Milestones

My road in life has taken me all over.
I have always wanted to be a writer, but I did not like journalism.
I majored in advertising because it was safe; I lasted 6 months at an ad agency.
I went back to school for education to become a teacher because I thought I could write at night.
I bartended and taught spin classes to make extra money.
I took a children's lit class in hopes that it would give me the discipline to write. Nope.
I left teaching to be a full-time personal trainer, so I'd have more time to write. It kinda worked.
Finally, I took the leap. I sold all my things and moved to Hong Kong to write my book.
Now, I live in New York. I published my book September 2013. Next step, speaking career.
Keep following my journey

Career

Depends who's asking

I am an transformational author, youth speaker and coach.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Writing
Entrepreneurship
Communicating / Sharing Stories

Day to Day

I work out and meditate everyday, eat healthily and honor my body. I am most creative and have the best energy when I'm in a rhythm with my sleep / work / play discipline. I work from home, so I must prioritize and stay focused. I write daily for my blog (The Year of Magical Dreaming) and submit articles to many online publications. I spend a lot of time "building a platform," aka developing an audience. I also use social media as a marketing tool for my business. I study successful people nonstop.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for high school students

Read, read, read. Study the best in your genre. Write as much as you can. No judgement. Just write.

Recommended Education

My career is not related to what I studied. I'd recommend this path instead:

undergrad
Bachelor
Writing

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Family:

"You can't just go around being a dreamer your whole life."

Challenges I Overcame

Financial
Gangs / Violence
Parent Death/Incarceration/Domestic Violence