1. Since graduating college, how have you seen yourself grow both personally and professionally? What are some accomplishments you are proud of?
I’ve seen myself grow a lot since graduating college. I’m lucky to have been given unique job opportunities. I started in hospitality marketing that expanded to retail marketing in Palmer Square, Princeton. It was a fun time—I got to participate in the festive events that we planned and coordinated and I did blogging and social media and created graphics and menus. After that, I became a project manager for the digital marketing content delivery team at a larger financial corporation which was a different experience than working in a more tightly knit company. This January I just became an AVP, Marketing Product Manager. I’m very thankful for my opportunities and I love what I do and am extremely grateful for having an amazing boss and a great team. The professional world has taught me how to be a better communicator and collaborate with teammates and reach our goals. This has benefited my personal life and made me more efficient in making goals come to life. After work, I like to bake, read, and work on creative passion projects such as my blog. My dreamery blog is one of the accomplishments I’m proud of because I have always wanted to have a space to share pictures, thoughts, life’s moments, and make designs. I love using it to express, connect, and collaborate with others. I’ve learned to let go of perfection and just go with the flow and have an idea and execute it and see where it goes from there. 2020 stories was something I did on a whim after sharing a shower thought with my mom and she immediately encouraged me to take the idea and make it happen. I’m super thankful and blessed to have a great relationship with family who are so supportive and encouraging, especially my mom who is fun to bounce ideas with. I’m also proud of finding and keeping close friends who share a deep, intuitive connection and bond that no time, space or distance can come in between. Most of my accomplishments are a result of other people blessing me. So I’m really thankful for the people I’ve encountered in my life and grateful that they’ve helped me throughout this journey.
Some more discoveries and highlights of my personal and professional growth:
I’ve grown to really enjoy reading and introspecting and being inside my inner world without feeling lonely in solitude.
Over the years, I’ve found more ways to express myself through art. I love journaling, drawing, graphic designing, blogging, baking, and making music.
Growth can be accomplished through faith. There is power in prayer—whether it’s releasing burdens and anxieties, rejoicing in the good, or requesting help from God—I’ve found so many prayers answered over time. Things that I asked for came true whether it was for myself or for other people. I’ve also met my closest friends and received job opportunities that seemed like a perfect fit for me shortly after praying for these things after months of waiting. Having larger groups pray for me has been a huge blessing. Faith can move mountains and do all the work beyond our own capabilities.
College helped me grow—the communication, creative writing and English courses that I took shaped me into having the habit of constantly reading and writing which I’ve needed to do once I started working. I’ve always chosen paths that seemed fun and there is great enjoyment and reward in doing what makes sense for you and listening to your heart and gut.
Luck and happenstance theory is something that keeps me motivated to keep learning and growing. “Hard work, talent, and a whiff of luck” goes a long way.
2. What have you learned about yourself this past year with everything going on with the pandemic?
During the pandemic, learned to let go of my impatience towards certain life milestones and to trust God. I learned that there are so many things not within my control and I can’t force things to happen. In the past, I used to worry about getting married and starting a family at an early age. I had anxieties in the beginning of the pandemic because I felt like it would stagnate my love life even more (as if it weren’t difficult enough pre-covid). But I’m honestly the happiest I’ve ever been right now. I am really cherishing time alone and time with family. I’ve learned that spending time by myself is extremely healing and recharging. I’ve become very compassionate with myself during this time. It helped a lot to allow the Spirit to remind me that I’m loved in so many ways and that one day my hear’s desires will be answered to in His timing for me.
I’ve learned to do things that bring joy. If it lights me up, it might also bring inspiration to others. I know when I see people doing things they’re passionate about, it brings me joy and I feel inspired to do something I love. I like that kind of cycle a lot.
I’ve learned the joy in cultivating meaning in creative pursuits and bringing others along in the journey to experience something unique and personal to the while it also being a shared experience for connection. Life is beautiful.
3. If you could change one thing about our current culture, what would it be and why?
If I could change one thing about our current culture, it would be slowing down more, and putting time to read, reflect, write. I miss the days when more people would write and share personal blog posts. I like to hear personal viewpoints and like to know that someone is taking time to contemplate and be authentic and not lose ourselves to the fast pace of the world. Slowing down can also mean taking walks and smelling the air and observing the nature. Or drinking tea slowly and enjoying some pastries.
4. What is bringing you joy these days?
Balancing wellness, relationships, passions, good food and indulgences brings me joy!
5. If you could speak to your younger self, what would you tell her?
Hello Lily, have you woken up from your daydream yet?
6. How do you balance and prioritize working full-time and expressing yourself creatively?
I go with the flow and have a switch in me that can go from work mode to creative dreamer mode that seems to be interchangeable.
7. What did you learn from the Covid stories shared on your website?
I learned from Sarah that there’s always good despite our circumstances. Rosko showed me that writers can also emerge unexpectedly! When I asked him to contribute it was good timing since he was recently keeping a journal and experimenting with writing here and there. Now Rosko is a regular honorary writer on the blog. Fiona showed me that a lot of growth can take place during a pandemic. She started a cocktail instagram and it blew up. She has always been a social media queen and a really good friend who is super creative and kind. I learned so much from everyone’s responses and it meant a lot to me to see that in a short span of time, so many reflections were made, and they had a lasting effect. These stories have been shared with friends and loved ones who love looking at these stories! It has been such a meaningful experience.