I wanted to “change the world” and I ended up changing myself.
2021 Virtual Vision Board Party
It took me a long time to admit that what I was doing with SassyChicGeek fell smack-dab in the middle of the personal growth world at the intersection of women’s empowerment (more on that another time). I think that both spaces and places get a bad rap because there are a lot of bad actors that try to hustle individuals into thinking that they have this magical solution to unlock your happiness. When that simply isn’t the case. So, a lot of people think that personal development as a business or industry is wacky. And I don’t really like to be associated with wackiness!
The truth is that personal growth and development is something that most of us do without being able to name it. When we choose to exercise more, eat healthier, read more books, explore new places, we are investing in our personal growth and development. It is important that we continue to grow and evolve.
Personal growth has its roots in ancient times. Buddha, who is said to have lived from 563 to 483 B.C., was born and raised in a palace. By all accounts, he lived a privileged life, but was inspired to shed his material possessions to take a journey on a path to enlightenment. Today, people across the globe study the practices of Buddhism to achieve enlightenment. We also have Greek philosophers, like Aristotle, or psychologists, like Carl Jung, who were interested in the human condition as well as the importance of self-understanding and self-improvement.
I think that the reason I can now confidently talk about SassyChicGeek through the lens of personal growth is because I spent a very long time trying to figure out how I wanted to show up to the world and contribute to social change. To show up to the world as my full self, I thought that I needed to live a certain lifestyle or be in a certain place. I spent nearly 15 years of my adult life moving in and out of New York City because I thought that there was a magical Utopia just for me and I had to find it.
During the same period, I was intentional about learning about various social issues to find the cause or causes that I was most passionate about. I volunteered at various organizations including one that focused on building the capacity of young nonprofit professionals. I went to graduate school at a progressive school in New York City (The New School University) to learn skills that would help me make an impact. Lastly, I spent the past 15 years working in nonprofit organizations and government agencies to use my skills to make a meaningful impact in society.
There are so many lessons that came from my experiences. The first is that I realized that there was no Utopia and that my perfect place was more of a mindset than anything else. The second is that, for me, there is no one social issue that is more important than the other. I believe that they are all interconnected. Third, I believe that everyone deserves to live a full life. While I think that being intentional about personal growth and development can be seen as a privilege for only those with means, it shouldn’t be. Fourth, I don’t think enough people are intentional about their personal growth and development. We should be. When people go on a journey to find themselves or discover who they are, it makes them a better human being. It made me a better human being because I forced myself out of my comfort zone and it forced me to look at the world through a lot of different lens.
Am I enlightened like Buddha? Far from it and I will never be. I’m ok with that because I’m still on my personal growth journey. It is a process and I’m not trying to be perfect (anymore, at least). So, with SassyChicGeek, I want to provide resources for you to take if you are just starting out, continuing or to add a little sassy flavor on your own personal growth journey.
My goal, 15 years ago, was to go on a journey to find my Utopia and change the world. But the reality is that I changed myself. Because I evolved and continue to evolve on my journey, I can go out and contribute to the world in a truly meaningful way. And I want that for others!
Get your SassyChicGeek on! We are a community that offers experiences, education and products to take on your personal growth journey. We want you to be more intentional about showing up for yourself so that you can go out in the world to not only thrive, but be the change that you want to see. Take a journey to Sasstopia to meet the Sassnistas, explore our educational programs through Sasstopia University; listen to our podcast; read our blog; or shop our fun products. Let’s get it poppin’!