As we round out our 5th anniversary campaign, we’d like to share with you one last interview with a member of our team!
This week, meet our content and communications manager, Shelby!
Shelby has been working with us at The Lily-Jo Project since autumn of 2018, and she takes care of our blog, email newsletters, campaigns, social media, and everything in between.
Here’s a bit more about her background, perspective on mental health, and ongoing work outside of The Lily-Jo Project.
About Shelby Hale
Shelby has been with The Lily-Jo Project since October of 2018, serving as the platform’s PR, content, and communications manager. Having lived in four different countries throughout her young adulthood, Shelby is passionate about the positive impact new experiences can have on mental health.
When she’s not working with The Lily-Jo Project, she supports other projects through her creative agency, Hale Marketing and Communications. If you’d like to stay updated with Shelby’s story, you can find her on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
An Interview with Shelby Hale
What is one piece of advice that you would give to your teenage self?
Lean in to your strengths! We all have unique talents and characteristics – and the earlier you can recognize and embrace the ones that come easiest to you, the easier it is to make big life decisions about things like coursework, hobbies, career paths, and relationships.
It was such a relief when I realized that I don’t actually have to try to be the best at everything. In fact, it’s not even possible!
Thinking about your work with The Lily-Jo Project, what article or project are you the most proud of?
I am the most proud of my curated mental health playlists. Music can be such a powerful tool to help us navigate and process our emotions, and these playlists continue to help us reach and inspire new individuals daily.
To see them for yourself, you can check them out on our blog or on YouTube below.
- Top 20 Songs to Help You Find Your Brave / YouTube
- 20 Songs that Inspire Change Within Ourselves and the World / YouTube
- 15 Songs for Self-Expression / YouTube
Your Self-Care Weekend Playlist: 15 Songs for Self-Care / YouTube
In your view, what do you consider to be the most pressing and important mental health topic of this moment in time?
Without a doubt, it is coping with the pressure to always be “on” and available to others via our smartphones.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love being able to use social media to share things about my life and stay connected with others, but I do sometimes find myself struggling to relax and switch off from the world. There are even times when the urge to scroll through my newsfeed or respond to emails/texts negatively impacts my sleeping patterns and thought processes – and I know I am not the only one struggling with this.
Setting clear boundaries and giving yourself permission to disconnect is so, so important for our mental health, and I’d love to see more research and support in this area.
What blog, book, film, podcast, etc. has been inspiring you lately?
I will always recommend the Hidden Brain podcast – it’s been a personal favorite of mine for years because it’s just so, so good. Another podcast I have been listening to recently is On the Edge with Andrew Gold, which is an interview series featuring conversations with controversial “outsiders”.
Can you share a bit more about your work outside of The Lily-Jo Project?
In addition to my work with The Lily-Jo Project, I also support clients through my creative agency, Hale Marketing and Communications. Some of my most recent work is writing blog articles for Mira, a technology company in the women’s health and fertility space. I also support a number of small businesses and marketing agencies worldwide with copywriting, social media management, and graphic design.
More from Shelby
Looking for more from Shelby? Check out some of her recent blog articles for The Lily-Jo Project below.
