Embracing the unknown

Welcome to Day 6/30 of this newsletter challenge.

Over the next 30 days, I’ll send out a daily email featuring someone who I think has found ways to Set The Pace in their life (shameless plug) and share the unique ways they go about their work, life, and everything in between.

The email will be divided into:

• 3 insights into our guests’ life

• 2 quotes that leave you a little better than they found you

• 1 podcast recommendation

3 Insights

Chiara Leone Ganado💫 

Ssup?! Chiara is in the newsletter house 👏 Chiara is a writer, and water-loving island gal who is always keen to catch a wave, sunset, and something yummy to eat with good friends and even better laughs.

I asked Chiara to feature in today’s newsletter and her answer was ‘Why me?!’ — this baffled me because in my eyes Chiara has figured out a way to create a life that she loves (even when it’s been far from easy!), and for me, that’s remarkable. We often think we need to be summiting a mountain every day to be considered remarkable but for me, and this newsletter I’m more interested in learning from people who are climbing their own mountains and who they become in the middle of that climb (cheesy? but true).

So, let’s get dive in:

1. What’s been your biggest struggle so far and what advice would you give to your younger self about it?

   Chiara: ‘ Over the years I’ve struggled with varying degrees of anxiety. In the past, I worried about the future a lot because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and I felt like I had to know.

   For a long time, I also struggled with finding “my people” and worried that I would never feel the sense of community that so many people around me seemed to have.

   I wish I could grab my younger self and tell her that things always work out. They don’t always work out in the way you expect, but I’ve learned to embrace the unknown and trust the process—the path that got me where I am today was in no way linear, but I now have a life I love, I’m surrounded by incredible people, and at least I have some funny stories of things going wrong in my 20s.’

2. How has investing in hobbies helped you personally?

   Chiara: ‘I’ve always been someone who needs to be constantly doing something. I was that kid who bounced from one extracurricular to another and always wanted to try something new.

   As an adult, I’m no different, although I’ve found certain hobbies that really bring me to life. They both energise me and ground me if that makes sense.

   I’ve tried to train myself to harness that energy into other aspects of my life, like work, relationships, and general life admin. I’m also a (quite extroverted) remote worker, so getting out of the house to do different activities and meet people has been really important for my mental health.’

3. How do you keep your creative spark alive?

   Chiara:‘Honestly, sometimes I don’t. I fall into ruts quite easily but I try to boost my creativity by reading, actively spending time off my phone, and occasionally going to classes and workshops that basically force me to write.

   I’m lucky to have a job that has me writing most days, and though it’s different to my personal writing, it definitely keeps the creative juices flowing. I also try to find ways to be creative in other ways, like trying random crafts or being a bit more adventurous when I'm cooking.’

2 quotes

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'” - C.S. Lewis

“Stay close to people who feel like sunlight.”

1 podcast recommendation

See you back tomorrow!

Mar 🐙