On the Road to Full-filling Our Potential

I am a contributor in a book for Millennials (that's right not about them but for them), because many young people are still finding their way in life. 

How do we find our drive, our meaning, our muse?
For some it takes years and, for others, a lifetime of effort.

Grade 12 comes and, suddenly, our life is in our hands - so many options, from all those around us and so little time. 
I am so glad my parents didn't force me into something they wanted, but that took some convincing too. I am also glad the high school I went to had fine art, interior design, fashion design, even graphic art classes. What are the odds? 

No matter what, surrounding ourselves with the right people and communities is key.
I was lucky to meet Jonalyn Linatoc while volunteering for Myseum Toronto. Volunteering is a sure way to meet people from all walks of life and an excellent avenue to help others. When you spend time aiding and giving, you attract the same energy back onto you. Call it karma, call it energy exchange, call it God or call it just plain old luck.

In the stylish The Millennial's Handbook (A Guide to Living Beautifully) by Jonalyn Linatoc, I share my story of how I got where I am - parents, friends, challenges, and opportunities. Being one of five contributors aiming to inspire today's youth with our stories - making us relatable and making our relative success achievable.

Below is a juicy bite of my story:

Since my time in school, I have been a part of many fields of art and design, as well as the many complex ways they cross and blend. And since then, I have not stopped finding ways to push design in a multidisciplinary way. Ever since I was young, objects and spaces were two things I found fascinating, yet the logical, applicable part of me was convinced that graphic design was the most logical application of my talent. This hunger and desire to push and expand the field stayed with me and ensured that I did not merely practice the pure aspects of my profession. I made it a priority to hybridize graphic design and find ways to draw parallels to other disciplines.

I initially launched my career with an internship in interface design, and a marketing job was the start of my full-time career. However, I was laid off work due to a downturn. But this was a blessing, as it opened my eyes to where the world of design could take me. I spent some time working at an advertising company, followed by a jewelry design firm, and in the entertainment industry of theming design. 

In the last few years, before I decided to focus on my own studio work, I was at an interior design company. Playing my part in this larger enterprise, as I did with every other employment, I never stopped pushing my discipline and finding ways to integrate knowledge to new areas. Through my career, I have realized that simply the status quo was never enough for me and I could only reach the full potential by running my own studio. 

With my own company I keep a strategic branding focus, though I also offer many solutions that expand into the interior and art fields. I have finally realized that in the world of design, we hold art on a pedestal and always crave the idea of free expression and experimentation. However, so few of us in this field commit the time and effort needed to create artwork for the sake of the feeling, to express an idea, to grow our skills or just for the challenge of it. I know that artistic expression holds a one-of-a-kind role in shifting perspective, questioning reality, deepening conversations, and finding new ways to connect. This is why, personally, I always make an effort to keep myself inspired through my work and pet projects. 

Throughout my life and career, I have learnt to accept criticism when it comes at me. It was always a big part of my relationship with my parents, and I quickly learnt in my early years that whatever I do is nothing special and that "I am no one." So going to design school and having such a career as I have, criticisms have never really bothered me too much, and I have grown a thick skin and learned how to explain my work, my thinking and decisions.

Find this precious book on Kobo, Kindle and Amazon.

I was also a guest on Pinoy Radio - Jan 18, 2020 to casually talk about the book and my story.
Check it out here.