation and routine is very important, like motivation in the sense of like it has to be intentional.

Dan:

I would say like that's another principle, right?

Valerie:

yeah, it is like I'm just kind of see for me, when I was trying to like really boil it down, because I, you know, I made the art piece with the intention like, okay, it's about journey, it's about um motivation, it's about um routine, right, but or journey and goals right and so um, but then when I started writing the story behind it, that's when it kind of opened this can of worms of like well, it could be applied to any principle in reality, but but.

Valerie:

So that's why I have a hard time like really defining exactly, like maybe you know five to six, but I would say, bottom line, like the message that I would like people to take away is, um, I think, as far as goal setting, it should be intentional and the motivation should, you know, be intentional.

Valerie:

And I think, as far as like putting goals and like on a pedestal, like stars for example, like literally reaching for the stars, I think people should look at it in a way where it's like this is something that I want to um, embark my journey in and, you know, get to a point where I can achieve this. However, embark my journey in and, you know, get to a point where I can achieve this. However, I am still going to enjoy. I'm not gonna have hard expectations, like I'm going to do what I can as far as routine, as far as like tactical steps. However, you have no idea where your journey is going to go, and so that's part of the beauty. Where that lies in it is the fact that you are going. There's going to be things that might pop up in your journey, that might shift your direction. It's a matter of like, how do you approach that and how are you going to adapt to that and being able to just enjoy every step in the way?

Dan:

Yeah, so profound in that you really do not know what will unravel and the people that you meet, the events that you'll experience in your journey. But that journey doesn't happen without the first step of deciding. Yeah, and part two of the first step of deciding yeah, and part two of the first step taking action. And that's the whole power of just baby steps. Get started, feel the resistance, experience another principle lessons in life, and then ultimately, you start to realize events, people, places and things that you never could have envisioned.

Valerie:

Exactly.

Dan:

You mentioned, valerie, that you've written, and as for the audience, I should share this as a preface to my question. There is another initiative within our community, the New Heart for Life community, and that's headed up by Jan John. She's at the University of Houston and Jan is leading a team that will be co-contributing to a digital book entitled Tales from the New Heart for Life Community. Subtitle Ambassadors Helping Others Live a Fit and Quality Life. You mentioned that you've written a tale about some of your experiences and your. Here we go with the principle journey. In fact, it's entitled I love this title Trust the Journey. So that tale will be incorporated into our book and I'm so happy and honored to have you be a co-contributor to Tales from the New Heart for Life community. But share with us your tale. Share with us your tale. Give us a little bit of a sneak preview of Trust the Journey and your story.

Valerie:

Yeah, yeah, it really details also the experience that inspired me to make the art piece for New Art for Life, for new art for life. And I would say similarly, I start off the tale with just me coming onto campus UCSD, with like just this immense imposter syndrome and this immense like low self-worth of what I was capable and, you know, thinking I made a mistake or maybe something was wrong, and that fear, really. And also I come from a family of immigrants and I'm first generation student, so it's like the pressure of finishing and the pressure of making my parents proud was really there and that pressure really enacted me to do whatever I could to get to a stable financial spot by the time I graduated, or at least try and um. And that was part of the reason that really drove me to make these goals of well, one of them being getting straight A's or getting like a very good GPA, something that could set me up if I wanted to get a master's um, getting valuable experience, um, whether that's working or volunteering. And um also like potentially get skills that are more practical, that I could incorporate in my career if I wanted to make a career shift or if I just wanted to enter a specific industry, and so those three goals really transpired. Why I was so, I guess, why I was so, I guess, hard on myself as far as like the how to get there and like the routines that I made for myself. And so, um, my school year was or at least the beginning of it was very much just like these, like nights of just or these days, filled of like working and going to school, finishing homework and also self-teaching myself skills outside of that.

Valerie:

And, like I mentioned before, I didn't know exactly what I was doing, because I was also I still haven't figured out my niche or what I exactly liked and what I wanted to do with that. And, you know, going back to like those moments in time that like kind of shift your perspective, it's like everything that I was learning at that point really prepared me to be able, when I was let go of my job, I was able to like, really like, sit down with myself and be like what are my values? What do I want to live up to as far as like both career and life, and how would I like to incorporate that in my day-to-day life? And, um, like, for me, creativity and community was a big one and, um, I work very well in a team. I work very well in just like making a difference and also just in enforcing that creativity that I have. And that's how I landed to marketing and I, yeah, like what?

Valerie:

What I initially thought of and the goals that I made in the beginning of the year, they weren't the same when I finished, or it is just like the journey that happened finished, or it is just like the journey that happened. It's like I would have never predicted where I would land and, in a lot of ways, it's. It's better that way, because that's how you get to learning your lessons that are necessary in order for you to embark another journey and to write up new goals and take action and decide. And, um, yeah, in a lot of ways, like today, it feels a lot more authentic to me and I hope yeah, but I just hope that this story resonates to a lot of people, a lot of ambassadors, who are also maybe dealing with these similar themes. But regardless, it's yeah, that's just yeah.

Dan:

That's the tale awesome within my book. Uh, I believe it's under the principle of lessons and it reminds me of what you just shared in terms of your journey. I say say there's no failure, only feedback, and from that feedback we learn lessons and we grow and we adapt. And in terms of the, you used the word imposter syndrome. I think what happens with our community and the power of the you used the word imposter syndrome I think what happens with our community and the power of the expression that you've had within your artistic talents and also your writing talents and sharing your story or your tale, is that we often think that we're unique or different.

Dan:

We often think that we're unique or different, but the community has demonstrated, from South Africa to Portugal, to our ambassador in Belarus, to ambassadors from Wellesley College to Penn State, everywhere, to the University of Illinois, colorado, out to University of California, san Diego that there is a common instinct, no matter what generation we might be from, no matter what our passions and life experiences might be, that we do have innate common instincts that bond us together. One of those is we all generally want to help people. It's an innate, god-given instinct of wanting to help people and that's certainly common. But in terms of feeling, as you shared the imposter syndrome. I remember, when I was going through my career, one of my mantras in order to help me get through that same kind of insecurity of I have to do 150% in order to be equal to everyone else. I just have to, and that, again, is a kiss and a curse.

Dan:

You tend to become overachievers, and that's well-founded and serves us well. But I used to use the term fake it until you make it, which is another way of saying imposter syndrome, and that just says that you're willing to try, you're willing to be vulnerable, you're willing to experiment with life, and so you've framed that whole concept, both artistically and in your written tale. That will be incorporated in Tales from the New Heart for Life community and I thank you so much for that. It will benefit, I'm sure, so many others that it might not be anything terribly new, but it will validate that. Hey, you know we are very, very common in a lot of our instincts and a lot of our insecurities, and to find those out we have to follow a set of principles that will lead us through that journey you to join and how you think you might be able to help family, friends and your fellow colleagues through your experience with your ambassadorship, with the New Heart for Life community.

Valerie:

Yeah. So what initially motivated me to join was I really was impacted by your message and also your story. My dad has had a health scare years ago but he was able to really shift his lifestyle and he's like the healthiest person I know now. So it's like it's very funny how much that can like that can change you and I that can like that can change you and I I really resonated with that story and how you know it's happening everywhere, or just like getting that message out there and um, and I was also like intrigued by the community aspect of it and how, um, it wasn't so much like, oh, put your head down and like, do some work, get some experience.

Valerie:

It's more of like it's more community based and it's like learning from each other and um, and you're getting experience in the long run, right, and it's just um, but yeah, like my my time here has been very I've enjoyed it a lot. It's the I joined initially in March and while that was a kind of like a rough time for me because of finishing school and all these stresses and also life stresses, I I was able to like in the past like month or so, being able to really look at how I could contribute more to this community you know, not just with like my art and like my writing, but also like much more than that, contribute to like other initiatives and maybe come up with one of my own or maybe like just take on like a more impactful position in that way.

Valerie:

And I just the way that I try to like um bring these principles into my own life is I practice them regularly, remind myself when I'm struggling in one aspect or the other, and also just sharing them out with my family. Um, like I mentioned um with my dad. He he has had, he's now a very like physically active and healthy person and he himself resonates a lot with the principles and we were able to connect with that a little bit. But yeah, I'm just really excited with what this, you know, the future of what this organization is going to bring to others and the potential it has to grow even more and more.

Dan:

And I'm sure it's going to be really beautiful. Thank you for that. We're so honored to have you as an ambassador and you're a rising as you shared at the top of the show a rising senior and I always want to make the point that once an ambassador always an ambassador in spirit, point that once an ambassador, always an ambassador in spirit, that once you graduate not unlike you always learn. We're always learning With fitness. It's not like you get to a certain point in your fitness journey and then all of a sudden, hey, I've graduated certain point in your fitness journey and then all of a sudden, hey, I've graduated.

Dan:

So, similarly, with the new heart for life community ambassadors, I really am looking forward to three, four, five, seven, ten, twenty years where you're carrying this message, as you so eloquently have shared during our interview here who you might connect with and how that might just impact their lives or how they might take that message and impact other lives around them. And that's the beauty of we just don't know. But we do know that we're in a true north direction and I know that by getting to know you a little bit more and being able to experience your contributions to the new heart for life community and I'm so honored and thankful for you being an ambassador today and for life. So, with that said, I always try to end and summarize an interview with a really tough question for you, and that is if you could share one word, one word. The most complex thing in life, valerie, is to keep it simple, right. If you could incorporate one word that summarized this interview and your experience with the New Heart for Life community, what would that one word be?

Valerie:

Okay, I instinctively thought of reflective, at least for me. It was very reflective for me, but also I could also use the word insightful.

Dan:

It's tough to do. One word right, insightful and reflective All right, we'll give you a pass. One word right, insightful and reflective All right, we'll give you a pass. You get two words. What I ask our ambassadors is to reflect on how they feel they have contributed with their engagement and with their participation as an ambassador, and so I love the word reflection. So thank you. Thank you so much, valerie, and to the New Heart for Life community team of ambassadors continue to help others live a fit and quality life, because by helping others you can't help but help yourself. I'm Dan Williams, founder of the New Heart for Life community. Be fit and be well.

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