Renaissance

Today is the beginning of a New Era.
I have to admit, entering into my 30s is scary.
It feels like I'm entering a phase in life that is winding down, from all of the rollercoaster ride of the high's and low's, into a transitional phase that is more mellow but closer to my core being. I have a good feeling about my 30s. I will feel more confident, at ease with who I am, holding light and joy in my own hands instead of giving that to someone else to define.

What have I accomplished in my 20s? 

• I traveled, a ton! I really have seen and experienced quite a world. 35 total.  
• US, Mexico, Canada, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Cuba
• Germany, France, UK, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Czech, Greece, Turkey, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, Switzerland 
• Japan, Korea, China, Thailand
• I've seen and experienced a lot of beautiful places in nature. 
• Patagonia (Fitz Roy and Torres del Paine) 
• Whistler, Banff NP
• 17 NP: Mt. Rainer, Olympic, North Cascades, Kings Canyon, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, Yellow Stone, Rocky Mountains, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Death Valley, Grand Teton, Joshua Tree, Redwoods, Sequoia, Yosemite, Zion
• I've lived and visited numerous places in the U.S. 
• East Coast: Boston, Philly, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, DC, Virginia, Niagara Falls
• South: North Carolina, New Orleans, Tennessee, Nashville 
• Chicago, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho
• Washington, Oregon 
• I tried a lot of new things and kept myself really out of my comfort zone!
• Skydiving! 
• Running my 1st and only half marathon! 
• Zip-lining!!! Probably one of the most exhilarating and scary experiences.  
• Horseback riding. 
• Surfing. Kayaking. Water Rafting. - I might not be the biggest fan of water sports. 
• Getting better at snowboarding! 
• Bikram Yoga and sticking with it for 10 years. It's a keeper ;) 
• I've expanded my work horizon. 
• Worked in Germany! 
• Tried marketing, clinical research, product marketing, and product management. Found myself loving product, health tech space. 
• Worked at great companies - Siemens, Stryker, Fitbit. 
• I've read a ton of self-help books to understand and find myself. 
• I've listened to a ton of podcasts to understand life. 
• I've made a lot of connections, from a variety of background. 
• Different cultural backgrounds: French, Italian, Mexican, German, Israeli, Dutch, Swedish, Japanese, Turkish, English, Irish, Greek, Spanish. I'm grateful to be exposed to these culturally diverse backgrounds. 

20s was about understanding the lay of the lands and exploring the ocean. 

• I love learning and especially get exposed to other cultures, heritage, traditions. Maybe this is something I've been neglecting, my own rich Chinese culture, heritage, and traditions. 
• I love being one with nature. 

Looking ahead into my 30s: 

• I really want to deepen my friendships and invest in those worth investing. 

“No matter who you are, you need two kinds of friends in your life. The first kind is one you can call when something good happens, and you need someone who will be excited for you. Not a fake excitement veiling envy, but a real excitement. You need someone who will actually be more excited for you than he would be if it had happened to him. The second kind of friend is somebody you can call when things go horribly wrong—when your life is on the line and you only have one phone call.” 

• I want to love myself more - who I am, honor my body, be in touch with my spirit.