A New Lease on Life

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, and difficulty,.”I remember the first time I heard this quote by the former U.S. President, Teddy Roosevelt; it struck me and has been a guiding philosophy for everything I do.

The last few years have been a rollercoaster – completely indescribable! Three years ago, the pandemic hit (and still exists) and changed life as I, and many, I would imagine, knew it. We are humans. And we are taught to be positive, putting our best foot forward when life gets tough; you know, lemons and lemonade. Hence, I decided to give you a glimpse into my life and how it has been… so far. Life has taken many interesting turns for me since 2021, from tackling motherhood to building a career and everything in between.

I never saw myself working in a PR company, nor could anyone have prepared me for what was in store. I stumbled on the Atteline LinkedIn job post in October and reached out to express my interest. Armed with the collective experiences and skills from my previous job roles and faith, determination, and strong will, I went through the interview process and got the job. I often call this part my “rebirth”, as it signified the new era of Sybel. It was a new life, a new career, one that got me out of the house and the issues I was dealing with, even as the pandemic raged on. My work as an Admin Exec at Atteline has given me renewed purpose, making me productive with new learnings and experiences. As with any new venture, this job has not been without its trials, but with my team’s support and guidance, I feel more settled, capable, and confident. These great feelings have also trickled into my personal life, and I feel like a whole new person, in and out of work.

Hooray, it’s my third month at Atteline! It has been a whirlwind with so much growth. Despite being a newbie in the field, everyone has been so patient and welcoming whilst I overcame the hiccups and stumbles along the way. I express myself! It is so refreshing and surprising that everyone listens – I can say whatever is on my mind. I am evolving! From the timid woman, who never asked questions, to a seed that has dug its roots and begun to grow.

Life comes with the good, the bad, and everything else, and you’ve got to roll with it. I’m grateful for the fantastic experiences, I’m strong enough to deal with the “not-so-great” ones and have built a solid foundation to take on whatever’s in between. So, allow me to introduce myself – I’m Maria Sybel Rivera, a 30ish mother of two and an Admin Executive at Atteline, who has finally found where she’s supposed to be – and what a beautiful life it is!

Words By: Maria Sybel Rivera, PR Admin Executive at Atteline