How I Finally Found Happiness

A sponsored hip + urban girl post.

I think I’ve discovered the secret to happiness.

Over the past three years I have shifted my focus and spending on to experiences instead of lots of ‘things’. Sure, I still love ‘things’ and I buy them all the time, but I don’t wrack my brain thinking about buying a new TV for my den or a patio set for my backyard. Instead, I’ve been prioritizing travel, food, concerts, genuine experiences, spending time outdoors, being active, learning new things and making lots of time for friends and family. I have become SO much happier because of this change and I feel like a real-life ‘Potentialist’.

My old house on the Danforth

So what did I do? I quit my job as a special events and wedding DJ, sold my house and most of my furniture, started renting a small condo and used the extra time and money to realize my potential and my dreams. My goal was to travel and I had put it off for way too long. Travel became part of my new job and I strived to have a mobile career.

I launched this blog with Wendy in June 2010 and started writing and freelancing for a living as well. YES, this was hard and yes, I was making less money. But I was doing what I loved for a living and I was determined to make it work. I am also a big believer that if you think big and put 150% into everything you do, people will notice and that can lead to big things.

Blogging & writing on the road

Which is what happened to me. I ran my blog like a professional business right from the start. Sure, “It’s just a blog,” people say – but it didn’t matter to me, I took blogging seriously and shared my love for food, travel, life and style on a daily basis with anyone who would listen. The growth and success of this blog has led to even better freelance opportunities, ambassadorships and sponsorships for The Hip + Urban Girl. I am grateful to have such fantastic readers and good people around me who provide such valuable support.

A good question to ask yourself is, “Am I realizing my potential?” Maybe you can’t quit your job and sell your house like I did (it was drastic, I know) but it’s good to have an exit strategy for anything in your life that isn’t working. I planned on quitting my job a year before I actually did it and set an end date for myself to keep things on track. 

Create your goals - I keep a mental top five list of places I want to visit and travel to. This way, I can go for what I really want and have a clear idea in mind without getting sidetracked by another ‘cheap vacation’ that I only want to sort-of go on.

What inspires us? We made a Pinterest board of things that inspire us  in our everyday lives and share with you what we are passionate about.

So what is your dream? Would you sail away into the Caribbean? Have lunch in the hills of Tuscany? Eat sushi in Tokyo?

Give yourself some self-reflection time

American Express just launched a Realize Your Potential with Pinterest contest and wants to help you realize your potential and give you a boost in the form of $5,000 American Express Gift Card.

Here’s how you can enter:

1) Create a board on Pinterest called “Amex Potentialist Canada” with only your own original photos & tag each pin with #PotentialistCanada.

2) Pin up to 25 of your original images that showcase your dream and how you want to realize your potential.

3) Re-pin the ‘How to Enter’ image from American Express Canada’s Pinterest page.

4) Submit your entry. Once your Pinterest board is complete and you’ve finished all the steps above, enter your board into the competition at www.rtpwithpinterest.ca & complete the entry form on the ‘Realize Your Potential with Pinterest’ contest tab

Contest ends May 26, 2013. We will be one of three Canadian blogs judging the ten finalists and will ultimately help pick three winners who will each receive the $5000 prize. So start pinning away and good luck!