Do Everything Regret Nothing

In Memory of Julie ❤

I wanted to dedicate this post to my close friend and amazing work colleague Julie.  Sadly, Julie suddenly passed away this past November.  It may sound cliché, but Julie was one of those people that sincerely cared about everyone around her and was always there when you needed her.

She always encouraged me to follow my dreams and to not worry about the little things, because in the end it would eventually all work out.  I have learned through Julie’s passing that life is too short and you have to reach for what you believe in and what feels right in your heart.

This post is intended to help inspire individuals (yes that means YOU!) to pursue their dreams the way Julie encouraged me to follow mine.

We all have goals and ambitions we want to achieve, but it may be daunting or a little scary because you don’t know where to begin.  I’ve included some tips below that I hope will give you that initial kick-start, so that you too, can follow your dreams:

1) Let Go of Your Fears

“I cheated on my fears, broke up with my doubts, got engaged to my faith and now I'm marrying my dreams.”- Unknown

“What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail”? - Unknown

Many times the main reason we hold back from pursuing our dreams is the fear that we will fail or that we won’t have the support we think we need.  The truth of the matter is you need to let go of your fears and realize nothing comes easily in life.  Yes you will most likely face obstacles, but know that these obstacles are just part of the journey.  If you believe in yourself and what you think you are able to accomplish then it WILL happen.  It’s that passion and drive that will keep you motivated to achieve your goals.  

I’m going to be honest with you guys, I too have had many fears when it comes to things I’ve wanted to do in my life. For instance, I have wanted to do this fashion blog for a few years now, but part of me was SUPER nervous to get it started.

I knew I had a lot of great fashion tips and advice to share with the world, but was unsure whether people would actually read about what I had to say?  And what about those “haters” that would only have negative comments about my posts?  Would I be able to handle it? 

Well needless to say I am SO happy I conquered my fears and finally started this page.  I am grateful to say with just 5 posts thus far, I have reached over 3,500 hits on the blog (YAYY!)! 

2) Set a Task List/Create A Vision Board

"I am a goal setter and I set more goals everyday. I keep lists of goals in my office to stay on track." - Kiana Tom

Ok so now that you’re ready to get the ball rolling - where do you start?  I recommend developing a task list of the next steps you will have to do to take your goal(s)/ambition(s) from fantasy to reality. 

Whether it’s setting up an appointment with your bank to get a loan to start up your own business, or setting up a consultation with your local University/Collage to learn about a career you wish to pursue, YOU are the only one that can make it happen!

I’m a visual person so I love creating a vision board as it inspires me and keeps me focused and motivated.  What is a vision board you ask?  I have included a definition of it below:

Definition:  A vision board is simply a visual representation or collage of the things that you want to have, be, or do in your life. It consists of a poster or foam board with cut-out pictures, drawings and/or writing on it of the things that you want in your life or the things that you want to become. The purpose of a vision board is to activate the law of attraction to begin to pull things from your external environment that will enable you to realize your dream. By selecting pictures and writing that charges your emotions with feelings of passion, you will begin to manifest those things into your life. - Tristan Loo

3) Network! Network! Network!

“I like to define networking as cultivating mutually beneficial, give-and-take, win-win relationships… The end result may be to develop a large and diverse group of people who will gladly and continually refer a lot of business to us, while we do the same for them.” – Bob Burg

“If you want to go somewhere, it is best to find someone who has already been there.                     - Robert Kiyosaki

If I could give anyone one piece of advice it would be to embrace the power of networking.  Making connections with the right individuals can open doors and take you down a path you otherwise may not have been exposed to.

Personally there are many opportunities I know I would not have been presented with if I hadn’t networked.  For example, Facebook has enabled me to connect with talented individuals within the Fashion industry.  I have never been shy to send someone a private message to throw out an idea I may have or suggest collaborating with someone on a particular project.  What’s the worst thing they could say…..no?      

However, I would remind you to be cautious with those who cross your path.  Always do your research to determine if the individual(s) you are connecting with are who they claim to be.  In this day and age you hear many horror stories of people who wholeheartedly put their trust in individuals and ended up disappointed to discover they are just a big sham.

4) Surround Yourself with Positive People and        Ignore the Haters

“If you’re absent during my struggle, don’t expect to be present during my success.” - Will Smith

Surrounding yourself with positive people is very important in my eyes.  These are the people who will push you to your limits to ensure you achieve your full potential.  It’s in those moments when you may be feeling a little lost and insecure that these people are there to boost your confidence and ensure you that you are heading in the right direction.  They are the ones who will be by your side through your highs AND your lows. 

I have been very blessed to be surrounded by friends and family who will go out of their way to help me achieve all of my fashion goals, for example there is: 

• My friend Arianna who will make time out of her busy University life make a trip down from Toronto to take pictures for my blog;
• My friend Sheena who will text me late at night telling me I better stay on track on my blog posts (or else);
• My friend Shaesta who kindly volunteered to be my fashion editor and double checks all of my blog posts (god knows I need it!);
• My friend Taj who shares EVERY single one of my blog posts on her Facebook wall;
• My cousin Ruby who pushed me to finally conquer my fear of walking the runway (I’m terrified that I may trip on the catwalk) and model for an amazing Canadian designer (which I will be doing next month – eeeek!); and,    
• My brother Amrinder who is always there to give me advice and suggestions on all of my fashion endeavours I wish to pursue.

These are just a few examples of why it is so important to be surrounded by that positive energy and encouragement.

“Hating is an emotional disease.  So for those who hate, I hope you “get well” soon!”                      - Unknown

They say you’ve reached success when you have haters.  I don’t know if this is something anyone actually enjoys experiencing.  Personally, I never really understood why someone would want to hate on someone else who is trying to accomplish their goals.  I often wonder why they wouldn’t redirect that wasted energy to focus on themselves and what they want to achieve?

I really don’t want to spend too much time on this section because in all honestly I don’t think anyone who spits out negative vibes deserves anyone’s attention. 

My only advice is to ignore those who don’t wish you well.  Turn their negativity into something positive that just further motivates you to achieve your goals.

5) Always Stay Humble

“When I see talent and when I see a good person who comes with the talent, I melt.”               -  Alber Elbaz Designer for Lanvin 

I find that there is nothing more unattractive then someone who brags and flaunts when they have reached a certain level of success, and puts down others who are aiming to achieve their own.  Most of the time, the harder these people rise the quicker they eventually fall.

Humility to me is very important because it always keeps you grounded and makes you grateful for all the blessing you have in your life.  My advice to those who have achieved where they want to be in life is to try to share your experiences, knowledge and expertise with others.  What better feeling is there than assisting someone in reaching their own goals and dreams?

6) Be Thankful (The Thank You Jar)

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” - Oprah Winfrey

Sometimes we are so busy in life that we don’t take a step back and actually process all of the things we are thankful for.       

I saw this Do It Yourself (DIY) post on Pinterest called “The Thank You Jar” and I thought - what an amazing idea!

The Concept:  Take an empty jar and label it as your “Thank You Jar”. Throughout the year if there is something you are thankful for (no matter how big or how small) write it down on a piece of paper/card and place it in your jar.  Then at the end of the year you can open the jar and reflect back on all the things/experiences you were blessed with.