Here's How You Become the #NextLevelYou

As a modern Filipina, we always seem to be in search of a level up in life—a way to avoid the dullness and bring back the zest to make things more interesting and exciting. We look for new adventures and experiences to create a dynamic pattern that will empower us to keep improving.

Nivea's brand ambassadors Gretchen Ho, Jessey De Leon, and Anina Rubio share a little about how they started in their respective fields and how they've leveled up every day since then.

Anina Rubio (Visual Artist)

IMAGE Kat Estrella

1. What made you want to become an artist?

Anina: Basically, I've always had a love hate relationship with art. As a kid, I would always paint. Instead of buying toys, I'd buy craft stuff like paint, crayons, and stamps, but in college, I studied Engineering, and after working in the corporate setup, shifting jobs from Engineering, IT, and marketing. I realized that it's not really what I wanted to do, so I just took a risk and delved into art.

2. Where do you draw inspiration for your art?

A: For me, the best inspiration is nature, and since I travel a lot, especially in the Philippines, I always get inspiration from there. I would always tell my students that the best color palette can be found in nature, so that's my inspiration.

3. What are the top 3 tips you can give Candy Girls that want to pursue a career in art?

A: 

• Be open to constructive criticism, and to failing, because eventually you learn things when you make mistakes.

• Keep on researching and studying. I personally like research. I go to bookstores, read books, watch videos, and experiment. It's always nice to try out new things.

• Keep on practicing, because any craft that you want to learn, you get to improve your skills if you keep on doing it. Keep on experimenting different ways.

4. How do you become the #NextLevelYou?

A: To become the next level you, you have to start taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone.

Jessey de Leon (Athlete)

IMAGE Kat Estrella

1. What made you want to become an athlete?

Jessey: I was playing na talaga Badminton, that was my first sport. Then my sister was a volley player, and syempre diba pag may ate ka, parang you want to follow her footsteps. So I tried it. Tas sabi ni ate, I should try for the team, then yun sobrang na in love ako with the sport. So dun na nagstart, grade 5 ako tuloy tuloy na.

2. Where do you draw inspiration to keep on playing?

J: Family and God, and myself. I'm motivated by myself, cause I want to be better. Kasi hindi lang siya physical eh, it develops your mental and even your discipline, that's why I'm motivated to be better.

3. What are the top 3 tips you can give Candy Girls that want to pursue a career in sports?

J:

• Never give up. Yun talaga eh, kasi sobrang daming obstacles that will come your way, and it's not always your day, pero yung nagmamatter kasi is yung persistent ka na tao.

• Focus on your goal. Set a goal and focus on it kasi parang kung complacent ka lang sa kung ano ka, hindi ka magnenext level. Kailangan i-push mo yung boundaries mo, and get out of your comfort zone, if you want to learn and gain experience.

• The people around you who try to bring you down don't matter. Dapat positive lang always. Kasi kung ano yung iniisip mo, yun yung nagaattract.

4. How do you become the #NextLevelYou?

J: I'm never satisfied, gusto ko I always improve. You don't compete with other people, I compete with kung ano ako yesterday.

Gretchen Ho (Athlete and Host)

IMAGE Kat Estrella

1. What made you want to become an athlete?

Gretchen: I think I'm naturally athletic, meaning I love being physical, I love playing sports, I love being out there, being active, I love moving, that's why I call myself woman in action.

2. Where do you draw inspiration to keep on moving?

G: Probably, number one would be health and fitness. I want to feel always at my optimum level of fitness, and probably because I'm very conscious about my body so I want to be in the best shape all the time, so I think I just want to be the best version of myself.

3. What are the top 3 tips you can give Candy Girls that want to pursue a career in sports?

G:

• Keep an open mind. When people instruct you, when you have a coach who tells you to do something or tells you how things should be done, keep an open mind towards it, and just absorb, be a sponge, absorb all the learnings  that you can get.

•  Don't be afraid to fail, because everybody starts knowing nothing. It's when we keep on failing that we learn, that's when we become better, and that's when we use those as stepping stones to do better than the last time.

• To believe in yourself, to have confidence in yourself,  you have to start with believing with yourself cause that's the base of everything you do in life. So you have to love yourself, believe that you can do it, and that you're just as good as everyone.

4. How do you become the #NextLevelYou?

G: "You become the next level you by wanting to be more than you are. When you strive to be better than yesterday, you become the next level you, and when you don't settle for safe, when you don't settle for who you are right now, because it's so fun to see yourself evolve and grow, and become better in terms of skills, better in terms of physical fitness, better in terms of looks, better in terms of attitude, character and everything. And when you focus on growth, that's when you take it to the next level."

One product that definitely brings out the #NextLevelYou in Filipinas is our country's #NextLevelDeo, the first deo serum by Nivea Philippines. This brand's new innovation is aimed at taking you to the next level with its two variants, the Extra White Serum and the White and Firm Q10 Serum, providing you with the confidence and readiness you'll need to achieve greater things.