About Me
What I'm
All About
1.
I view life as an adventure.
There are so many opportunities to discover, learn, and grow in life if we are open-minded and actively seek them. I believe life is about gaining new experiences. It’s about trying new things and challenging ourselves to be the best we can be while finding a way to help others and be of service.
2.
I love to travel.
Ever since my first trip, I’ve been hooked. I’ve lived and volunteered abroad, backpacked through parts of Asia, and hiked the Camino Portugues. I spend a lot of time thinking about travel, daydreaming about when and to which country my next trip might be, and watching travel-related documentaries and shows on TV when I’m at home. My grandmother always said that travel was the best education you can give yourself, and I think she was right!
3.
I’m an introvert.
I’m generally much happier to listen than to talk, and I’m completely happy to sit back and be a fly on the wall much of the time. As an introvert, quiet reflection is how I process the world around me, and writing helps me learn and understand things better. The written word is by far my best form of communication. As a freelancer, I work from home and spend large amounts of time alone without going crazy. I consider this a skill. From what I hear, it’s not for everyone!
4.
I love learning and personal development.
I consider myself a lifelong learner and value exploration. I’m constantly looking for ways to improve myself and to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life. I can pretty much always be found taking an online course, attending a class or workshop, participating in a writing or meditation retreat, reading or listening to a book, or browsing articles with the general theme of self-improvement, whether they’re about exercise, creativity, self-discovery, success, personal finance, or healthy eating. What can I say? I’m insatiably curious!
This gives you a snapshot of who I am, but if you want to know more, read on.
My Journey So Far
I grew up on a farm in the middle of what I like to call ‘nowhere’ — outside a small town about an hour and a half north of Toronto.
My formal education is in journalism, human rights, and psychology, a combination that broadened my worldview and allowed my curious nature to shine through. Learning about the world made me want to travel and see it for myself, and it also sparked a desire to connect with others and find a way to help people. I’m still figuring out what exactly that looks like, and how I can best be of service to others.
For the past decade, I’ve been all over the place, gathering a wide variety of work and life experiences. My twenties were an exploration phase, a time for figuring out who I am, what my strengths and skills are, and what I have to offer. A big part of my learning was through reading voraciously. I also discovered more about myself through yoga, meditation, and a number of online courses.
I also ventured out into the world and far out of my comfort zone. I volunteered for three months in a rural village in Guyana with Youth Challenge International. I taught English for two years in South Korea. I started a bus tour group/business with a Korean friend for other foreigners like me who wanted to explore more of the country and culture we were living and working in. My best friend and I spent almost three months backpacking through part of Southeast Asia.
I worked at a wedding venue for years and eventually became the general manager there. When I realized that wasn’t the right fit for me, I turned to freelancing instead. I’ve interviewed top agents at Keller Williams Realty in Toronto and helped produce year-in-review books for two offices. I’ve transcribed podcasts and interviews for its CEO. I’ve helped write website, email, and social media content for businesses and individuals. I started my own proofreading business, and an international publishing company has been my top client for the past few years.
All of these experiences and more have made me who I am today and taught me what I know about myself. Although at times I felt a bit lost, I can now see how each experience unlocked another clue and became a piece of the larger puzzle I was creating. And I also know I’ll never stop learning, changing, and growing. That’s a part of life and something I value deeply.
This philosophy of adventure, learning, and exploration is a core part of who I am and how I live.