The New Year Edit – Join Me As We Build and Keep it Real

Greetings, and happy new year friends and family!

Since 2008, I have been sharing stories from my travels, work experiences, culinary experiments and fitness misadventures. The posts have not always been consistent, but it’s been a pursuit that I haven’t abandoned yet, and that makes me proud.

Why do I do this?

Trust me, I ask myself this many times a year. There is no shortage of travel, food or wellness content on the Internet. As I am well aware, most of you are also avid travelers, skilled cooks, health nuts and well-rounded professionals juggling home and work life.

…which is exactly why I share. To connect. With you. Because I feel we have similar interests and can share experiences and exchange notes. I just happen to do it through a blog because it serves as a creative outlet and personal diary for me to document these experiences for myself (yes, it’s indulgent) and for others, who could potentially learn something or find comfort in knowing they’re not alone. If, out of the one hundred people with whom I share this ONE feels a little less lonely, then I’d say that’s a win.

Seeking Connection

Life is flying by. Many of us, myself included at times, are plugged in to devices, watching each other’s highlight reels instead of picking up the phone to find out what’s really going on with each other. A cursory text message or postcard sent at the holidays is a great reminder of the people in our lives… but does little to fill our cup.

While I am thrilled to see that seeking out mental health resources has become less stigmatized and I fully recognize that a number of complex environmental, social, and biological factors cause mental health issues, it’s also my opinion that one of the many reasons people are turning more to therapy and medication for depression and anxiety is because we are relying less on our immediate circles to vent, get moral support and learn coping mechanisms. We’ve become isolated. We don’t want to become vulnerable and share what’s really going on for fear of being judged, viewed as less successful, or bringing down the spirits of others. We say “I don’t want to burden others,” and others, in turn, say it’s not fair to “unload” your issues onto them.

Then what are we all doing here?

More than a year ago, I condemned social media for setting unrealistic expectations and bringing out the worst in many of us. I still think that’s the case. However, I’ve shifted my reaction to it by accepting it as art or entertainment— when you’re the one posting, your creative juices flow. You’re piecing together the video clips and choosing the right soundtrack to tell a story. When you’re the one consuming it, you’re looking for things that are beautiful, funny, inspiring or helpful (or in my case, falling for perfectly targeted Instagram ads). With that lens, I feel inoculated to its poisonous effects.

But don’t be fooled. Reels are not reality. What you don’t see in my reel of Munich is my 4-year-old experiencing a 48-hour stomach bug. In my photos of golden San Francisco sunsets, you fail to see my separation anxiety from my kids. What’s missing from that Wifey Work From Home Wednesday reel are the iterations of gelatinous gobi manchurian that it took for me to finally get the exterior coat crispy (which lasted only 15 minutes by the way). I don’t share photos of friends with whom I’ve lost ties when I post a yoga pose about strengthening existing relationships.

The journey

That’s what the blog is for. That’s where I get real and share the journey — when I manage to find the right words. In Transit is where I share with you more details because I’m betting that you might have experienced similar joys, triumphs, fear, awe, loss or celebration.

Word of the Year: BUILD

Trying to find the perfect words between a full-time consulting job and family life has been a challenge, so in the spirit of taking you along for the journey, I’m changing my model and embracing the imperfect. I used to wait weeks, months, even years to complete a post, with 4-5 drafts sitting in my unpublished queue at any given time, and a list of 70 posts in the backlog that I need to “catch up” on. This year, my word of the year is “build”- whether that be self-confidence, knowledge and skills, my existing relationships, or this blog. I’m doing it the agile way: iterative, with the Minimum Viable Product out the door first, to be refined through the year. I hope that you’ll join me, or even better, reach out to share your thoughts and experiences. Feel free to share with anyone whom you think could benefit along their journey towards fulfillment, too. I look forward to growing with you, together.