As Beyond Utah passed its 2 year anniversary last month, I’ve reflected on everything I’ve accomplished since graduating from high school 4 years ago. While moving abroad helped me to “find myself,” I realized it also shaped me in ways I didn’t expect. I started Beyond Utah because I wanted to have a journal for my travels and a place where others could come for information and inspiration. I’ve grown along the way as I’ve been presented with challenges and overcome various roadblocks. While my network of friends, family, and followers have supported me through thick and thin, there were some things that specifically improved my mental health by investing myself in starting a blog. I can’t speak for the success of others, and I’m by no means a mental health professional, but Beyond Utah has grown to mean so much to me and here’s five reasons why:
#1 I found fulfillment in my work
Fulfillment can be a tricky thing to find, especially for young professionals (looking at you millennials). We are often delegated menial tasks and/or lost in the corporate pyramid, wondering where we are going, and if it’s all going to pay off. I can’t necessarily avoid those menial tasks, but I get to do the big jobs as well as the little ones. It makes me feel important and valued. I get to see the big picture every day and how my projects are progressing.
#2 I feel motivated to take on each day
As an entrepreneur, the hustle never stops. But it’s the good kind of hustle. I’m working each day to build my dreams – not someone else’s. I’m turning my passion into my career, and that gives me a vast well of motivation to draw from that I would simply struggle to find elsewhere.
#3 I’m happier because I can focus on just being me
We all can remember that one coworker you couldn’t stand, or worse the boss that you had to suck up to constantly because they controlled the working environment. As an entrepreneur, I curate my circle of connections by surrounding myself with like-minded individuals who embrace the most genuine version of me. My anxiety (as a people pleaser) has diminished because I network with brands and other influencers whose missions align with my own. Simply put: your vibe attracts your tribe. The negativity of others will always exist, but I’ve minimized that with the positive energy found in the travel community.
#4 It gave me something to take pride in
Obviously I check myself so that pride doesn’t turn into ego. But I think it’s important that we all have something that we can take pride in. There’s short-term pride (ex: a night at work with no mess up on food orders) and long-term pride. Growing my brand will bring me pride over and over again throughout the years.
#5 I learned self-empowerment
I’m doing things I never thought I could do! I built a website, created a brand, coordinated an email newsletter (which you can sign up for at the bottom of this post), learned about “SEO” and became partners with amazing people and organizations. I haven’t lost my fear of stepping outside my comfort zone, but I’ve trained myself to outweigh the fear with the knowledge that I’m building my future success through my experiences.
Looking through my social media, I’m a little zealous in sharing picture-perfect moments. So I wanted to share this more personal post as a reminder that I’m imperfect human. Mental Health Awareness Month is in May, but I think every day is a good day to share advice on how to better take care of ourselves and each other.
