I’m excited to feature Candice in the Strong Girl Spotlight today! Candice and I met my freshman year at USC! She was the 4th floor RA in my freshmen dorm building and I lived on the 8th floor. We quickly became friends and I’m so grateful for our friendship all of these years! She’s super genuine and has an amazing personality! One of the things I love about Candice is her positive attitude–she’s always smiling and spreading the positivity! She’s so supportive of other women and builds everyone around her up! Candice is living her dream of being a news anchor and her hard work ethic is super inspiring! Read her spotlight for inspo and motivation! And, keep up with her on Instagram and Facebook!

Tell us about yourself!

I’m from the midwest and am loving the Florida beach life! I love being outdoors, dancing, traveling, laughing, cooking, meeting new people and sharing stories. I’m a middle child so am usually somewhere talking, problem solving or calling my family. I’ve moved to Missouri, Indiana, California and now Florida for work as a news anchor. I studied broadcast journalism and negotiation and persuasion at the University of Southern California.. Fight On!

What does Strong mean to you and what makes you a Strong Girl?

Strong means being confident in who you are, comfortable in your own skin, ok with challenges you face and emotionally intelligent. What makes me a Strong Girl? My support network. It’s taken a minute to get to where I am now and my friends and family have helped me navigate all the ups and downs along the way.

What do you love about The Strong Movement?

I admire its message immensely. It is so important to have positive reinforcements and support among girls and women. I believe The Strong Movement does a great job of nurturing that and reminding women of the positive impacts of being strong, healthy and supporting others.

How has healthy living increased your confidence and self-esteem?

Healthy living impacts me physically and mentally. A great Krav Maga or Zumba class will get my happy endorphins going, improving my self-esteem. But eating well also means the difference between an energetic, productive day or feeling crummy.

What challenges have you had to overcome on your journey?

It’s common to have to move and uproot your life every 2 to 3 years in this industry. Reestablishing contacts, friends, etc gets tiresome and challenging but it teaches you to be extremely independent, self-sufficient and how to adapt and mold to new environments quickly.

How have these experiences shaped who you are and how have they contributed to building your Strong Mind?

I think moving so often for work is the biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome. Starting from scratch in a new city every 2 to 3 years takes a lot. Having a strong, healthy support system through my family and friends has helped me through moments like that. I call my parents at least once a day even if it’s just to say hello. There’s nothing better than hearing a familiar voice when you’re homesick.

What do you wake up looking forward to and excited about every day?

I love getting to meet different people and share their stories. My job allows me to see how people live their lives, overcome differences, similarities, accomplish goals and work on overcoming challenges. It’s truly fascinating to see how every person lives their life, what priorities they have and what stories and lessons they can teach others. I constantly am learning new things which makes everyday it’s own rewarding adventure.

Do you have any daily rituals? What’s a day in your life like?

What’s one healthy, positive habit that you’re proud of?

This is kind of cheesy but food prep! It’s done wonders for making sure I eat well, get a variety of nutrients and keep my energy levels up while running around every day.

What keeps you motivated when the going gets tough?

My family and support system. A conversation with one of them helps refresh and keep me going. Meditating, even for a few minutes, does wonders for putting problems and challenges into perspective.

What do you love about your mind and body?

Everything! It’s exciting learning new things and trying different workouts to keep both mind and body strong.

What is your mantra/philosophy you live by?

I’d say the “Om” that we say in yoga classes is my favorite mantra. Simple but I love it.

You’ve followed your heart and have worked hard to make your dreams a reality…. What advice do you have for other Strong Girls?

Stay true to yourself and the people and things that are meant to be in your life will gravitate back towards you.