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chelsmcd · 5 years

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10 Years... 10 freakin years...

The end of a decade has come... Where does time go? How does it seemingly go by so quickly?

How many of us can clearly remember 2010? Or, more accurately, the end of 2009 and getting ready to ring in the new year? I can tell you, my life now, is definitely not where I thought it would be at this time 10 years ago. To be honest, it took some serious thought to try and figure out all the things that have happened in the last 10 years, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t look to Facebook for some help (thank you young Chelsea... for documenting almost EVERYTHING you did).

10 years ago... I was living in Pickering at my mom’s place, I think this was for “financial” reasons, but also, it was just easier. I had only lived away for 4ish years, but was back under her roof, her rules (luckily I had very few rules... I still like to brag I was never given a curfew as a kid, there were only a couple of “Chelsea... this is too late to be coming home” run ins).

10 years ago... I had no worries, no responsibilities, nothing tying me to anyone or anywhere. I was, for all intents and purposes... very free, and a very free spirit.

9 years ago, I was working for a Trampoline company. Insert all the bad dad jokes here: it was really up and down, we had bad days but we’d always rebound, yadda yadda yada. I was also running my side hustle of working with a race car team (scroll through some old posts on here to find the videos I used to make... man... we had some good times! Some great friends have been made).

9 years ago, I was getting by, living life, earning a salary, hanging with friends and just doing whatever I wanted. Life wasn’t challenging, but it also wasn’t overly fulfilling. I’m 3 years out of University, I’m doing OK, having fun. But I wasn’t... genuinely happy. Not with what I was doing anyway. I was young, I was, perhaps naive to what the world ahead of me held, but hey, these are my glory years... what does it matter anyway? My biggest issue was paying my car insurance and having the right outfit for my next night out.

8 years ago, I feel like I finally started my life. Like I started, as an adult, and started making decisions based on what was right for me, and not necessarily cool and fun right now. 8 years ago, in 2011, I took a chance on me (at the encouragement of one unwaveringly supportive mom) - I moved to Cornwall to start in the radio world. The fear in that move was rivaled by the excitement of what could be. It wasn’t my first time living away (although this was the furthest), it wasn’t the first time being responsible for paying rent (and thankfully, this was the cheapest), it wasn’t the first time for a lot of things - but it was the first time I felt like I was finally choosing me and my path over what was convenient. It turned out to be where my life, and I’d say my career path really began. This was the first dive into media - where I would get a chance to be ‘on air’ - those words still hold weight for me. Being... ON... AIR. Someone saw something in me, and while it was maybe 3 times per hour over 3 hours x 2 days a week... it was SOMETHING!

While I didn’t know it... that decision 8 years ago, led to some major moves 7 years ago. When I moved again, to a place that would steal my heart.

7 years ago, I moved to Kingston and started co-hosting the morning show there. Whoda thunk I’d be a morning show host? Buzz and I had an amazing couple of years together. While we were in very different spots in our career paths, I felt like any road bump I hit, he was there to offer support, guidance, and in some instances ride on through with me. Buzz - I don’t know if you’ll read this, but thank you, thank you for being an ally, a friend, a mentor and all around great human. I know this decade has had its ups and definitely its hardest moments no one would ever wish upon someone. We don’t keep in touch as much as I thought we would, but I have so much respect for you and how you’ve handled the past few years specifically. Your strength is inspiring.

6 years ago I started in sports “officially”. Who knew how much this would impact my future? Who knew that would bring my back to Toronto (but that’s a story for another year)? As an in-arena host for a Junior Hockey Team... life was fun! I was on air doing the morning show during the week, napping, and hosting hockey games on the weekends. Wahoo. 2013 - you were a good year. You were also the year, and I’m sure anyone reading this that has been around for a while will remember, the #BTheFace contest? 2013 was the year I was one of 4 winners of the Mercedes. The year we held an awesome party in a dealership in Vaughn where the roof literally caught fire, where I got to go behind the Scenes at Cats, where I got to check out Fashion Week and interview Jeanne Beker.. so many fun memories in 2013. Maybe the best year of the decade? May. Be.

5 years ago, I left morning radio, and took a risk on a start up gig, but now... on air ON CAMERA!! People would get to SEE ME!?! I’ve always kind of owned I love the spotlight... and this was no different. This was a great year, from rapelling off buildings, to driving a poker boat, to joining the police at the shooting range (apparently I’m not too bad with a shotgun FYI), to baking cookies in a fire training facility - I experienced SO many fun things. And let’s not forget skydiving?! While I have some wonderful friends who I just hit it off with when I arrived in Kingston (ahem.. looking at you Andi), I think this was the year I also made some valuable friendships that have transcended some time. Keenan... Andrew - you two are gems. Absolute gems, and I’m so thankful we still keep in touch. Heck, Keenan, I think for you, Skydiving changed your life path!! Andrew - you got a mover out of it years later! Guys - I am so grateful for your friendship and the memories we’ve had along the way. Keen, I won’t go into any of the jokes or the memories.... because there truly are WAY to many (but.. like... jam jams).

4 years ago was a big one - it’s when I admitted I no longer needed the spotlight and accepted the biggest change in the career, leaving media and stepping fulltime into sports. I know some of my friends from elementary/high school still look at me and think “What are YOU doing in sports?” - this is not me. I was not athletic, I was not into sports, but hey... my passion for entertainment (as I later learned) is what brings me fulfillment each and every day. Also... ummm bought a house. So there’s that (hello highwaisted, stretchy big girl pants).

3 years ago was probably my toughest year of the decade. Both personally and professionally a lot of challenges, a lot of lessons learned and a year I believe I was happy to close the books on. While I look back now and can find the silver lining of the person it helped shaped me to be, it was a tough year to live through, and it was a year that forced me to make some decisions and start making some changes so that...

2 years ago... I came back to Toronto. To start full time in Football. FOOTBALL!? Now, my dear grandma and great uncle were always Argos & Pinball fans, but for me, it wasn’t something I was passionate about. Entertainment was the passion, and with a background in sales and game entertainment - I snagged a really neat role with the CFL. A role that allowed me to travel across the country, a role that expanded my knowledge of sports, a role that helped me feel more fulfilled, more satisfied and see my own opportunity for growth.

While 2018 and 2019 have been busy with a few more nights spent in hotels, a few more pounds on the ol’ bod, a few new friends, a few new hobbies and a heck of a lot of growth, I’m looking forward to the new year.

As I flip the calendar - There are a few things I’m living this year, maybe this decade by... they include lessons I’ve learned on my own, some are advice from others - but all are, in my opinion, worth a moment of reflection.

1. Stay Humble, Hustle Hard : I always have a side hustle it seems. This past summer I was working in Basketball to expand my skill set. I don’t know that I will ever need to call upon it, but it’s another sport, another role, another area for growth. It’s also opportunity for networking, building that professional base. Not all hustling will be for financial reasons. Sometimes - the hustle is going to be hard, challenging and require sacrifices... but sometimes, those big sacrifices have the biggest payoff (and sometimes, let’s just be honest, they don’t... but that’s OK too).

2. You have 2 ears and 1 mouth, use them in proportion : I’m a loud mouth, I talk a lot, we all know this, it is not a surprise. A big lesson the past couple of years was to learn to sit down and listen. I don’t need to be the first to speak, in fact, sometimes, just listening means you get to learn so much more.You get to hear everyone’s opinions, positions, points of view - and that may lend itself to inform your own position. Nothing is wrong with not having all the answers right away. For anyone a little younger, starting out in their career - I urge you to take this one to heart. Do not confuse this with me suggesting you should not speak up in meetings - but I encourage you to listen a little longer before you do.

3. You’ll never regret the things you do, as much as the things you don’t : in other words, be glad you did something, don’t wish you had done it. You can not go back and gain an experience once it’s gone. This is the year for all the 20-20 vision jokes - but we all have 20/20 hindsight.. we all have those moments we wished we had seized, those moments we look back and say “ugh... if only...” I had said yes, I had more time, I knew then what I know now. Carpe that diem. Don’t let the world, your moments, your life pass you by.

4. Settle for nothing less than you are worth : You get to choose what you bring into your life. You choose your job (I assume you applied for it didn’t you?), you choose where you live, you choose who you are friends with. YOU. You are in control of what you bring into your life, how you are treated and how you treat others. In the professional realm, the company will look out for their bottom line, you need to look out for yours. Be your own advocate. In the personal world, this could be a boyfriend/girlfriend, this could be friends, this could be where you spend your spare time, but you deserve nothing less than what you want to work for. Don’t be a victim of your life. Be the champion of it.

Wake up. Choose to live your most fulfilling life, your most challenging life, your most rewarding life. Choose yourself. But remember - these are your choices, your responsibility to own, your effort to put forth. No one is lucky in life. There are just those who work, and those who work harder. I try to choose to be the latter. It’s led to some great opportunities in life so far, and I hope for many more.

Happy New Year friends. Cheers to 2020, cheers to a new decade - and cheers to the best self, we each get to choose.

#NewYear 2020 #LifeLessons NYE 2020 NewDecade

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