STEPHANIE AGARPAO

Lifestyle Brand Ambassador for thevividvida

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TVV: Hey there! Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name is Stephanie Agarpao. I am 20 years old and I am currently a junior attending the University of Hawaii at Manoa studying Biology. I love to play basketball but most especially volleyball. I love going on adventures, meeting new people and spending my free time at the beach or with friends. - Stephanie

TVV: Wow - biology. Props to you!! So we've brought you onto thevividvida to talk about your lifestyle - particularly about your self confidence and personality. Can you share a little bit on that topic?

In the past I used to struggle with accepting who I am as a person. I was self conscious of how I looked, what i did, or compared myself to others. It didn't help that other people were constantly teasing me. Soon, after finally expressing how I feel to someone, I realized two things: 1) I shouldn't rely on others to make myself happy and 2) Others opinion shouldn't affect how I think of myself. Now, I've learned to love myself and everything about me. I've learned to accept my mistakes and flaws and turn them into something positive. I've realized now that I am in control of how I feel and how I view myself, not others. - Stephanie

TVV: You go girl! Self love is a battle many people face. To anybody reading this, what would you tell them while dealing with this topic?

Everyone is different and unique in their own personal way. Don't try to be someone else because it's just not possible and don't give someone the power to let you feel down. You are great the way you are. Confidence in yourself is key to happiness and success. - Stephanie

TVV: Nobody is ever done learning and nobody is ever done fully getting over the problems of self confidence or contentment. How do you plan to grow in this?

Viewing life in this way made me a much happier and positive person. I began and still am having more better and brighter days instead of the sad gloomy ones. In time, I've learned how to spread positivity towards others and it's something I truly enjoy and will keep doing. - Stephanie

TVV: That's what we're all about too! Love that so much. To anybody who ever teases or doubts you, how do you handle the harsh criticism?

To be honest, I don't take their criticism personally. I usually just laugh or joke around with them because if i don't take it personally, it doesn't hurt me. Also, I know who I am, only I know my whole story so whatever they say can't really affect me. At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. What matters is my opinion of myself.- Stephanie

TVV: So right now, you're in Hawaii for college but you're originally from Guam. Being in college and far away from home can be tough. Another thing that can be hard to tackle is staying true to one's personality. How do you make sure you stay true to who you are in a tough setting such as college?

Take a break especially since we are constantly working hard throughout the day (whether in school or at work). Take a day or a weekend off and do something you like. Do something that can help you relax and clear your mind even for just a moment. Unwinding for a bit would help bring you more focus and it allows you to have a little fun in your life no matter how hectic it may seem. - Stephanie

TVV: Ah, yes - self care. Something you've been known to do was play sports, was that a type of self care? Or how would you say that doing something physical helped you mentally?

Sports or any activity was like my escape from the real world. Even if it was just for an hour. They helped make me stronger physically but also mentally. It gave me a mindset to never give up and to constantly believe their is room for improvement. - Stephanie

TVV: Going off of building a strong mentality, what's something you tell yourself to get you throughout the day?

It's a new day....let's make it a great one! - Stephanie

TVV: Can't wait to see more from you this week! Throughout the week, what do you hope readers take away from your interview and collab here with thevividivda?

The take away I hope to communicate is that we are all perfect in our own way. Embrace yourself for who you truly are, not what others want you to be. - Stephanie

TVV: Any last minute messages you'd like to share?

The more you smile, the more the sun shines! - Stephanie