Retrospect

I’ve never been one to think that our lives were already written out in the stars for us. That all these moments bring us to the place where we were destined to be and it was all one great big pre-planned course of events that were meant to happen. I do believe though that everything happens for a reason and whatever we have been through in life has helped shape us as people, taught us some valuable lessons and made us stronger! For example, being in a relationship with my ex brought me to having my dog. I always wanted one but my mothers house was way too precious for any dog drool lol Moving to Toronto brought me some of the most important people in my life, and even though I was so heartbroken to leave my hometown, if I had never moved I would have never met any of my now best friends! Being a hairstylist has taught me patience, let me meet so many interesting people and have tons of fun experiences. I’ve gotten to learn about so many walks of life and hear various amazing stories. Moving to Australia got me to see the literal other side of the world that I probably never would have seen if I hadn’t taken a risky chance and gone on sabbatical. Then there’s some moments that I still think about in retrospect, like not taking the opportunity I had to move to New York and attend one of the best fashion schools at the young age of nineteen. I always wonder what my life would have been like if I had taken that path. Where I would be right now at this moment if I had graduated and become a fashion stylist. Would I still be in New York? My most favourite city! Would I still be in fashion? What people would I have met? Would I be working for an amazing designer or would I have become one myself? Maybe in another lifetime! I’m sure we all have those questions we ask ourselves and sadly, some regrets. Where would we be now if we had taken another route? I also wonder what my life would have been like if I had stayed in my hometown of Gatineau, Quebec. What career would I have had? Would I be married by now? Maybe have had some kids? Although, being a mother was never something I wanted for myself other than being a dog mom. So many questions!

As I sit here in my apartment, my big dog sprawled out beside me on the couch, I realize that no matter what has happened we really and no matter how much we might want to, can’t go back in time and change the past. It’s all about the present and what we can do now to make our future what we want it to be! No matter the twists and turns, trials and tribulations that we have gone through in this thing called life, they all have formed us into the individuals we are today.

At this moment in time, I am reevaluating my career path. I have been a hairstylist by profession (doing hair for my friends and family with box dye and leg razors because I didn’t have proper scissors doesn’t count) for almost 15 years now and I wonder if it is truly what I am meant to do! I will honestly say that it was a backup career, I was always good at it and when moving to New York wasn’t an option I figured I might as well stay in a creative field and decided to study cosmetology instead. I know that our jobs are what we do and not what we are but I have never wanted to be someone who stayed in a career just because the money was good or because I have been doing it for so long. I want to truly and wholeheartedly LOVE what I do and be so excited to wake up in the morning to do it! It seems to be the trend now, everyone is reassessing their lives. This pandemic has brought me, and I’m sure many others, to this moment of realization that life can change in an instant! And although I already knew that, these last couple of years have really been an eye opener. We truly should be living life the way we dreamed it could be. Not choosing backup careers, settling in relationships, not moving to a different city that we’ve always wanted to live in because we’re scared. Dead end jobs, one sided friendships, or even just having the mindset that we can’t do something because it seems “unrealistic”, hard to achieve or we’re too old now! It’s 2021, we can do or be anything we want to! It’s hard to think that way tho, humans naturally tend to pull towards the more negative way of self talk but I think after all that we have been through the last couple years or even what we as individuals have been through in our own lives, we deserve to live the way we want to live! Have the things we want to have! Do the things we want to do!

It truly is all about mindset. I remember about a year before I moved to Australia in 2014, I was obsessed with the show ‘House Hunters’. Now if you’ve never heard of it, it’s about people who move from their hometown to other countries to start a whole new adventure. Some would move from Boston to Argentina. From Vancouver to London. From New York City to Amsterdam. From Nashville to Tokyo. I remember thinking “I wish I could do that!” I watched the show religiously until I was like, “Okay, me next!” And a year later, I was off on a 24 flight with my best friend to Australia. I wasn’t rich. I had an established career that I had been in for almost 8 years. I didn’t have an apartment or job lined up for when I got there. And even though I had many people whose opinions I valued telling me I was crazy to leave, I did anyway! Still to this day it was one, if not THE, best thing I have ever done! I survived and it was wonderful! I found an apartment there in three days, a job after three weeks and had the time of my life. Fear could have 100% stopped me, and I definitely was terrified and cried all the way to the airport when I left Toronto for the land of Oz, but I still pushed through and there were never any regrets! We so often let fear or the “What if’s?” stop us, and if 2020 has taught us anything is that life is too short! We owe it to ourselves to live our only lives to the fullest and the way we want to live it!! Although I am still trying to figure out what path I want to take and am truly grateful for everything I already have, I need to remember the gumption I had 7 years ago when I decided to live abroad and bring back that girl who just went for what she wanted!! I encourage all of you too to really ask yourselves “Is this the life I want to be living?” and if it’s not then fight as hard as you can to get it!! 

Peace, Love & Live life to the fullest xo