This month’s community meeting came at the perfect time. Right when I was feeling down from news overload, inspirational quotes of wisdom and mentorship cleared the dark cloud over my head.

As usual at AIGA meetings, we went around the room introducing ourselves and answering an icebreaker question. This month’s question:

What’s the best piece of wisdom you’ve ever received?

Here are a few of my favorite answers:

“Always do what you love.”

“Listen more than you talk”

“You can have everything you want in life, just not at the same time.”

“Worry is a misuse of your imagination.”

“Be who you needed as a kid.”

“If you’re not getting answers, ask better questions.”

For the rest of the meeting, we discussed how mentorship comes in many forms–often times when you least expect it. AIGA member Kaliq Ray said mentorship can come organically from friends and you don’t have to look far to find it.

That’s when I realized that I’ve found mentors in my fellow AIGA board members.

I look forward to this meeting every month because I know no matter how long of a day it is, I will leave feeling like I just got a giant hug. This meeting is where I go to learn about my community, break outside of my day-to-day routine, and make an impact.

Here are some more learnings from our discussion on mentorship:

“Everybody has something to teach you.”

“Just try. Fail often.”

“Look people in the eye.”

“Figuring out what you don’t like is just as important.”

“Don’t go through the motions.”

Earlier that day, I was just going through the motions. I finished my work and went on a run, all the while the voice in my head dictating my emotions. Our discussion brought me out of my head and back to the present. It reminded me that I still have my community, my mentors, to help me through hard days and low moments.

About the Author: Chelsea Brown is a UX/UI Designer on the marketing team at Republic Wireless. She aims to improve the reading and writing experience on-screen through UX design. On her days off, she works on her side project Issue NC, enjoys long runs, and Jane Austen novels.

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