New Year Resolutions – either you hate them or love them.
Since I’m an eternal optimist, I choose to embrace them 🙂 A new year offers an obvious opportunity to reflect, learn and plan for the future.
2018 was a pretty big deal
Most significant? I moved to a whole new Country and left my hometown in Canada for the first time ever! That in itself was one of the scariest things I’ve personally done – leaving the familiar comforts of my wide social and professional networks, a career in Innovation Partnerships that I was passionate about (along with relevant and complementary Entrepreneurial activities!) and a beautiful home my partner and I had just purchased that we dubbed a “Sky Palace” for the sunset views that took our breath away.
Having left all this behind for a few months now, I can confidently say it’s been an incredible journey with its share of serendipitous encounters, and also moments where I shake my head and (silently) scream WHYYYYY!!!
Highs and lows ranging from:
- Scrambling to find new housing in the most expensive and competitive housing market in the world (I’ve moved 3x in 4 months).
- Having a minor accident and briefly dealing with the fear of a $100k+ hospital bill in the US, when I was offered an ambulance ride (I refused, after having read the horror stories of healthcare in the states! I was fine in the end, by the way – just, in Canada I wouldn’t think twice about going to the hospital for x-rays after having a bad fall in the middle of on-coming traffic!)
- Building a whole new network of business contacts and of course, friends – including new friends via Uber rides!
- Learning which areas are safe (heard countless stories of muggings and break-ins that I just didn’t experience in Canada, also, guns are a whole different story down here).
- Capitalizing on my unique opportunity to live in the most innovative city in the world, to build my skills as an Innovation Professional and Entrepreneur!
Personal Growth and the Evolution of this Blog
New Year, New Themes
The purpose of this blog and my why, has always been about pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone, creating opportunities to learn and grow each day, and sharing my lessons with others along the way.
This spirit of seeking new adventures has taken on many forms over the years:
- Traversing a mountain cliff in France (Via Ferrata)
- Hang-gliding in Rio de Janeiro (Blog and Video)
- Competing in Women’s Bodybuilding through vigorous 16 week prep (2x!)
- Starting my own Personal Development Series and Social Impact Fashion Business, and more!
- It’s clear to me: I am addicted to life-long learning and sharing new experiences! (My Bucket List)
Now that I’m based here in San Francisco, in this entrepreneurial hub, I am privileged to meet and learn from so many diverse individuals.
I have toured many of my favourite companies as part of a mission to learn about varying corporate cultures and how they’ve been successful.
BONUS: When I am meeting with my “Heroes” and people in roles I aspire for at companies like Facebook, AirBnB, LinkedIn, Google, Sephora and more, I often also get to try their gourmet cafeterias!
For 2019, I plan to continue to consistently interview people from all kinds of backgrounds. People that have a story to share along with tangible tips and actions.
Why my blogging/writing style is direct and actionable:
I have searched for recipes where it was painful to scroll through paragraphs before getting to the actual recipe, or travel blogs where I just want to know what the main things to see are without a bunch of ads! It is for that reason, to save my readers boredom and pain, that I typically cut to the basics of “Here’s what I did, what I learned and how you can do it too!”. Examples: My Better-than-Cinnabon recipe and my travel posts.
Regarding Personal Development, I have attended conferences and seminars where accomplished individuals talk about their success and achievements and how “YOU CAN TOO!” But, to learn their secrets, you have to first sign up for their course, or buy their book. I believe that time is our most valuable resource, and when I don’t hear anything helpful or actionable, I get bored and leave.
I’m all about immediate actions that are small, but impactful, so that you can start implementing them right away!
That was the philosophy behind my Personal Development events (short talks, tangible tips, facilitated networking, guaranteed lessons and fitness perks for all!) That ongoing SoulCycle partnership was such a big highlight for me 🙂
This straight-forward philosophy is what I promise to keep in mind, while writing on here.
And as my Dad likes to say, No Bullshit!
Coming Soon – Schedule of Post Themes
Here is what I anticipate to write about, and what you can expect:
Health and Wellness Lessons – I’ll post update on what workouts and fitness regimes I’m implementing and how that’s working out
Interviews with Entrepreneurs and Innovation Professionals
Event Recaps! There are so many great ones here in SF, I feel compelled to share
Personal Development Tips – What I’ve learned from my meetings and interactions (Posts related to Lifestyle Design)
Career Growth Advice
Adventures in California (and beyond!) Hoping to add a splash of travel in there (My Bucket List)
What Would You Like to See?
Send me a message, and let me know!
I may not be an expert in any one thing, but I aspire to be an expert-generalist who can take technical and theoretical concepts, from my various interests and across industries, to find common, applicable lessons!
CONTACT ME: poymeetsworld [at] gmail OR IG: @poymeetsworld