We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristina Audencial and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristina, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
My faith in God makes me happy. I have gone most of my life trying to find happiness in worldly things and temporary pleasures, and none of them last. It wasn’t until I truly sought after a relationship with Jesus did that change for me. I’m now aware of all my blessings and how He’s ever present in my life. I’m also assured that every good and perfect gift, including my husband, pup, family, church, friends, and work, are all from Him which brings me happiness.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I am most proud of the fact that plenty of the feedback I receive from viewers is that I am warm and genuine on TV. Those aren’t features you can teach in the world of news.

It took years behind the scenes, sleepless nights and missed holidays with family to get to where I am today but arriving in a place where I am thrilled to go to work has made it all worth it. It started with an internship that opened the door for me to be hired as a writer/fill-in producer. I worked weekends, early mornings, and late-night hours as a writer and producer for several years before I ventured out to be a reporter. Despite the grueling hours and stressful deadlines, it was overcoming the mental challenges that I remember most.

First, having thick skin never rang truer than a profession in broadcast journalism. Keep your head up and take accountability even when you make a mistake, so others don’t have the final say over you. Like any other competitive market, you need to be humble enough to receive constructive criticism and confident enough to reach your goals. I found that having a desire to grow and learn throughout the journey is much easier than building prideful walls.

Lastly, I’ve had to remember that my career and job are just that. I get an up-close and personal look at the awful things that are happening around the world, but I do not need to bring those things home. I choose not to be completely absorbed in the bad news or it will negatively affect me physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I want people to know that I am your neighbor. Just a woman of faith who loves God, and spending time with her husband and rescue pup, Koa. I’m the girl who grew up riding her bike just down the street from you. I am just like you. I might tell the news on television, but at the end of the day I am just honored to have the privilege of sharing the story-telling process.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Gosh, what’s not to love about America’s Finest City?! The days would be spent outdoors. We could spend some days along the coast to chill out on the beach, surf or go paddle boarding, and even throw in a catamaran trip in SD Bay. Sunrises and sunsets would also be a must-see from some of our hiking trails in the county. I love taking out-of-towners to Torrey Pines to hike beside the beach, or even up to Mt. Laguna to enjoy the peace and quiet along the trails. Tacos and margaritas from Old Town are also a must and eating our way through Little Italy at night is also a list topper! By the way, Monello in Little Italy features a 60lb parmesan bowl where they swirl their pasta, and it is a foodie’s dream! A few other favorite places to take people are Coronado, Seaport Village and the new Rady Shell, as well as the Fort Rosecrans cemetery. A cemetery might not be your cup of tea, but the views are phenomenal, and it gives us an opportunity to pay our respects to those who’ve fought for our freedom.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
God is first and foremost. Without Him, I wouldn’t have the strength, courage, drive, or discipline to stay in news. But my introduction into the journalism field happened in 11th grade at Singapore American School by my audio/visual teacher, Mr. Clemens. He recognized early on that I wanted to write, edit, and capture images that told a story. Mr. Clemens always said that few students took all his classes all at once because it required a lot of time and effort after school to complete. Apparently, I was one of the “crazy” ones to do so. At one time I was a student anchor in our student produced and run Morning Show, the arts and entertainment editor for our school newspaper and yearbook, and a student in his audio/video and photography classes. I thank him for encouraging me and allowing me to express myself creatively in the process.

Website: https://fox5sandiego.com/author/kristina-audencial/

Instagram: audecialK

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