Have you ever felt like you need something to happen *first* before you can be truly happy? 

If only you could get a better job... 
If only you could finish this semester already...
If only you could afford to travel...

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that everything you need to be happy is right here, right now. 

Getting out of your current life situation isn't going to make you more happy. (I've tried finding happiness in the farthest corners of the world: it doesn't work...)

I've travelled to exotic places, I've worked from the beach, I've been at the top of the world in Bali and yet, I still wasn't happy. 

Now I get it.  

Last week I was thinking, what's the funnest way to spend my birthday?

The first thing that came into my mind was:  hangin' out with YOU!  I wanted to do something special so that we can all celebrate the wonder of life.  This party will be super high vibing, inspiring and enlightening! :) 

You're invited to the party!  Here's the REPLAY:

I could never ever have imagined 1 year ago that I would be starting off 2015 writing this email. 

Today I’m want to share with you the story of my 2014, with the hope and intention that it will inspire you to go for your dreams in 2015.  Over the last 12 months, I didn’t always know exactly what I was doing. I just knew that I was meant for more and took a few MAJOR leaps of faith.

In between those leaps, I stuck to my dreams, took tons of tiny right actions and now everyday, I get to live my dreams:
 

January 2014: I go to Singapore for my last semester of university on student exchange. I pack two full suitcases, because I’m ready to staying in Southeast Asia if I find a job..

Young people are not meant to be sitting in cubicles. We're meant to out THERE, making an impact, energized by our passions and inspiring others.  We're meant to be travelling to all corners of the world and collaborating with like-minded  young leaders.  What's stopping you from being free?

My podcast debut! I'm so honored to be featured in two of the best podcasts for our generation, Moving Millennials podcast with Dave Anderson and The Off Road Millennial podcast with Mallie Rydzik.  These were recorded months apart but they just so happen to be debuting the same week!  Love it when that happens...

When I was in university, I told myself  telling myself countless times, I can’t wait till I’m out of here! Then I can devote ALL my time to growing this blog!  Of course, now that I’m done uni, I realize that it’s not that simple.  It’s been hard to manage my schedule and learn to prioritize while I am creating a never-ending list of things to do.  

For the last several weeks, I couldn’t seem to get much done, no matter how hard I beat my keyboard.  I tried different time management tactics - Pomodoro, scheduling software, changing my environment - but nothing stuck. 

Even with calming meditation music on, I couldn’t focus.  I would start one thing and get sidetracked again and again, until next thing you know, I go from writing a blog to editing my LinkedIn Profile to cutting the grass!

After several weeks of spiralling in and out, I’ve finally got some answers.  

I just got home from a week of famjams at the cottage.  In between some good ol' sibling bickering, swimming in the lake and gorging myself on s'mores, I got a reminder to practice what I preach.

On our way out of the Sunday morning chapel, a guy comes to chat with the one Asian family.  Turns out he works for a nonprofit organization that runs a massive humanitarian ocean cruise liner.  People stay on it for 2 years as volunteers, traveling the world and helping out in every capacity imaginable.  I was hooked.  I want to do that. 

I can trace my fun internships back to couple of actions that I started doing in my second year.  It started with one little decision. One decision would build a relationship, unlock an idea, or produce a particular result and next thing I knew I was flying across continents for my last two years of university. 

I've outlined what those decisions were in my new free-guide, The 3 Secret Habits Of All Outrageously Successful Students.  

I've just wrapped up 4 weeks of leading my Ready To Rise Mentorship Program for ambitious students.  I've really enjoyed coaching these young adults and helping them make the big decisions over what they'll do next in life. 

Over the years, my students and friends have taught me that the biggest hurdle to pursuing a career we love is usually not what other people think of us.  It's ourselves.  We stop themselves from even dreaming up the kind of lives we want to live because we don't believe it will happen.  

If only summer lasted forever, the world would be a happier place.  

I, for one, would wake up more excited and reinvigorated with sunlight. I'd be more productive with more daylight hours. I'd be lighter without the sweatpants and hoodies. 

So when I was planning my student exchange back in 2012, I was determined to go for the winter semester and skip winter altogether.  I finessed course load intoshape and spent January to April this year living on a tropical island in constant 30+ degrees celsius and 80% humidity weather.

Take it from me, warmer climates do not equate perpetual happiness. Now that I've definitively dispelled the myth that I would be happier in warmer climates, I've moved on to try other things. 

It's odd to admit, but I don't need to go on a trip this summer. I'm quite content living at my parents for now. 

I'm not into mooching off my parents, but this is a just season in the Life of a Modern Day Twenty-something.  (BTW, I fully intend on moving out soon and eventually travelling the entire world round.  I figured it's high time for me to sit 'er down and crank out something useful) 

Still, I'm in the same house everyday and it can be depressing.

I remember feeling so alive during my past trips, partly because I always knew that the experience was going to end.  When my legs accumulated 117 mosquito bites in Tanzania, I *only* had two weeks left to the trip.   When my shoulders were sunburnt in Bali (and I didn't bring any t-shirts!!), I *only* had 10 days left. 

I tried to be grateful that I got to travel anyway. 

Life is never so bad.  

Yea, I'm not cruising across the African desert plains this summer but I'm alive and kicking (and will be kicking until my next season of travel arrives). 

In the meantime, this is how I stay inspired. If you've ever felt like you're dying to go on a trip, you'll love this vlog: 

I'm conflicted. My problem is that I'm trying to create my own dream career and live my passionate life while telling you how to live yours.  

So I'm making a declaration today that I will not try to tell you how to live your life.  I'll just tell you what's working for me.  (Honestly, this is what I've been doing all along, but I feel better making it clear to you :) I only ever share things that have personally worked for me.)

Here goes: I have seriously down days.  At various points in my life I thought I must have bipolar disorder, PMDD (aka. severe PMS), SAD ( aka. severe winter blues) or depression.

In my efforts to alleviate my moodiness, I went on birth control pills, cleaned up my diet, became vegetarian and even escaped last winter by jetting off to Singapore. Some things worked, but nothing for very long. 

Now I just face it, the ups and downs are part of the human condition. (Not to mention, starting a business makes highs higher and the lows lower.)  The point of life though is to ride the waves, not to numb it all out. 

There was a point when I thought I would NEVER work in international development again. 

After two summer internships in East Africa, I was fed up with the dirt, corruption and lack of proper infrastructure.  I'm not cut out for this, I decided.  

These "dark spots" on my resume are why I've rewritten the about page on my websites hundreds of time. 

What's your dream career?  Not the one you absorbed from professors, guidance counsellors, colleagues or parents. 

What's yours?