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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.

What’s a cultural tradition from another country that you wish existed in yours?

Public transit that is clean and reliable, store owners who sweep and clean the areas outside their stores, school kids who take ownership of their space and keep it clean out of respect to their classmates and others, mountainous areas left to nature and trails even in major cities, subways that are cleaned so regularly that I’ve seen them being mopped on multiple occasions, healthy food options at all convenience stores, a smaller wealth gap so that even people working in clothing retail can afford to travel abroad on occasion, eating out food doesn’t hurt your health because the quality is better, and a national healthcare system where you almost never pay more than $5 between both the day-of doctor visit and the medicine prescribed. Some shout outs to things Japan got right.

What’s a fear you’ve overcome — and how did you do it?

I’m tall and always was afraid a short haircut would make me look like a man. So I cut it short. It still looked feminine and cute, and I went a bit shorter the next time. Around the same time, I got my ears pierced for the first time in my mid thirties. Also around that time I finally overcame my fear of free weights by taking 3 months of training at the gym. Woot woot!

How do you build loyal subscribers?

I’m really not sure I’m the best person to answer this but I’ve been using chat GPT to help me come up with methods. Consistency seems to be important, more so than perfection. Also finding out what the people are googling and helping them find answers for those specific questions seems more valuable for them. I’ve kind of started from scratch over the last 2 months working in real estate since beforehand, I never did much with my social media and didn’t even really use them. I’ve never been a big fan of technology and upgraded from my flip phone perhaps 5 years ago?

Go on a walk today and share a photo of something that catches your eye.

It was yesterday’s photo actually, but while walking on Belle Isle in the Detroit River I spotted this cute little family walking all in a row towards the water.

What’s the first book you ever finished and still remember to this day?

I ordered “The Bourne Identity” from a book order on a whim and I remember it was cold in my room because it was winter, I had Moonlight Path lotion on my hands (from bath and body works), and I was staying warm under my covers while my exposed hands and nose were chilly and I mentally plunged into a chaotic and thrilling adventure. After that I would order many more books, but it was in a way the first book I remember reading in more of an adult way, unlike the short books that feel more like training for early readers.

What’s a simple pleasure in life that brings you joy?

How can you build a regular fitness routine?

Well you start by signing up for 3 months of daily training with a personal trainer and then you’re so used to waking up at 5:00 in the morning on weekdays that you have nothing else to do when it’s that early and dark and you keep waking up that early and you keep going to the gym. Good job!

What’s a classic book that you think is overrated?

I remember reading Jane Eyre and wondering why it had so much hype. Unfortunately, I haven’t found much reward in the likes of such classic romantic books, with examples like The Age of Innocence and Pride and Prejudice. I’m still trying to read them, hoping someday to learn to appreciate them.