Usually, my blog posts are mostly words but this time I wanted to do something different. This post, is full of photos.

A few weeks ago, I did a holiday themed photo shoot with Amanda Bernardo of @thephotoessays at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa, Canada. You may have seen a few of them on my Instagram: @ariannaonthego. I have been asked for more photos of the whole shoot so here you go :)

August is a month of celebration for me. Ten years ago, this month, I turned a random thought into action and started a blog.

I would be in a different place if I didn’t have others tell me, “Grow, girl, grow.”

My blogging journey has been one of resilience, being open to change, and embracing the powering of digital. The journey hasn’t been easy, and I am so grateful to those who have been there along the way. Most of all, it has been a journey of self-discovery and learning my inner strength. As I finish one chapter and enter another, I wanted to do a short recap of the last ten years.

If you had to write the title of your autobiography, what would it be?

Mine would be, “She didn’t give up.”

I texted a good friend of mine recently to tell her about my new career move. She said, “I knew it was just a matter of time. You didn’t give up.” I truly believe that with a supportive community and a growth mindset, you can achieve your dreams. Or, the path can lead to opportunities that far surpass your goals. Keep believing, my friends. Hold on to hope.

Ever feel like you are the odd woman out?

It can be hard, sometimes, to be on a path that is different from many of your peers. I am a thirty-something who isn’t married and doesn’t have kids; for a woman, that seems like an abnormality. You feel the pressure everywhere to be different than you are, and that being yourself is wrong. I am not anti-marriage or anti-children; it’s just that I haven’t found ‘that person’ yet.

Lately, I have heard from many busy professionals who are finding it hard to make deep friendships after college/university and are lonely. I wanted to start the conversation and voice the common struggles I have heard.  So I have a question for you: How do you find friends?

You sharing your story will provide others with the hope & support they need to persist through their struggles.

One of my goals is finding new ways to use technology to create an impact in people’s lives. You see, eight years ago in August 2010, I started a blog that changed my life. Clicking “publish” on my first post, when I was a graduate student with no blogging experience, was a big step for me. With no training in technology or business, and no blogging community, I had only my expertise in psychology and my passion to make an impact in the world as my adrenaline. I put in the long hours and hard work to build the blog. At that time, very few people were blogging and technology wasn’t as prevalent as it is now. Just for context, Instagram wasn’t launched until two months afterwards in October 2010.

From experience, I know that following your dreams takes courage, belief in yourself, and the right support. When I started as an entrepreneur and blogger, I knew no one who was on an unconventional route, so I started seeking a community of fellow women entrepreneurs to empower me on my route. Early on, I realized that you can’t do you your dreams alone. You need a supportive crew to help you along the way.

Along my path, I discovered the movie, Dream, Girl. When the movie’s Creator and Director, Erin Bagwell, reached out to me recently about the movie’s release online for free for all to see, I had to invite Erin to be back on The Self-Discovery Retreat. For those who may remember, Komal Minhas (producer of Dream, Girl) and Erin were on the site back in 2015.

If you could describe your 2017 in a few words, what would you say?

For me, 2017 can be summarized as “making bold moves.” It has been a year of growth. A year of getting the courage and taking action. The year I “went for it” and turned big ideas into reality.

This is the time of year when people send out yearly updates in holiday cards, so think of this as my personalized holiday letter to you. With the holiday season upon us and 2018 around the corner, I have been reflecting on 2017 and all that has happened on my personal journey, especially my big move.

What has been the biggest cause of frustration and/or stress in your life?

The first word that comes to mind for me, a female founder, is “money.” During a recent conversation with a friend, I realized that money is keeping me awake at night and a daily stressor. Perhaps it is for you too?

There are so many challenges facing entrepreneurs! It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to turn a dream into reality. Many of us just roll up our sleeves, don’t complain, and keep moving forward! But lately, I have been called to voice the financial struggles.

For as long as I can remember, I have been an older sister to two of the most strong, talented, and beautiful of women. I love them dearly. They inspire me daily to be my best self. So because my sisters and others are reading and learning from me through my blog, I wanted to share a story that serves as a good reminder that it’s not that you fall that matters, it’s that you get back up!!

For the past few months, I have taken a break from the blog after regular posting. During that time I was going through a lot and my mental energy was being depleted. So to empower myself, I disconnected and took a much-needed break to recharge. Truly speaking, I was exhausted from work and personal stuff. So instead of posting online on the blog, I spent my time with notebooks and my camera, envisioning the next steps for the online space I have spent the last seven years creating. Now, I am renewed and energized. Making myself a priority in the busy world of entrepreneurship was exactly what I needed.

The world needs our kindness. As you know, I am on a mission to use my platform to spread positivity and kindness globally. Earlier last month, my sister discovered The Kindness Diaries on Netflix and simply told me I had to watch it. So, I did. If you haven’t seen the series, it is about a man (Leon Logothetis) who travels the world relying on the kindness of strangers.