My thoughts on January 2017? It's that I just want to be inspired, and to inspire.
1 down out of 12 months already, and I want to make each day count. Here's to stop being a vision hoarder, but to be a DOER! :)
This is Flaviyake, a singer/songwriter here in LA. I got to meet up with her at a coffee shop and she shared with me her story of how she ended up in LA, some of the challenges she had to face, and her purpose behind her music career.
She shared that there was a time in life when she felt totally lost. This is something I can completely relate to. Feeling totally lost, having no idea where I'm supposed to go, what I'm supposed to do, and feeling like everyone else around me knows the answers, except for me. I felt like this my senior year of high school, my senior year of college, and frankly, I still feel like this at times. I feel like life is a great mystery journey and I just need to figure it out one day at a time.
What's interesting about her story is that in this time when she felt totally lost, she started seeing signs. From a dress at a fashion store to seeing white feathers, these signs have guided her and confirmed her decision to pursue music in Los Angeles.
After hearing her story, it made me wonder, maybe there are such signs in our lives as well, but many of us are way too busy with life to notice them.
Something she said that really encouraged me was this. She said, "difficulties and obstacles make our shape and make us beautiful like a diamond." She is someone who has faced some very difficult situations herself, so these words carried a lot of weight coming from her. She shares in the interview that she lost her mom this year (2016), because she committed suicide. She talks about how people avoid talking about this, but it is something that happens too often to just ignore it. According to www.save.org, every 40 seconds, someone commits suicide in the world. With statistics like this, it makes me realize the gravity of this issue and how so many people around the world are affected by this. She mentioned also that when someone you are related to commits suicide, everyone feels guilty. Suicides not only affect the person, but it also affects everyone around them. I can't even imagine how hard this must have been for Flaviya, but also, I was moved by the beauty of her strength coming out of this difficulty. She said that whenever you feel depressed, or think that you want to kill yourself, you must give yourself another chance. To have this mindset to give yourself another chance and to do something; To write another song, meet new people, and do something every time because that's what makes you alive.
I can see how some of the difficulties and obstacles that she had to face in her life has indeed made her stronger and more beautiful. I'm really thankful for the ways that God has led her to LA through the different signs because what she does matter. The music she writes and the songs she shares matter. Her life is an inspiration and I hope that she can use the opportunities she's been given as a singer to share her strengths and to encourage other people who may be going through some very difficult situations themselves.
At the end of the interview I asked her to write a letter to whomever she would like to address the letter to. This is what she wrote:
"Dear warriors,
Be open to see the signs on your way.
Be open for challenges.
Follow your heart and beliefs.
Challenges polish us to get a shape of a diamond.
Flaviyake
12. 03. 2016"
Thank you Flaviyake for sharing your story.
Video of #CoffeeChat interview with Flaviyake:
Today, I am sitting in front of my laptop writing this as a 23 year old who has a college degree and a full time job. It's crazy because I can still remember, clear as day, what I was like 10 years ago.
A 13 year old, in 7th grade. It's been a whole decade, but it's weird because I feel like 7th grade wasn't that long ago. The girl I was in 7th grade doesn't seem that foreign to me.
If my 13 year old self were to meet who I am now, would I be proud or disappointed?
Have the hopes and dreams of a 13 year old been fulfilled?
When I was 13, I had so much hopes that I would grow to be tall. It did not happen. But I learned to love my height when I joined cheerleading. In the cheerleading world, my height was considered "perfect."
When I was 13, I was extremely afraid of public speaking. To be honest, I still am, but I've learn to face this fear and to declare victory over it. I've been able to talk boldly in front of hundreds of people and people even voted for me as the best presenter in my class!
Then and now, I realized I've overcome some of my biggest insecurities and I've conquered some of my biggest fears.
When I compare myself to many other 23 year olds, I can find myself feeling like I'm behind in life. But I think I've become an alright human being, and I'm proud of myself for that.
Thanks for not losing hope and for walking in faith over the course of a decade. I appreciate you for the young lady you've become.
- 23 old me
I just turned 23, but I still feel 22. When I was 22, I felt 21. When I was 21, I felt 20. When I was 20, I felt 19. So technically, I'm 23, but I still feel like a teenager.
But thinking back at all these years that I've aged, year after year, I realize I did learn a lot, grew as a person, and I hope I can say, I've matured and gained some wisdom :)
While it's only been a few days since I stepped away from Taylor Swift 22 days and into my Jordan year, I thought I would do some reflection. So here's 22 things I learned at age 22:
1. We are all a little lost, a little confused, and very much uncertain about life, but that's okay.
2. Our Facebook posts are decreasing while our Instagram posts are becoming artsier.
3. Living expense literally means living expense.
4. It's easier to travel when you have time but no money, than trying to travel when you have money, but no time.
5. After college, time really feels so precious. And time NOW is the most precious.
6. Early 20's is the time to try everything, do everything, and learn what this world is about! Still young and energetic for adventures, yet old enough to do just about anything you want to do. (Just be wise about how you use this freedom!)
7. You are either doing the bare minimum to stay in the game, hustling to stay ahead of the game, or standing still and lagging behind the game.
8. Some friendships are meant to last a lifetime. These friends are more precious than gold.
9. You have to have courage to dream big and faith to actually pursue these dreams.
10. If you don't chase after your dream, someone else will.
11. Uncertainties and risks give you an opportunity for greater faith.
12. I will never be perfect, but that's okay.
13. When you fully trust in God's goodness, rejections and closed doors don't phase you. You just know there's something better coming your way.
14. Have no compassion for fear. Don't cuddle fear like a baby, because it only nurtures it. We cannot afford to give into fear, unbelief, and doubt.
15. Time solves the mysteries of the past. All the uncertainties of today will be clear in the right time, so be patient.
16. Remembrance + Thankfulness = Praise
17. Be resilient. Don't give up so easily and don't take offense so easily.
18. It's much easier to hangout and meet up with people in college than when you are out of college.
19. Love is creative and love inspires. Likewise, the Gospel.
20. Don't exhaust yourself. A rested soul loves well.
21. The world is a mess, but don't let the revelation of darkness be greater than the revelation of light.
22. Live faithful to your true self. Your calling isn't about what you do, but about who you are called to be.
I used the app 1 Second Everyday to record one second videos of my life from Jan. 1 - Dec. 31st 2016. This is my year in review story.
Looking back at my year, there are many things I am thankful for. I'm really grateful for my amazing Symphony Church community who extended so much grace and love to me during my four years at Boston University. Thank you for teaching me about what it means to be in a community, to have people to do life together with, and to love one another as Christ loves us.
Also, during my time at home, I wanted to really rest and have time to think about what I want to do with my life, without the distraction of what I feel like the world is telling me to do, and without constantly comparing myself to what everyone else is doing. So I went on a "super rest" period where I cut off all social media for about a month and a half. In this time, I realized it's not the "likes" I get on social media that increase the happiness meter of my life, but rather the simple appreciation of life itself. It was when I began to see the beauty in the simple routine of life (things like the sun rising each morning, birds singing outside, having a roof over my head, the presence of my parents...) that I began to realize how blessed I am with just the fact that I woke up that morning to live this another day. And with this realization, I can confidently say, this time of rest at home was one of the happiest times of my life, away from the busyness, away from comparisons, and away from the constant strivings of the world.
Another thing I wold like to share is that when I moved to LA, I did not have a job lined up. I simply moved in faith. It was a risk for me to just move to LA with no job, but I took it as a chance to walk out in faith and to trust in God's provision. But even after I moved, it wasn't easy getting a job, especially in the media industry that I wanted to get into. And this was a time of rejections after rejections. However. with every closed door, I took it as just another event leading me to the right job at the right time. I first took a part time job working in the music business, which was awesome to say the least, because I got to see how music producers and artists come together to pitch their music to music supervisors, I got my first experience in doing social media marketing, and also, this job got me to learn how to make videos using Premiere Pro (which I also have my videographer friend @JoshChungFilms to thank). But the very best thing about this part time job was that I had the freedom to work at home, which "home" actually meant that each day, I got to go out with a friend to explore the different cafes in LA, and to eat a lot of delicious desserts as I did my work.
After about 2-3 months of part timing in the music business world, with prayer from my new Hillsong LA community, I received a full time job offer working in a media company in LA!
If you are someone who is going through a hard time looking for your first job, or going through some type of transition, and you feel like you are just getting rejections after rejections, don't be discouraged! Just enjoy the free time you have to go out and explore, meet new people, spend time with friends and family, and to explore your passions! Eventually jobs will come and doors that need to be open will be opened :)
Thanks for watching my first YouTube video on my channel, and I will be uploading more videos so please feel free to subscribe to my channel and join me on this journey~!
Happy New Year and God bless!
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Instagram: @sharonkilonhan
Twitter: @sharonkilonhan
Blog: clickofamoment.com
Music Credits:
Sokolovsky Music – Inspirational Indie Rock. CC BY 4.0. http://www.sokolovskymusic.com/free-music
https://soundcloud.com/sokolovskymusic/sokolovsky-music-inspirational-indie-rock
Del- Lost Island (Original Mix). CC.
https://soundcloud.com/del-sound/lost-island
