{Above Image Take from Happy Deliveries on Etsy)

This post started as me bragging about my good grades but brought me back in time for a moment. This is kind of a rant but also a great way to get to know the inner workings of ME, Crystal a little bit better. So read on, if you please.

I do no have a good school history to say the least due to my stubborn spirit and need for equality. Growing up in a small Mennonite community this mindset of mind did not work as children where to be seen but not heard unless spoken to (this is NOT how I was raised at all but this was the community mindset). I have always wanted to know the why of things which in my experience teachers could not provide me with because they themselves did not know or it was not in the books they were assigned to teach (one flaw in a multi-flawed school system in my option). Teachers not knowing what to do with me meant I spent a lot of time in the principals office, at one point in high school the principal told me that I should just drop out of school because I was going to be a drop out anyway and should not waste people’s time like this. I was being punished if you will for others incompetence. I am thankful my parents took a very active role in raising me and got me right out of the school after this incident but it took years for me to get those thoughts of self-doubt out of my head, which to this day I still see sneak up on me. Through self-discovery and being honest with myself I have tracked back my self-doubt to this moment where one ignorant person with a few words shaped a strong hold in me. As an adult I do not let this happen but as a 16 year old girl, seeing her parents separate and feeling as though the world as you know it is crumbling infront of you. I was impressionable to say the least and my own principal was psychological bulling me, which I only see clearly now as an adult.

My family moved to Mexico for a year where my parents tried to make their marriage work, while my sister and I went to an International P.A.C.E. school. Looking back I realize this was a changing point in me to see that I was not dumb but I was progressive and intelligent and so were the ones surrounding me which was not the case in my past. I was responsable for my learning and while my grades living abroad where not the best, the things I learned about myself through this change of learning environment and cultural experience are invaluable. Coming back to Canada was not exciting in the least for me, so when school was talked about there was no way I was going back to the high school which had been my jail for 2 years of my life prior. I found a private school within a University which is the only one of it’s kind in Canada. I had to convince my dad to let me go (and pay of course) by providing a course of action outlining everything from cost, where I will live, will I take a part-time job to help with my schooling, etc. I spent my grade 12 year living with my vocal coach, 2 hour away from where my family lived at the time. Living basically alone at 17 you grow up a bit quicker in some areas!

After graduation I needed to explore the world as the small taste of living in another country was not enough so I moved to Australia for 6 months where I attend a leadership school, learnt how to surf and traveled with a team to Brazil where I worked in an orphanage and on a medicine boat in the Amazon. Man could I see you stories of the things I have seen there. But all wonderful life changing experience must come to an end at some point and it was back to the Northern hemisphere for me. I couldn’t stay in Manitoba any longer so I moved to Lake Louise, ALberta where worked as a ski lift attentant for a season, just working and snowboarding. It was kind of the life but to much cold for this girl so off I went to Mexico to build houses for 6 months. Clearly a pattern of not being able to stay in one place for very long as I have always been egger to explore. But after years away from home it was time to come back and get a little schooling under my belt, since employers have this thing for that piece of paper. I applied to 3 different photography schools Emily Carr in Vancouver, Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California and Prairie View in Winnipeg, Manitoba and business school at Red River all of which I was excepted into. I wanted and needed photography school for myself but couldn’t tell you how I would make money at the end and with two self made parents they did not see this as a viable reason to snap photos. The result I went to business school.

I did really well in business school, the last year we had to create a business plan from scratch with a group of 14 people, in which I was the leader. We decided to go down a non-conventional route and created a Medical Tourism business, which we had to present at a trade show where we were judged by industry professionals. Out of 30 some groups we came second (only .5 a point away from 1st place) and received a cash prize. I was head hunted by a travel agency group to start this medical tourism business that they would financially back. I saw the next 20 years flash before my eyes and I had to walk away from it all. People thought I was crazy to not only walk away but move away to Montreal but I felt it and I needed it for me. Just like I needed photography school for me but denied myself that because of fear of the unknown.

Making that choose to walk away was not easy but it was not the vision I had for my life. My years in Montreal have been trying to say the least but I knew in the core of me I was meant to be here. Then I meet Paul and my world was turned upside down. He had the same vision for life as me, live a life doing what you are passionate about and explore as much of the world as possible in our life time. He helped draw that passion out of me along with Katrina of Pugly Pixel.

So going back to school as an adult with a spark of passion in web design and a pretty good head on my shoulders was the best thing for me. Even though it took me a few years to finally take the plunge. That’s why I was blown away when I got my mid-term grades back 100% in Computer Graphics along with 100% on all my projects in that class. I also received a 95% on my Web Design class. Being in the top of both of my classes is the self-esteem boost I needed to start moving forward in starting a business. In web design of course and I hope to launch everything in the new year! (if you need some new designs or a facelift to your blog REMEMBER me!)

The sense of pride in me is overflowing as the road I am on now in life was not easy to get to, I had to face authority that was constantly telling me I was wrong or I can’t do that, the media DO NOT HELP at all either. But I stuck to my guts and kept moving forward in a life I wanted for myself.

It’s not easy to going against the norm but the reward of staying true to yourself pays off ten fold.

Last words of wisdom, it’s never to late to follow your dreams. Having a unique vision for your life is half the battle! I believe that you can do anything you put your mind to. Now you need to believe that for yourself, be kind to yourself and take those baby steps that will lead you to the end result of a life of passion. There WILL be bumps along the road but stay focused on your end result and celebrate your achievements along the way.

Wow that was a bit heavy but hopefully inspiring post. I found this AMAZING illustrated video on a talk Sir Ken Robinson gave. After watching it I felt as though a weight was taken off my shoulders, it confirmed the feelings I was having about schooling for myself. WORTH THE WATCH!

What is something you have been holding yourself back from doing? Why don’t you take the first step?

Until we meet again. Much ♥,