'How I changed my life in 2 years'

Welcome to Day 5/30 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

Kelsey Reaves💫 

Kelsey is a BIG expander for me. Our paths crossed when I started working for a life-changing US company called OGM; Kelsey was my senior, and 3 years later we met for the first time in real life and we’ve pretty much been joined at the hip ever since.

Kelsey is a tech marketer, and writer that sends out the best daily prompts, and is equally smart as she is spiritual. What made me want to dedicate this newsletter to her is that in no less than 2 years, Kelsey has changed her life and if you were to ask her right now, she’d say she LOVES her life — but it’s been a rollercoaster getting here and she’s not shying away from that but uses all of the ups and down to continue to tweak her direction and create the coziest life.

So, let’s get jump in:

1. How has your life changed over the last 2 years?

   Kelsey: ‘ Two years ago I was heartbroken and had just moved back in with my parents at 30. It was that "failed" moment that every cheesy Hollywood movie depicts. Today, I'm living full-time in another country with the love of my life.

   And the biggest catalyst for that change? Deciding to stop drinking alcohol. 

   I realized during my breakup that I had a toxic relationship with drinking and that it was affecting my relationships and my self-esteem, despite the fact that I was outwardly successful and healthy-looking. 

   Once I quit drinking, it felt like the universe started aligning to help me build the life I wanted. Two years later, I'm in a radically different place - running a thriving consulting business, saving money, and spending my free time outdoors.

   I love my life now. But it took addressing my deepest, darkest vice to get here.

2. For anyone looking to realign their life, what have you found has worked for you?

   Kelsey: ‘Figure out what your vice is and address it head on. Often, there is one core issue that is the root cause of many other problems in our lives.

   It's like a big tree - once you uncover the roots, you can slowly work your way up and address the branches.

   For me, that root issue was my problematic relationship with drinking. For a long time, I downplayed it, telling myself "It isn't that bad." But the truth was, the drinking was holding me back from truly loving and accepting myself.

   Having the courage to look inward and identify your own vices that may be quietly undermining your progress is the launchpad to transform your entire life.

   But it starts by being brave enough to ask yourself the hard questions.’

3. How do you avoid feeling like you’re missing out on life somewhere else?

   Kelsey: ‘Use Julia Cameron’s technique from The Artist’s Way called morning pages.

   Morning pages are three pages of longhand writing, done as pure stream-of-consciousness.

   A few tips:

   • There’s no wrong way to do morning pages.

   • Nothing is too petty, silly, ridiculous, or strange to include.

   As Cameron puts it, “All that angry, whiny, petty stuff that you write down in the morning stands between you and your creativity. Worrying about the job, the laundry, the funny knock in the car, the weird look in your lover’s eye—this stuff eddies through our subconscious and muddies our days. Get it on the page.”

   In short, if you want to have a new life, you need to take different actions. Taking different actions stems from having different thoughts. And to have different thoughts, you need to get that mental clutter and noise out of your head and onto a page somewhere.

   Commit to a week of morning pages - you’ll be surprised by the transformation. 

   The hardest part is just committing, but once you do, new possibilities will start to emerge.

   I promise you that.‘

2 quotes

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” —John Pierpont “J.P.” Morgan

“The braver I am, the luckier I get” — Glennen Doyle

1 podcast recommendation

See you back tomorrow!

Mar 🐙