Experts say that 1 in 5 college students struggle with anxiety or depression and The Brand Girls team knows that no one is immune. If you’re a college gal who is feeling mega-anxious about the uncertainty of your future, our program is here to help!

Check out these additional tips to help build your confidence while learning to manage your feelings of anxiety.

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Know your triggers and prepare BEFORE them: This is a big one! Whether you’re anxious, stressed, or just feelin’ like you want to crawl back into bed, the key is getting to the root of why you feel that way. What situations, people, or things are making you feel worse?

Once you acknowledge that studying for finals always kicks your anxiety into overdrive, you can come up with a plan to start studying earlier this year so it's more manageable.

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Grab a buddy: It's true, almost EVERYTHING is harder to get through solo!

Having a go-to gal to help you through the hard days, especially if she’s struggled with anxiety herself, can be a game-changer that makes you feel supported and understood.

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Focus on things you can control: Psychology Today shares that a major part of anxiety is stressing over things that we can't control. Acknowledge the things you can’t control, but then flip the script on your negative thoughts by focusing on the things you can control.

Try making a list to remind yourself even though many things are outside of your control, there are also many things that you have the power to change.

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Find your outlet: Many people struggling with anxiety swear by yoga, reading, walking and even meditation.

Our advice? Be open to trying new outlets to release some of your anxious energy until you find whatever works for you!

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​We hope these tips help ease your anxieties. Remember, The Brand Girls team is always here to help if you need it!

What is your crutch word? You know what we’re talking about. That word you always use. That word that helps fill the space while your mind plays catch up. That word that you don’t even realize you say anymore.

Yep. We’re talking about these words: like, um, actually, literally - you know the ones.

Ring any bells? The Brand Girls team knows that putting your best foot forward is crucial for your personal brand, so we’re here to help you kick your crutch words to the curb.
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Identify them: Do you know what your crutch words are? You can’t solve a problem if you don’t know what it is!

Ask others who know you well what words you overuse. You can also read back over your papers and social media posts - chances are you’re using the same words there too.

Pro tip: Set up your iPhone and take a video of yourself speaking + play it back. Not only will this help you realize what words you may rely on too much, but you’ll also get a glimpse at your body language. ​

Start thinking about WHY you use these words: Now let’s get to the root of the problem. Why do you keep leaning on these same phrases over and over? A lot of times, we revert to crutch words because we're not prepared.

How many times have you said “um” during a presentation because you forgot what came next? How often do you say “like” when you’re trying to fill more time, but have nothing else to say? The more you prepare, the less you'll rely on crutch words!

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Try a new technique: Whether it’s a business presentation or a speech in class, many of us tend to use filler words to fill the silence. *face-palm*

Taking a pause is one of the most powerful things you can do when you’re speaking. It gives your listeners time to reflect on your insight and think through it. Another way to do that? Ask them a question.

These two techniques allow you to give yourself a break instead of using one of your default words. ​

​You’ve likely been using these words for a long time, which is why they’ve become second nature to you. Remember, it takes time and practice to break our bad habits. But if you start to address them now, you can only improve.

Written By: Jasmine Williams
Brand Girls Client + BG Blog Intern
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminecwilliams/

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Stop beating yourself up already: No one looks back and had their life all together by 22. It’s time to stop expecting yourself to be perfect at EVERYTHING.

If you’re really struggling, try this: Pick one area of your life at a time that you want to see yourself improve and write out a plan to reach your goals in that area. Rinse and repeat!

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Embrace the chaos with gratitude: Do you ever feel like you have way too many things going on at once? Like your head is going to explode from the endless to-do lists and deadlines? Take a deep breath.

Remember how badly you wanted to get into that college. Think back to the number of job applications you sent out before landing that position. Don’t forget how hard you worked to get where you are.

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Let the craziness of right now turn into gratitude for how far you’ve come and how far you’re going. You’ve got this!

Jess Ekstrom - Headbands of Hope
Another college start-up, Jess was inspired to help the world when she noticed a lot of children wearing headbands to help with their confidence after losing their hair to chemotherapy. Driven by her desire to help these children, Jess started Headbands of Hope, which went from a single order in 2012 to a wildly successful international brand that is supported by major organizations and donates headbands to 16 countries.
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Find the WHY for your audience: Spend a few minutes thinking about your audience and WHY they should care about your presentation.
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Ask yourself questions ahead of time like “How will this affect them?” “Are there any actions they need to take after this presentation?” “What questions might they have?”

You want to do as much of the work for your audience ahead of time as possible.

Having your first job out of college can feel freeing. Money in your bank account? Check. Food in your fridge? Check. New work friends? Check.

But your first job also sets the tone for your entire career, so it’s important to make a lasting impression. Here are The Brand Girls’ first job etiquette rules that all college grads should follow.

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Go easy at happy hour: Having work friends to grab dinner with can be a fun break from the office, but go easy at happy hour. While every industry and company is different, Business Insider recommends staying in ‘professional mode’ even when you’re not in the office.

The Brand Girls team agrees - that means sticking to the tried and true two-drink maximum rule for any happy hours or work events.

P.S. Always be responsible and share an Uber home!

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We hope these tips can help you fight off your anxiety - work-related or otherwise. For more information on anxiety, you can visit https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety ​

Remember, working on yourself and your own dreams is healthy. Focusing on your goals first will only strengthen your relationships and leave a better version of you to others!

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We hope these tips provide you the support and motivation you need to get into a productive groove for the rest of the summer and school year!

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"Surround yourself by those who lift you higher. Simple as that

Take one minute to get clear in your head - what sort of negative personalities have you been entertaining in your life? Now, here comes to hard part - choose to separate. Either ...

1. Separate yourself physically by not spending your free time with them or

2. If you can not remove yourself physically due to them being a family member, co-worker etc. then make an effort to remove yourself from the conversation as soon as they start to speak toxic words. This means you physically get up and leave or do not respond back and forth in encouraging their voice.
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What you speak becomes your reality" - Rachael Bozsik, Founder and CEO of The Brand Girls ​

Be prepared for your plans to change: It’s great to have an idea of what you want to do and how you’re going to get there, but don’t grow too attached to your plans!

“Throw your plans and expectations out the window, develop your personal brand and elevator pitch, never miss an opportunity to network, and know that it’ll all be just fine,” says Harris Walker.

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Set realistic goals: The Brand Girls is all about setting goals in every aspect of your life.

Grab your notebook and think about what’s realistic. How soon do you want to pay off your student loans? How much do you want to have in your savings?

Don’t forget to schedule check ins to monitor your progress!

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Remember, no matter how much money you’re making in your first job out of college, it’s important to set your strong saving habits now - trust us, you don’t want to regret this later!

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​We hope these ideas have inspired you to start working on your journaling skills. Now grab a Moleskine and get going!

Come with your game plan: When you alert your boss or your team with a problem, you always want to have a solution ready.

If you accidentally posted a tweet meant for your personal account to the company Twitter (with 1K followers - yikes!), what would your game plan be when you approach your boss? Tell us in the comments!

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Correct & plan for the future: There’s a big difference between the first time you make a mistake and the 7th time you make a mistake…

Once you’ve corrected the situation, make sure you take the proper steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again!


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When it comes to work, while many of the things Millennial women want may differ, we do all have one thing in common: we want to be appreciated.

​But it can be tough to get the kudos you deserve at your first job or first internship especially because, let’s face it, you haven’t been there very long.

Here are 4 ways to make yourself a more valuable employee-

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“If you are reading this post you now have the gift and the challenge to practice a sense of mindfulness.

Look around you and recognize three things that make you smile...next, close your eyes and think of someone in your life right now that needs a hug. Keep your eyes shut and picture yourself giving them a hug - what do they look like, how do they react, how do you FEEL.

Mindfulness brings you in the HERE in the NOW so you can be happy for this moment.”-  Rachael Bozsik, Founder and CEO of The Brand Girls 

It’s so exciting when you walk into a new office for the first time. There is so much work being
done by passionate people, and they want YOU to be a part of it. Unfortunately, having a group
of people working together 40 hours a week means there is always some kind of drama. While
this is no fun, we at BG have some tips to make sure you know how to navigate these
situations.

Don’t talk smack: If you get roped into this kind of drama, it is so easy to just go along with whatever the person you’re talking to is saying, but that is an easy way to make enemies. It is okay to disagree with a choice one of your coworkers makes, but that can be done professionally and entirely to their face as part of an open discussion. Keep people’s personal business out of it.

Don’t be exclusive in your professional relationships: In any office, there are bound to be coworkers that you become closer to than others. However, don’t let the fact that you’re besties with one person make you exclude another. Just because you are not close with a coworker doesn’t mean that you should give them a reason to think poorly of you.

If you can - just stay out of it: Tying back to tip one, it is so so easy to just go along with it when you hear someone else engaging in gossip. However, you are much more likely to gain respect from EVERYONE in the office if you don’t take part. The best thing you can do is change the subject and move on from that negative conversation..

Written by: Amy Minemier
BG Client + BG Blog Intern
www.linkedin.com/in/amyminemier/
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