Aloha friends,
I went to my 10-year high school reunion recently — all the way in New York City.
It wasn't my real reunion because I graduated high school in Hawaii.
But, from 4th to 10th grade, I studied at an international school in Shanghai.
The reunion was for people who graduated from my Shanghai school.
And they chose to meet up in New York because a lot of graduates from my Shanghai school ended up moving to the USA or Canada.
I was initially kind of hesitant to go to the reunion.
I was worried people would judge me based on where I am at with my career.
These days, I spend a big chunk of my time working on my copywriting skills and building my portfolio.
And I make most of my money driving Uber part-time.
I assumed most of the people going to the reunion have financially well-off careers, and I was right.
There were software engineers, finance professionals, consultants, accountants, and even someone that sold private jets to rich people.
Then there's me, the part-time Uber driver.
The contrast made me feel a little out of place, but I wasn't going to let it stop me from seeing some of my old friends.
________
Here's a big question: what should we base our self-worth on?
Society places a lot of value on external things like nice cars, big houses, and a good-paying job.
But when you base your self-worth on external things that you don't have complete control over, it's a recipe for mental health disaster!
When I talk about external things you don't have complete control over, it means that even if you're trying your best, there are other factors outside of your control that are preventing you from getting the type of result you want.
A fire can randomly burn your house down, and a recession can make a lot of people lose their jobs.
That's why I try to base my self-worth on internal things I have complete control over (emphasis on the word "try").
Three questions I like to ask myself:
1. Am I trying my best to improve my circumstances?
2. Am I learning and growing?
3. Am I being respectful and considerate of others?
I was able to say yes to all three questions when I decided to go to the high school reunion in New York.
________
My high school reunion was an epic three-day event.
We hung out at a bar on Friday night.
We ate Chinese food and sang karaoke on Saturday.
We had a group picnic at the famous Central Park on Sunday.
Whenever someone asked me about what I do, I'd simply say, "Hey, I drive Uber in Hawaii."
Most of them were pretty cool about it.
But I'm not going to lie, there were some awkward pauses when I told people that I drive Uber in Hawaii.
It's actually more awkward for the other person because I'm not embarrassed about what I do.
Overall, I had a good time catching up with my old friends and classmates.
That’s it from me. Have an awesome December!
-George 🐙