As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized something about myself. I find a lot of joy in people.
It’s one of the reasons I started writing about ambitious, creative individuals. I’ve realized how fortunate I’ve been to have lived so many places, and to have met so many of them – many of which, I’m still in touch with.
One of those places is Cazenovia, N.Y., and one of those people, is Kelly Jean.
Close to ten years ago, I took a drawing class instructed by an intense German man. I was still in my artist phase then. I met Kelly, and we bonded over our mutual appreciation of our professor’s thick-accented absurdity.
One of the last times I saw her, we were sitting next to Cazenovia Lake, sketching a gazebo. Or something.
Anyway, as is life, we parted ways. I ended up moving to Philadelphia, then North Carolina, and Kelly moved to Albany, and then D.C.. We’ve exchanged a few messages here and there, over the years. A few weeks ago, I realized Kelly had moved again.
To Singapore – a place over 9,000 miles away.
“Imagine dramatically altering your life, then deciding to wipe the slate clean, and doing it all over again.” Kelly says about her transition.
“Yeah. equally scary.”
The move happened quickly. Kelly’s husband Nate found out about an opportunity within his D.C. based company that would require the move abroad. They were excited at the prospect of living overseas.
“There was nothing holding me back, and overall it was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Kelly explains.
“What’s the worst that could happen – I hate it and I move back ? The fear of “failing” is the last thing I should ever be worried about.”
Kelly’s no-fear attitude followed her to Singapore. Before the move, Kelly worked as a consultant in D.C., but had doubts about her career path.
“I kept wondering, is this it? Is chasing the next promotion and trying to make more money what I want for myself?”
So she decided to go on long-term leave, just two weeks before they moved overseas. Shortly after she arrived, she found her true calling as an Education Outreach Coordinator at an animal welfare organization.
“I work with the public and local schools on a variety of programs, ranging from responsible ownership to pet sterilization to adoption.”
“As I get older, I find that my true passion is acting as a voice for those who know cannot speak for themselves and stemming conversations with people about tough subjects, such as animal cruelty. ”
“If I have it my way, I’ll have purchase enough land to build a small animal sanctuary,” Kelly says of her future in Singapore.
Kelly’s also rediscovered her artistic roots. Eight pieces that she created were recently accepted by – get it – Singapore’s cat museum. Her artwork is for sale and all of the proceeds go back to charity.
What inspires Kelly is simple – “transparent, honest people who have faced or have overcome adversity. The ones who are forthcoming and share these stories are what drive me to question everything I think I know.”
Kelly’s Favorite Videos/Articles:
- https://www.ted.com/
speakers/sheryl_sandberg — My hero. - http://www.lifeedited.com/ — As hard as it is in practice, I aspire to live with less. This is a good resource for that. The apartment designs are incredible.
- https://www.youtube.com/user/
Vsauce/videos — Really well done, science crash courses. Some of his videos are philosophical, which I love. - http://garibaldiarts.com/ — Check out his videos too! Fun to watch and a creative way to make fantastic artwork
- Also, Oscar Wilde. He was an amazingly insightful, witty poet. Follow @BestOscarWilde or @Wit_of_Wilde to see what I mean.