Hey everyone, Happy New Year! 🎊
For all of 2019, I’ve wanted to write and share how I’ve been doing after my last surgery, but I recently had the opportunity to speak about my journey and what I’ve learned thus far, and I want to share it with you all!
Giving this talk was a surreal experience. Afterwards, people from around the company started reaching out to share their personal stories and battles. I sat down with one colleague who told me that I inspired them to see their illness in a new light, removing some of the guilt and shame they felt and helping them accept their illness. Our conversation later brought me to tears because it reminded me that I can use my experience to help others, and it inspired me to continue doing so. More than my talk itself, the conversations that took place afterwards are certainly highlights of the term and of my life.
When I started this blog two years ago, I could have never imagined that I’d be where I am today. While troublesome, these past two years have been defining moments of my life, and I’m excited to see where life takes me next – no matter where. I need to give thanks to everyone who has helped me get to this point, including my friends and family, as well as the new friends and family I made in 2019, in the Class of 2022 and at Shopify.
2020 is going to be a big year, not only for myself but also for many of my friends and loved ones. I can’t wait to witness everyone’s growth and take part in it as best as I can. My goals are the same – to learn and to love as much as possible, and detach from my ego. Additionally, I hope to become more adept at managing my health and using this opportunity of better health to help others.
Thank you for tuning in and I wish you all the best in 2020 and beyond! Perhaps I’ll write more about the lessons I described in my video in future blogs, but for now, if you’d like to follow cool things I’m learning, check out my Today I Learned micro-blog!