Blog

Are you a lifelong learner?

Yes.

And on an unrelated note, I got engaged today! 😁

What’s one habit that has improved your life the most?

I am constantly developing new habits and systems to try to maximize on my time and to make sure I have time for things that are important for me. I’m not sure if it is the habit that made the most difference, but for most of my life I’ve used an agenda so that I can schedule things out and make sure I don’t forget anything. They were useful for me for tracking finances as well, as I could write down what I bought everyday and then flip back later and see how much I spent each month in every area.

This year I finally switched to using digital by combining in onto my phone calendar. It’s been an adjustment but has many of the same benefits. I just miss how I could jot in the margins before 😏

What’s a chapter of your life you’d title “The Hard Years” — and what got you through it?

2024 would specifically be the hardest year. It was high busy from the get-go, then in April the situation hit a whole new level and it built up to the grand finale in November, causing medical issues and forcing me to reassess my life and boundaries. It took a long time to recover from the aftermath and PTSD. I remember at the end of December 2024 writing a prayer and thanking God for a new job and a partner, neither of which I had evidence for but full faith in God to deliver – and a couple weeks later I met the man, and by the end of the year I was training for the new career. Just been a lot of life in a short time.

What do you do to improve your sleep?

Falling asleep for me is not really the issue. My bigger issue is if I have a lot on my mind and I wake up early and can’t fall back asleep. I’ve heard that if you can’t sleep for 20 minutes, you might as well get out and go somewhere else in the home and come back later as a sort of reset.  Usually I just tell my body “hey, if your eyes are closed and your muscles are relaxing, then you’re probably okay. There’s really nothing for us to do right now.”

What’s something you used to believe as a kid that seems ridiculous now?

I believed there was a secret room at my aunt’s house behind the fireplace, but when I got older I realized it was just a mirror along the wall.

Which languages do you speak and how did that impact your life?

English, Japanese, and French. Japanese has had a direct correlation to the beginning of culinary education as well as employment. Cultural exposure has been high creating an unusual counterculture shock but making life more interesting. French mix for fun European visits which entail opportunities to utilize and connect while also making perception of the difference between English and French speakers historically more fascinating. Preconceived notions challenged. Stereotypes are amusing. English is standard native culture exposure of a rural sense, rather different from most other developed places I visited. I tend to take much for granted depending on where I’m at physically along with local population sentiment.

What’s the best advice you’d give to someone younger than you?

Learn about finances (saving, investing, career planning, equity, etc.) when you’re young because no one is going to teach you that. It will impact your ability to do a lot of things in both the present and future, and it can teach you to set and achieve short and long term goals.

If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be and why?

I’d like to instantly master real estate so I don’t have to deal with the difficult parts of learning and can automatically jump into being a pro at everything. I feel like it involves being skillful in a lot of different ways and possibly just building up knowledge over the years, but if I can Master that then I can help people to the best of my ability and that’s really what I want to be doing with this job.

What is one way you have grown this year?

Hot dang I’ve been growing left and right this year! Changing careers after 12 years was a big one and I am growing by learning how to plan/film/edit/post videos on social media, how to be an entrepreneur, how to figure out medical insurance, how to do real estate as a job which includes a lot of new stuff, and I’ve probably grown a few more gray hairs in the middle of all that!

What is something you wish you could tell your 20-year-old self?

Living in an international house is fun, but at some point it would have been a good idea to start considering buying a home. Spending money traveling is nice, but you probably should have put some into retirement and also learned about how to invest money in the stock market. Working hard at a job over the years is stable, but there is no growth in certain jobs and sometimes it’s better to leave a harmful job then stay there until you burn out and have to deal with the slow recovery. No one else will promote your growth in work but you, and no one else will promote your mental and physical health but you. While we’re at it, you probably should learn more about boundaries so you’re not so reactionary to other people.