Best of 2018: personal milestones, career highlights, advice and learnings
Today marks 5 YEARS since the launch of this dear ole blog of mine. It is, in fact, the longest I’ve ever consistently stuck with something. Writing has been my form of self-expression through the lowest of lows when I was struggling with my mental health, and it has been my outlet to celebrate and document some of the most exciting milestones that are nice to look back on.
This platform has brought me so much joy, self-discovery, and personal growth. And the ever-evolving work I get to do has given me a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I just didn’t feel in my previous jobs. Even on the hard days (and there are plenty of those), I am grateful I get to wake up, write, create, and connect in a way that is authentic to me while also serving a community that I love.
No matter how this world shifts or how I personally evolve, I hope we can always continue to be friends online. Many of you have been with me since the beginning… I’ve seen you get married, travel the world, have children, and you’re right there with me through many of my firsts. It’s a beautiful community. So, thank you for being here, for reading the words that I write, for all the sweet words you’ve written ME over the years, and for allowing me to do this crazy, unconventional thing on the daily. I love you.
Alright, without further adieu… here are my bests moments of 2018, advice/what I’ve learned this year, and the intentions I’m setting for 2019!
Best personal moments of 2018
1. Getting engaged
Obvs, I had to put this one first. Andrew and I have been dating since my blog has existed, so you’ve never known Om & The City without Andrew. He’s the love of my life, the OG designer/developer of this blog circa 2014, pup dad to Luna, and now my future hubs (although, it feels like we’re already married)! Read our proposal story here.
2. Moving to Austin
Andrew, Luna, and I packed our bags and moved from NYC to Austin only six months ago (read why we picked Austin here)! The sunshine, warm weather, active lifestyle, tech scene, and delicious food was enough to reel us in (related: Healthy Guide to ATX). Now, we’re heading into 2019 looking to buy our very-first house. We’re ready to grow some serious roots in this cool city, and it’s really exciting (and scary, haha!). Cheeeeers to DIVING straight into #adulting in 2019.
3. Growing new friendships & strengthening old ones
It’s not easy starting fresh in a new city, but thanks to social media, Andrew and I felt super welcomed in Austin. We’ve already made awesome new friends here that we are excited to keep growing for years to come. We continue to keep in touch with all of our closet friends from NYC, and honestly, I feel like we FaceTime more than we ever saw each other in person when we lived there. So, in a funny way we are further in distance, but energetically closer. Win-win.
4. Buying a car
After living carless in NYC for over six years, I underestimated just how much I missed driving until we got our cute lil Honda fit (watch vlog here!). It’s the little things I appreciate now like driving to the grocery store, going on weekend road trips, and overall just having the freedom to go wherever we want. Everything we love in this city is within a 10 minute driving radius, and it feels so much easier to make plans and hangout with people now that we can drive. Blessss.
5. Knowing my family is well and good
My family means everything to me. It has been the hardest year for the Korean side of my fam, but I’m grateful everyone is alive and well. My uncle is a survivor and a miracle, my grandparents lift more weights than I do, my brother is still the sweetest in the world, and my parents love us unconditionally.
Best Career Moments of 2018
This wraps up my second year of working full-time on Om & The City! Being an entrepreneur has been so worth the ups, downs, learnings, investment, and personal development. It’s a very exciting and rewarding path that I wouldn’t trade for anything, but that’s not to say it isn’t without tremendous hard work and sacrifices. I’ve been creating all of my life, and it’s my biggest passion. For me, there’s no better feeling than breathing life into something that was once a tiny spark in my head and see it grow into something real, functioning, and beautiful. I’m not afraid to put my ideas out there, take risks, and pave my own path. And because I believe in my business and myself, every day of that healthy hustle is worth it.
Here’s a snapshot of that hustle:
Releasing my first digital product, Simplify & Thrive
Growing the Om Team (best decision ever)
Maintaining consecutive 5-figure months
Landing longterm partnerships with brands I adore
Launching the Weekly Wellness Newsletter (omg I love writing this each week!)
Being a guest on The Influencer Podcast, Ep. 81
Traveling to the Dominican Republic, LA, SF, Portland, Nashville, and more for work
Speaking on panels at chloédigital’s World Tour in Dallas, General Assembly x Planoly in Austin, and Social Media Week in NYC
Announcing our app Trubelly that’s currently in development (launching early 2019 - sign up here for waitlist)
Om Fun Facts:
18,000 new humans joined the Om fam this year on Instagram alone.
We published 48 new blog posts on Om & The City this year ranging from topics on personal growth, mindset, entrepreneurship, simplifying, and more.
Your top 3 favorite blog posts this year were my ATX Home Reveal, How a Minimalist Keeps Memories Without the Clutter, 5 Things I Eat (Almost) Everyday for a Happy Stomach.
Your top 3 Om product picks were the ReNew Fleece Sweatshirt by Everlane, White and Pink Diamond Kilim Maliha Indoor Outdoor Rug by World Market, and the Eddy Reversible Sectional Sofa by West Elm.
advice & things I’ve learned
We’re better at #adulting than we give ourselves credit for.
It’s okay to disagree with your parents. Whether that’s on politics, religion, your job, how you raise your kid, etc. You’re designing your own life.
Stop waiting for life to slow down. Embrace the pace or re-prioritize how you spend your time.
Mental and physical clutter causes anxiety for most people (including me). Continuously simplify and edit down your life and you will find so much more happiness and fulfillment.
ANYTHING is possible. You deserve to take your dreams seriously.
2019 Intentions: Cook more. Eat out less. Volunteer more. Hire a financial planner. Become a badass at investing. Have more fun. Sing often. Work less on the weekends. Try weight training. Start composting. Wear more dresses.
Lastly, a big thank you to YOU!
Above all else, continuing to connect and grow with this community through all the highs, lows, milestones, and new beginnings is the ultimate highlight. Literally none of this would be possible without you. Deciding to share my life and learnings online has been nothing but the BEST opportunity for finding a global tribe that I wouldn’t know otherwise.
I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of you in person at meetups, on Skype, and even quite a few run-ins at the grocery store (don’t ever be afraid to come up and say hello!). I hope you feel the love and my dedication to continue listening and serving this community for as long as I possibly can.
Cheers to an incredible 2019!
Jules x
