Reflections of the Past Year - Goals for the New Year!

So as this year comes to a close I can't help but think what a different place I'm in from this time last year.  I head into this new year feeling happy and optimistic about what the future might hold.  Yes, of course it will continue to be an uphill climb but I feel I'm up for the challenge!  I haven't felt this energized and happy in a long time!

What a change from last year!  This time last year I felt aimless and like I wasn't achieving all I could and I was sort of just drifting along.  I was depressed.  I was in an unhappy relationship which in turn was making me unhappy and stressed.  I wasn't being true to myself and going after the things I wanted.  I felt like I was sort of spiraling downwards and I didn't really know how to stop it. 

I think one of the most positive changes that came from last year was getting out of the unhappy relationship I was in.  This is not to say this person was/is a bad person we were just bad together...in fact I wish them nothing but the best and I really hope they find happiness in the future. 

During the relationship I sort of felt paralyzed like I was falling deeper and deeper into a black hole and I didn't know how to get out.  I was scared shitless when it first ended b/c I had to find a new place and I was pretty broke at the time and literally had almost no belongings (b/c I gave them away before I moved to Shanghai) but you know what I'm a survivor and like many other times in my life I picked up the pieces and moved on and I know I'm DEFINITELY stronger for it and it was DEFINITELY the best thing for me...in fact I wish I would of had the balls to do it sooner!

After I moved out I started to feel like myself again.  I would find myself smiling as I walked down the street w/ a renewed sense of self...something I hadn't felt for awhile.  And you know what...w/out getting too bullshit, sappy, mystical, the secret on you -  it's true what they say - you throw positive energy out into the universe and it will come back to you!

Moving out also gave me a sense of urgency about my career.  I knew I had been wasting way too much time and not focusing on the things I should have been focusing on b/c I was just too unhappy and hopeless feeling.  I started to tackle the things on my New Years Resolution list from last year.  And you know what I looked back on it and I actually did a pretty good job!  I did do more editorial shoots, I built my bridal website, did my bridal photoshoots and REALLY worked on my hair skills!

I think the biggest accomplishment for me this year has been seeing just how quickly my bridal business has grown.  I really wasn't expecting it to be so successful...esp. since I didn't get my wedding website up until May!  I've also worked w/ a lot of other great artists on weddings and really built a great network of artists to call on if I need help or they can ask me if they need help on a job.  It's important to remember that every artist has their own style and we shouldn't treat each other as enemies or the competition but instead learn from each other and lean on each other b/c there is way too much bullshit, stress and fake ppl in this biz to be making unnecessary enemies. 

Another HUGE accomplishment of mine this year has been supporting myself through makeup artistry w/out having a side job.  Of course some mths are tight...very tight but it's nice to know that I'm on the right track and I really feel that I will only go up from here!

I've also gotten the opportunity to go on a couple of really awesome trips this year!  It's not career related but traveling is an important personal goal I have so I'm really proud and excited that I got the opportunity to go to Hawaii, London, England and Paris!

Late in the year I feel I've finally also started to get somewhere w/ another BIG personal goal for myself - my weight!  Anyone who has followed this blog from the beginning knows my weight is a HUGE struggle for me.  If you read my blog while I was in Shanghai you  know I lost a SHIT LOAD of weight and I felt SO GOOD and PROUD of myself.  Unfortunately, when I came back to Toronto I put a lot of it back on.  Sort of a cycle thing - I ate b/c I was unhappy and I was unhappy b/c I ate and was putting on weight.  I've been going up and down a bit this year but after I came back from Europe I decided to get serious about it again!  I've been really good at working out this entire year which is great but I really needed to look at my food choices.  After seeing how puffy I looked in my Europe pictures I knew something had to change.  I've lost about 12 pds since then (although a couple have come back on b/c of the holidays...hey I'm only human lol) and I plan to keep on going and hopefully lose another 10-15 lbs.  My goal is to fit back into my Shanghai skinny jeans!

So after reflecting on last year let's look to the future and goals I have for myself in this upcoming  year!

1. Keep working out, eating healthy and losing weight - Fit into those God Damn Shanghai Skinny Jeans!

2. Grow my bridal business even more - ideally I would like to DOUBLE last year!  Also redesign my bridal website...not happy w/ the first one I did.

3. Make more money...and not just from bridal work but also do a lot more paid commercial or on set work

4. Get an agent - I had one, we didn't click but I think I'm ready to get one again and I think it's the only way I'll be able to get to the next level for paid commercial work

5. Continue to network w/ great artists, photographers and stylists in the industry and really make an effort to work w/ more ppl and new ppl on different projects

6. Continue to work on my Hair Skills and get EVEN better...also work on my airbrushing...started last yr but there is always room for improvement

7. Start aggressively paying off some of the debt I've accumulated from school, Shanghai and building my business...also start investing and saving for my future.

8. Repeat from last year but I think I can do EVEN more this year - Update My Blog More!

Well that's all I can think of off the top my head at the moment but I think it's a pretty good list to start with!  Hope everyone has a wonderful New Year and you're feeling as Motivated, Driven and Excited about the Future as I am!

...And then there was London!

Yes I know I've been back over two wks now and I really should stop blabbering on about Europe but it's kind of a slow time right now for work so let me relive my fun lol.  I realized recently I never did blog about my time in Beijing and all the amazing pics I had from that trip and I really regret it so I don't want to do that w/ this trip so I know it's not really makeup related but I promise I'll get back to all the makeup talk very very soon lol!

So after my almost wk in Paris it was back to London for the rest of my trip!  I was staying w/ my amazing friend Matt and his wonderful sister Maya (who I just met on this trip but immediately took a real liking too!).  What's crazy about this trip to London is sort of how it all started in the first place.  If you go WAY back in my blog posts (like a yr and a half ago) you may recall I briefly mentioned meeting two British guys while leaving Koh Phangan in Thailand.  Well one of those guys was Matt and afterward we connected through Facebook and developed quite a nice friendship through Skype, Email and FB.  Who knew that witty, ginger boy I met a yr and a half ago for a total of like 3 hrs would become such a good friend that I would stay w/ in London!  Life is so weird and unpredictable sometimes...love it!  He was actually suppose to come to Toronto in the Summer but it never actually happened so when the cheap flight deal presented itself to me I thought this is my chance...I've never been to Europe so why not!

It was crazy when I first arrived in London I met Matt at Victoria Station and it was literally like meeting an old friend that I've known forever...not just 3 hrs once in Thailand lol.  Btw the customs lady coming into the UK was NOT friendly at all and the second I mentioned that I knew Matt from Thailand I thought shit that sounds sketchy lol...I thought she was going to do a body search for drugs or something they way she questioned me up and down lol!

So overall my time in London definitely had a very different feel then my time in Paris.  When I was w/ Steve & Ania we were all sort of tourists and we did lots of really touristy things and it was like we were discovering the city together.  Where w/ Matt it was like a tour of neighbourhoods and areas...not near as touristy feeling.  It was great just to check out different things that I might not have seen if I'd done this on my own...plus we did go see some of usual touristy spots as well. 

We broke our days up into areas and neighbourhoods more then just say tourist spots.  We did the West End one day, South London another (btw this is where I saw Clive Owen!  He passed right by me on the street!) and the up and coming very trendy East London another day (got a great camel colour leather jacket for 10 pounds in a vintage shop there...funny thing is the jacket is from Danier leather and made in CANADA lol).  Plus we took one day to just chill and relax around his sister's neighbourhood...caught a movie and hit up a Primark...which is an AMAZINGLY cheap store that actually has some really cute things!

The food like the days was varied and it seems like every meal was from a different culture or ethnic group which was actually a nice change from all the bread, cheese, pastries and wine that I was eating in Paris!  Who knew eating Thai, tons of Curry, Argentinian and traditional English fare could actually make me feel lighter and healthier (well maybe that's a stretch but you know what I mean lol).

It was also great to meet some of Matt's friends the one night and his sister Maya made a wonderful and delicious English dinner another night where I definitely ate too much and got very tipsy off the wine lol!  Now that I think about it there were a lot of tipsy nights lol!  I even drank Cider for the first time and found out I liked it!  I HATE beer so I wasn't sure what to drink in the pubs b/c it just felt stupid to get mixed drinks or wine sometimes so I tried Cider and I will now say I'm definitely a convert!

So here's a collection of pictures from my time in London...and I promise this will be my last Europe post lol!

Guards at Buckingham Palace of course!

Matt seductively eating his Gelato...best gelato EVER btw!

Musicians at Covent Garden

 Big Ben

 London Eye in the Background

We stopped for lunch at this outside Food Market..yummy yummy Steak sandwich and then a Curry!

You may notice there are a lot of pics of Matt & I eating...we did that a lot lol and apparently it was one of the only times I thought to take pictures!

The Globe Theatre...Ahh Theatre History Memories!

Sunflower Exhibit at the Tate Modern.  Really amazing...these are actually hand painted porcelain sunflower seeds and there were millions upon millions of them on display.  Look it up it's pretty awesome!

 This is actually the only pic Matt & I took together can you believe it lol!  God I look puffy & tired throughout the Europe trip even though I having the time of my life!

 Tower Bridge

We made amazing pancakes one morning...it's like a work of art!  They don't really use Maple Syrup over there so we topped it w/ Honey, Greek Yogurt and diced Dried Apricots & Almonds in the yogurt...Sooo Good!

 Really cool graffiti on the East Side

 Dive Pub...Matt always the classy gent w/ his pinky raised lol!

 Final Dinner we went to this Amazing Argentinian restaurant and we were so lucky to even get a table b/c they were fully booked and it was a Sat. night...can you believe they brought all this meat for TWO PEOPLE!  Can you say lots of leftovers lol!

Ugghhh I miss London....