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Today I’m about to share the wildest character development I’ve ever gone through.

But stay with me - this story is important if you want to completely change your life and live up to your potential.

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I was an alien

When I was in first grade, I wouldn’t talk to anyone.

If you’d met me then, you would’ve thought I was the most shy girl you’ve ever not-talked to.

It was a combination of not knowing English well (we only spoke Mandarin at home) and being hard of hearing (avoiding conversations).

So one day, when the teacher asked us to clean up after playtime, my classmate helped clean up my toys.

“Thank you,” I told him.

He stared at me like I was an alien.

I guess he never realized I could talk.

Another time, in preschool, I accidentally sneezed in this guy’s face.

But I didn’t know how to say sorry in English, so I just stared at him 😩 

He sneezed back in my face on purpose…

My classmate Jessica had to stand up for me and tell the guy off (I messaged her years later abt it).

And OMG THE WORST STORY…

The butt smack 😭

In summer camp, I went to the pool with the rest of the kids but I didn’t really dry off properly after.

So I put on my swimsuit under my pants,

And when I bent down to tie my shoes (didn’t bend my knees so my butt was sticking up), some kid ran up to me and smacked my butt 💀 

Upon feeling wetness (from the swimsuit), he was like “ew did you wet yourself??”

Me with my poor English back then: “yes?”

(Thinking “wet yourself” meant I got myself wet from being in the pool, not peeing my pants.)

Guess I accidentally taught him not to smack random girl’s butts…

Okay before I get carried away with the stories, let me share the reason I’m telling you all this.

Revisit your memories to revisit your identity

All these memories reinforced one idea: that I was the quiet, shy girl who could never be a leader.

But to achieve the things I wanted in life, I knew I had to be confident. I had to put myself out there and talk to people.

How?

2 ways:

Revisit my memories…

Or make new ones.

Revisiting memories

Instead of looking back on these moments as times I was shy, I could remember them as moments I spoke up (or learned something new about interacting with people).

This would give me a new, evolved identity that would help me feel less scared to approach people.

Making new memories

In university, a core moment changed my entire life.

I signed up for a mentorship program for extra help bc I was a nerd (defined myself as studious and a straight A student).

They desperately needed volunteers the next year so asked me - but I told them I couldn’t be a mentor.

Specifically, I said “I’m not a leader…”

But they asked me to be a mentor because they saw how I was helping other students in my program.

So when they said “you already are a leader…that means someone who helps others, not someone who tells people what to do,” I saw myself in a different light.

That led me to sign up for more opportunities and I eventually founded a club, a startup, and served 2 years in student politics (they let me put my name as Meme Queen on the ballot).

Recently, I also started a challenge to do something scary every day. I’ve:

• knocked on my neighbour’s door to make a new friend

• done street interviews, approaching random strangers

• tried doing a handstand on concrete after convincing a stranger to teach me

All these new experiences reinforce my new identity and values - someone who’s not afraid to try new things and talk to people.

And this new identity is what helps me keep going to build my own business, even when the numbers are down (rip losing followers with every new post).

Your challenge

So today, I challenge you to revisit or create 1 new memory to become the person you want to be.

Or even change your interpretation of a trait you have.

Like I see myself as lazy, but that’s not bad. That just means I’m writing this article on my phone while taking the train home after a fulfilling day with my friend.

Your reality is up to you - pick one that helps you live life to the fullest.

Til next time,

Jennifer