Seleni Spotlight: Katerina Statha, Intern

August 2021 - Seleni welcomed Katerina Statha as a summer intern in June. She has been a wonderful addition to our team!

Tell us a little bit about yourself. 

I come from Greece and I am currently a rising senior pursuing two degrees; a BSc in Accounting & Finance and a BA in International Relations, while I have also acquired a Law Diploma. I have a life purpose on my mind and a dream in my heart. My purpose is to lend my voice to the voiceless. I actively fight for human and animal rights and I aspire to use marketing as a social change maker. My dream is to travel the world so as to never stop gaining a new lease on life.

What excites you about being part of the Seleni family?

I became part of the Seleni family during a turning point of my life. The equal value of emotional and physical health has been a realization of mine during the past few years so helping achieve the destigmatisation of mental health conditions, especially ones that affect mostly women, through Seleni has been a meaningful experience. Moreover, I always desired to be part of an all almost female organization, like Seleni. All the incredible ladies made me feel comfortable through their heartwarming attitudes, but also inspired me to achieve all my professional and personal goals through their advice, their hard work and their dedication to Seleni’s mission.

How do you practice self-care?

Showing compassion for others is one of my main principles. However, it took me a long time to understand that it’s just as important to show myself the same level of kindness. Creating time for ourselves should not make us feel guilty and bringing mindfulness to a never-ending to-do list is essential. The simple yet precious self-care gifts I give to myself is taking long walks with my dogs and going to the beach even during the winter. I have also recently decided to start being more spontaneous and take last-minute short trips with good company.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received is that “while you cannot control how people treat you, you can control how you react”. There are times in our professional or personal lives, when we encounter unfair, judgmental or “difficult” people. This kind of treatment can get under our skin and cause us to doubt our worth. I have spent a lot of energy trying to get people to be more empathetic. The only antidote though is understanding why people are the way they are and simply set boundaries. Our inner voice should be louder than others’ opinions and our inner peace should stay intact.

What’s a quote that you carry with you to uplift yourself?

While reading The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin S. Sharma, I came across this quote, “Life doesn’t always give you what you ask for, but it always gives you what you need” and it truly spoke to my heart. I am a firm believer that character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Life’s challenges are supposed to help you discover who you are and when things do not go according to plan we should embrace this as a guide pointing us in the direction of our highest potential. After all, miracles take a little longer than settling!