Name: Alexa Costa
Age: 24-years-old
School: University of Central Florida
Major:Radio & Television Production Major, Minor in Digital Media
Occupation: Creative Director, Writer, and Editor
1. What does Phenomenal Woman mean to
you?
There’s so many positive
connotations to the word “phenomenal.” I think of synonyms like, inspirational, captivating, and extraordinary.
Women are phenomenal. We were born with great and powerful potential to
influence our surroundings. We’re creative, intelligent, and determined to provoke
positive transformation. A phenomenal woman is someone who embraces the
combination between transformation and individuality and helps activate that
same potential in others. Women exemplify so much, and it’s been like that
since the beginning of time.
2. What is your brand and how did you get
started?
First off, I believe in the
power of conversation and how
much our world needs to just sit
down and talk. I believe in the fact that internally, we die daily. We need
motivation every single day to keep the process of reaching our destiny alive.
We need advice and encouragement to keep us operating. This is the kind of
platform that I plan to develop. A platform where problems and advice can
intertwine and produce action. I want people to ask questions, share ideas, and
connect with others. What motivates me to take part in this are the people I’ve
met and continue to meet who have dreams and goals but lack the motivation to
make it happen or have problems and difficulties but lack the interest to find
a solution. The way I want to do this is explained in the next question!
3. What is your dream goal and how do you plan
to achieve it?
This is always a hard question
for me because I’m passionate about too many things. Ask anybody. I never know
if that’s a bad thing or not, but it makes me happy to be involved with
different things. I dream of conceptualizing ideas and writing content. I’m a
lyricist who writes songs and my goal is to have them produced. Music is one of
the most intricate ways to let our voices be heard and take part in the kind of
conversation that the world desperately needs. Adding engaging instruments
behind it is a captivating bonus. I want to join the kind of movement seen in
record labels like Reach Records and their 1-1-6 crew (I’ve been a fan since I
was about 12-years-old). If you don’t know who they are, check out their
website http://www.reachrecords.com/, read and listen to some lyrics from their
artists. It’s hardcore, raw, and world-changing. They’ve got people like Lecrae
who recently collaborated with one of my admired vocalists, Tori Kelly, who is
also one of my biggest inspiration to write and inspire. I live by what they
believe in and having that kind of platform will help me spark the unity
between “problems” and “advice.”
I have a goal of publishing my
own, inspirational books – books that also target the minds of individuals my
age. The twenties can be a very confusing, pressurized phase of life that some
of us tend to silently stress over. I face that every single day of my life,
personally and professionally, and I want them to know that they’re not alone.
We all go through it or went through it at some point in our lives. It’s normal.
And lastly, I would like to be a
creative director for local and global advertising and marketing projects with
the goal of turning a vision into reality. I want to help develop brands using
my background in creative production. The possibility of traveling while doing
this also excites me because traveling is awesome. I want traveling to be a
part of my career.
4. Name a moment that inspired you to feel
more confident and inspired you to be comfortable in the skin you are in.
It wasn’t the closest people in
my life, inspiring songs, TED talks, or personal-gained experiences that made
me feel more confident and inspired to be comfortable in my own skin. These are
all great, potential targets but no matter how hard I try to dwell on these
things, there’s always something bigger. I figured that out the moment I
realized who I belonged to. My entire life and thought-process shifted once I
came to the conclusion that it’s Jesus. He’s literally the only reason why I
can be confident and be myself. I believe that we’re created to be in his image
so if God isn’t insecure about himself, why in the world am I going to decrease my confidence? Every aspect of my life
revolves around his perfection and the plans he has for me and all of us. When
you think God, you think higher.
5. Name a person (dead or alive) that you look
up to and why?
Walt Disney was a boss! One of
the many things I admire about him was his persistence. I look up to his
work-ethic and how he kept his creativity running no matter the mishaps he
faced, like bankruptcy or having his own employees turn their back on him. Walt
Disney is an awesome definition of what it means to be a creative entrepreneur
especially in a society where people didn’t think what he did was a “real” job.
His business and creative mentality lead him a long way and changed the lives
of both children and adults. He was detail-oriented and a genius with ideas and
I appreciate the fact that he knew he couldn’t run his empire alone. He needed
people to make it happen and he had an eye for the perfect candidates.
Everything he put together, which is still in effect today, is incredible and
makes my heart smile. I believe I have that same entrepreneurial quality. I
really do.
6. When it comes to being a woman, what do you
feel should be the three core values that a lady should uphold?
Humbleness, Compassion, and
Discipline.
Humbleness: Being humble means knowing where you came from. It
means being able to gaze at everyone with the same eyes and heart - no matter
who they are or what position they’re in. There’s no favoritism. Being humble
means being human and recognizing that other people are human too.
Compassion: Having compassion is part of being the “bigger person”
in any situation. It’s learning how to love and care for people when they
struggle to love and care for themselves. It’s being selfless and attentive to
people’s plea. Life is about giving and giving people that kind of attention
can alter the perspective of the world. We all need it.
Discipline: And lastly, discipline. With discipline comes
self-respect, honesty, and courage. Self-control is attractive and speaks loud
even in our quietest times. It’s knowing who you are and daring yourself not to
settle for anything less than fantastic.
7. Favorite quote and what it means to you?
American author named Og Mandino
says, “Failure
will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” I’ve used this quote in just about every aspect
of my life because it’s an addicting statement to believe in. It’s like, wow. Determination can lead you so far,
it’s insane. It’s about training your mind to dive into what you think is
impossible and realize the possibility that comes out of it. I see failure as
an insecure monster trying to feed on our energy. This quote teaches me to stop
giving it the attention it doesn’t deserve.
8. Piece of advice that you would give to
young girls who aren't confident with themselves?
Please. Stay in your lane. You
don’t have to know how to drive to do this. Walk in your lane, skip, jog, run
IN YOUR LANE. Insecurity, doubt, pressure, society, catches you off guard and
makes you shift and when you shift, you crash or bump into someone’s else’s
space. This can be the hardest hole to escape from. Recognize that you were
created for a purpose and with that purpose comes a whole, customizable package
with all the tools and life-lessons needed to prepare you for your destiny.
Recognize that you have your personalized plan - a beautiful future perfectly
crafted for you. One of the best tools in that package is the confidence to do
anything. Your identity isn’t defined by the people who don’t understand your
vibe and those who use that to their advantage to see you struggle. You’re loved,
and you’re phenomenal. Just forget the competition and focus on what you were
meant to be that reflects everything you are. You have confidence whether you
believe it or not. Force yourself to choose to believe it.
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