We recently had the chance to connect with Vine Adowei and have shared our conversation below.
Vine, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Something that’s been bringing me joy lately is learning about the stock market and trading – I find it very mentally stimulating and I’m learning a lot about the economy and myself. Recently, I’ve also volunteered as a model at various charity events to raise funds for worthy causes, and that has been quite fun. Lastly, I’ve been reading a lot of books this year about personal finance, psychology, and faith – I’ve read 20+ hard copy books as of August!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a passionate and articulate communication expert and anti-trafficking advocate with a heart to help others strengthen effective communication and a passion for raising awareness about humanitarian causes such as human trafficking and solutions to address them. From a young age, I’ve been fascinated with the power of communication as I observed how it influences every sphere of life. That coupled with my passion for addressing humanitarian issues led me to pursue higher education in Strategic Communication and Advocacy (M.A.) and apply my expertise in a myriad of sectors including education, local government, energy, professional services, and non profit. I believe that effective communication is a vital skill that everyone needs to cultivate in order to succeed in all areas of life – relationships, work, business, school, etc. It affects the way we’re perceived and understood, helps us convey our ideas, and is a powerful tool for influencing people and causes for good.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
As a child, I was very carefree, independent, and playful. I wanted to map out my own path and saw life through rose-colored glasses. Like most people, as I grew older, I experienced more of the societal expectations of responsibility and performance. I became very good at checking things off to-do lists, multi-tasking to meet deadlines, and working toward accomplishments. One effect that the COVID-19 pandemic had on me was that it caused me to slow down and rediscover my true essence. I ended up writing a book titled “This Beautiful Voyage” to reflect on the ways we can be resilient in the face of trauma and reconnect with our true selves through creativity, self-reflectivity, and play. This was a deeply impactful project and I hope to write more books in the future.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has cultivated depths in me that success never could – depths of empathy, humility, vulnerability, and even creativity. It has increased my ability to see past my own needs and challenges and care for others. My experiences of suffering have also caused me to realize that I’m capable of overcoming a lot more than I realize. There have been times in my life where I’ve come out on the other side of traumatic and disruptive experiences that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to endure, let alone successfully navigate. Through these experiences, I’ve learned the importance of prayer, asking others for help, perseverance, and letting go of things outside of my control. The experiences of suffering that I’ve endured help me empathize and care for others in their own painful experiences.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I think humanitarian causes like eradicating poverty, human trafficking, hunger, and homelessness seem insurmountable but it’s worth the time, effort, and resources to chip away at these problems, unified with others who have the same passion. We should never stop working toward addressing these issues because when less privileged and disenfranchised people suffer, society as a whole suffers. The goal of completely eradicating these challenges may never be attained, but the people who will be impacted as a result of these efforts make it worthwhile.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
That’s a great question! While I enjoy appreciation for my contributions just as much as the next person, I truly believe in doing everything with excellence from a place of integrity, rather than solely for validation. That being said, I take into consideration what I’m realistically able to contribute on a given day to be realistic about what my “best” is. Over time, I’ve gotten better at recognizing and giving myself grace when I only have 50% to give because of other variables, as opposed to 90%. However, if I notice I’m continually unable to show up well in a particular area of my commitments, I re-evaluate whether I’m in a different season where I need to redirect my time and efforts to where I feel they are best applied. I like to re-evaluate commitments and priorities on a quarterly or bi-yearly basis to identify what no longer works with my current season or values.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vineadowei
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vine-adowei/
