How do you maintain your individuality while respecting family traditions?

Exploring the delicate balance between personal identity and cherished family customs is a journey many of us navigate with introspection and care. It's fascinating to hear how others approach this dynamic, as it often leads to insightful reflections on heritage, values, and the evolution of self. I believe there's immense value in honoring tradition while also embracing the uniqueness of one's own path.

In my family, we don't celebrate holidays or anything together. We celebrate every time we see each other instead. Our traditions are handed down to the next generation. We lead very quiet lives and we don't stick our noses in each others families. We don't tell each other how to live and we don't gossip.

I learn to love because its the best way to find peace within. Respect Responsibility and Reliability. From advice from the people who always believed in you.

I became interested in Human Resources and Labor Relations, based on the history of my mother's home country. Colombia isn't a perfect nation, as the constant militarism movement is cutting away the rights and liberties of workers. Trade unionists are killed for revealing the need to bring honesty and safety to a struggling workplace. I don't enjoy the human needs of employees being undermined by higher authority, so I wish to address them at face value. I am facing problems hand in hand with my parents and grandparents' lessons. To be humble and understanding, rather than cold as those back at their old home.

focusing on personal growth can help strengthen both your individual identity and your connection to your family traditions. Engaging in activities that foster self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and empathy can enable you to better understand yourself and others while also allowing you to contribute positively to familial relationships built on mutual respect and understanding

My essence are in these values: collaboration, culture, fairness, passion, and respect. These are a must and at the forefront of how I navigate personal and professional relationships. If at least 3/5values are not present then there is crucial conflict. I do not feel in alignment with what I will honor as truth. Betraying values will promote toxic environments. No one wants to be in toxic relationships for money, a job or a connection. Know your values as it's a compass to thriving.

What to do when speaking up goes wrong? I remember the time I spoke up in a meeting and a partner despised me for it. Yet, another partner praised me for it. Because of the icing of one partner, I really never contributed to meetings even though I knew my perspective would have been beneficial. It has taken years to overcome that experience to try to balance when to speak and when not to speak. It is the exchange of ideas that are needed to foster growth and change. Again, most companies from my experience only have one way communication so there is going to be limited change. When others ideas and viewpoints are iced out growth in business is stagnant. The world is evolving.

Leadership for me is not defined by who is at the top. A leader can be any member on a team. As long as you step in to ensure the team's success then the skill of leadership has been fulfilled. A skill that I was good at was creating trial binders, issue spotting and presentation. Whenever another attorney had a trial, I would assist with making their trial binder. Collaboration is needed for success of the individual and the team. It is a burden of success. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to practice collaboration without envy and competition. The only way to overcome envy and competition is merit and promotion not preference.

Time to really connect with someone is continuous. Every Saturday morning before anyone would wake up, my father and I would have coffee together for about an hour. The big decision, whether it was going to be hazelnut or french vanilla cream, and Italian cream was always the tie breaker. In these one-on-one conversations we discussed life, career, history, law, goals and shared personal stories. I cherished learning more about my father outside my perceptions and vice versus. This tradition has allowed for me to continuously invest an hour or more to connect. Mentorship requires a lot of time to invest in someone's success. Because of the busy world we now live in, it's up to the individuals.