Ann was one of the panelists in our Bloggers and Influencers Meet and we had few very important queries to ask her.
Ann has been a User Experience Designer for 10 years but when life knocked the door, she unleashed her creativity. Let us read through her journey and get to know what motivated her so much!
Ann:
“Living an active and healthy lifestyle has always been my priority. To me, fitness encompasses of physical, emotional and mental health too. I’ve seen my mother suffer diabetes and blood pressure for a long time until she passed away due to multiple organ failure at the age of 64. It was after spending 40 days in a hospital ICU. This event has had a lasting impact on my outlook towards fitness and wellbeing. It not only impacts oneself but the entire family in every possible way – emotionally, physically and even financially. I think positivity, meditation, exercise, smart eating and active living are fundamental to fitness.”
Ann:
“We all have dreams, but not everyone has the courage to take a step out of their comfort zone and commit to bringing them to reality.
I believe it’s best to ask for help during career transitions. Signing up with renowned life coach and motivational speaker, Mary Morrissey was one of the best investments I’ve made on myself. I also find great motivation in the work of Neale Donald Walsch, of which ‘Conversations with God’ is one of my favourite books.”
Ann: “After a decade in the IT industry, as a User Experience Designer, I have now forayed into full-time blogging. I believe that the only things in this life that you really regret are the risks you didn’t take! I decided to quit my full time IT job and open the doors to a new adventure where I pursue my passion and monetize it as well.
In the process, I’ve had the opportunity and freedom to tap into my own creative potential and spend quality time with my little one – where the two of us create whimsical artwork from pink dinosaurs to rainbow hued reindeers. It’s the little things that make happy moments and I’m surely in a better place now.
Starting my blog exposed me to the world of entrepreneurs and I became addicted to the idea of creating something that was my own and driving it to success.”
Ann: “An effective warm-up that consists of light activity, prepares your body and mind for more exercise. Losing weight may be one’s ultimate goal, but getting your body ready for exercise is crucial for keeping your body injury free. For an average exerciser like me – 10 minutes of brisk walking, gradually increasing speed is an effective warm-up.”
Ann: “Trekking is my favourite workout because it’s adventurous, fun, improves your agility and often offers you some breathtaking views.”
Ann: “I was either slim or underweight all throughout my life and following childbirth, I experienced a rapid weight gain which came in as a rather unpleasant surprise. What I discovered was that many people are rude and insensitive to comment about weight after a baby – this is the real difficulty, cos new moms are already exhausted and really don’t want to get hints about hitting the gym and it’s about time people become mindful and sensitive about this fact.
I am fortunate to have good friends, who reiterated that this was a temporary situation and that I need to focus on the well-being of myself and my baby, instead of paying attention to insensitive remarks.
When the time was right, I bought a good pair of sneakers and got started with walking and cycling, gradually increasing the pace. It took me 4 years to lose all the postpartum weight gain and I achieved this weight loss without hitting a gym and without any crash diets.”
Ann: “I feel happy when I’m gaining new experiences and insights, and challenging my boundaries. I believe travel is the best school there is; to learn not only about the world but also about myself. Travel is the perfect catalyst for happiness, as it enables one to experience the natural, cultural and man-made wonders of the world.”
Ann: “When it comes to being a full-time blogger, building your brand and growing your audience takes a lot of dedication and patience. But I love creativity and content creation, so much that generally it doesn’t feel pressurising. I think whatever career you are in, if you are passionate about it and enjoy what you do, it will not feel like work, even when you are putting in 40+ hours a week.”
Ann: “I think participation in sports can greatly improve the health of children and youth, as well as increase confidence and widen future expectations. Sport is a social activity whether you are participating in a team sport or an individual sport. It is a great way for young people to meet each other in a safe environment where similar interests are shared.
For parents, It makes sense to spot and nurture talent in your child, be it in any sport.
My son showed interest in the swimming pool right from when he was a baby, because of which we enrolled him for swimming lessons which he pursues with enthusiasm.”
Ann: “Playing a sport improves your endurance, strength, stamina and helps build lean muscles. Besides for some people, an enjoyable sport is more engaging and exciting than going to a gym and creates an apt fitness routine. Whether you are good at playing the sport or not it will always benefit you and improve your fitness level.”
“Today, with an increasing number of reports about obesity rates, depression, diseases and conditions related to being overweight, it is unwise to ignore the importance of fitness and well-being in our lives.”
Cheers to a Happy Healthy YOU!
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