11 things I achieved in 22 years on Earth

Hello readers,

Time flies, doesn’t it? It’s my birthday! As today marks the beginning of my 22nd year on Earth, I thought I would acknowledge all I have learned and achieved so far. This is the first post of a series of two posts today. Here are 11 things that I have achieved in 22 years on Earth.

1. I was the lead-animator of a Radio Show for 5 years

From July 2011 to July 2015, I had the immense honor to lead multiple teams of wonderful and talented people in a show destined for the youth on a local Radio on my mother island, Martinique. I was only 13 years old when I suggested the idea to the Radio and this whole experience is by far the one I’m most proud of. I had the opportunity to meet so many amazing people, from small young talents to renowned artists, partners, other radio shows.

Animating Lésé Jénès Palé on Radio Sud Est, Martinique

If you would like to know more about this experience, don’t hesitate to tell me in the comments!

2. I built an identity online, and a blog

If my memory is correct, I think I’ve been around in the blogosphere since at least 2012. I tried pretty much all of the platforms there was: Blogger, Joomla, Wix, Medium, Tumblr, WordPress, etc. This experience alone taught and gave me so much. Through blogging, I got to discover my own love for writing, first in French then in English.

I met amazing like-minded people from all communities and all around the world. I also learned how to use all of these technical tools, how to code. Blogging also and mostly helped me build an online presence, credibility, that helped me find a job back in 2016, and even made me get contacted my companies earlier this year.

3. I grew up conscious of the world around me

It might seem stupid or evident to some, but it’s a value that is important to me. I grew up conscious of the world around me, not feeling superior or inferior to anyone or anything. For quite a lot of people, it’s easy to think that being born in a country is your birthright because you deserve it, and that it allows you to feel superior to others. Or some people will think that “they are smart and the others are stupid, their opinions are worthless”.

I’m happy to have grown up conscious and curious about what happens around me. Yes, sometimes it tricks me as I often undervalue my opinion and overvalue one of the others 🤷🏾‍♂️. Either way, I’m proud of having developed the simple, yet the rarest ability of mankind: knowing how to listen.

4. I graduated… from my first school

I don’t have the actual diploma just yet to prove it, the ceremony (which I sadly could not have participated in since I’m not in the country) was postponed due to the Coronavirus crisis, but I actually earned my first post-high-school diploma!

I might dive a little bit more about all of that in upcoming posts, but I’ll give you the context. From 2016 to 2019, I was studying Digital Communication & E-business in a little private school in Paris, called ECITV, where I graduated a major of promotion. As you may know, nowadays I’m studying Software Engineering at Polytechnique Montréal, Canada.

5. I animated 3 live events

Back in 2014, in addition to the Radio Show, I was hosting, I had the amazing opportunity to animate 3 live events on my own island. Two of them were “talent shows”, the other was more of a “debating-conference” and the biggest event gathered over a thousand people in a rotating crowd.

Being interview on Trace FM Martinique

It might not look like that for you reading this post, but I’m a rather shy and introverted person 😅. In fact, I still don’t know where my past self found the courage to achieve all of that. Either way, I still keep beautiful memories of these events.

6. I launched my first freelance gig

Around the beginning of last year (Jan 2019), I finally took the leap into the unknown and decided to launch my open my first “auto-entreprise” (business), in France. It’s not easy to be a freelance and you have to be givers organized and prepared, but I’m rather happy to have had this opportunity, with which I learned very much.

I will admit that it’s rather hard to handle beside class and everything, but it’s very rewarding on a skill and organizational level. I’m learning every step of the way.

7. I had amazing opportunities to travel

In the 22 years I have been on Earth, I am happy to have had the opportunity to travel across. the world and visit several countries. Whether in Europe or in America, I’ve been blown away by the beauty of this worlds, the landscapes, the culture, the people, the energy.

Time Square in New York City

Also, as funny as it may sound to some, travelling across the world and seeing various amazing places, made me aware of how magnificent the island I grew in was (and still is). Now I understand what my mom meant when she would say that she gave me both wings so I could make my dreams come true and roots, so I could always know where I come from.

8. I built the habit of reading… a lot

Well this is actually one of the things I’m the most proud about. Although there was a period in my life when I barely read, at all, along the years I developed quite a taste (as we way not to say unconditionnal love) for reading.

Reading anytime, anywhere.

By no means am I a fast reader, in fact I think I'm a rather normal reader, I usually get through around 30-35 books in a year (aiming for more next year!), but I'm a rather consistent one. I never go out without a book and I'm rather happy to read diverses books, from history books to biographies, going through fantasy and science fiction to finally come to self-help and science. I just love reading and learning, from any source I can find.

9. I was featured in a newspaper

Back in 2015, when I left my home island to go live in Paris, I was contacted by a journalist from "France-Antilles" which was the main newspaper of the island at the time, to answer some question for an upcoming article. Some weeks later, I was featured for the very first time in an official newspaper and although it seems afar today (5 years back), it's still something that makes me happy and proud.

I'm no going to leave a public copy of it on the blog, but if you're interested in learning more or reading it, don't hesitate to contact me in private or in the comments! Fun story: it actually helped me get a job in 2016.

10. I paved my way back to myself

Although it's not an easy path, in the last few years, I have slowly and finally paved the way back to myself. I stopped always prioritizing other people's needs and desires other my own. By no means have I became selfish or egoistical (at least I hope not), but I have simply understood that if I am to make anyone happy, I need to be happy as well. If I am to ever love someone unconditionnally, I have to love myself in the same way first.

For me, paving the way back to myself means being honest, and actually listenning to what is happenning in my boday, in my heart, in my mind. Accepting, without judging and finding the strength in myself to be proud of who I am today, to just live unapolegetically until the next moment.

11. I built a little static app

Earlier last year, I was inspired to build an app. I took some pencils and papers and raw a wireframe of my idea. Then when I had a fixed idea of what it would look like, designed the it using Adobe XD (lately I switched to Figma) so that I could code a first static version some time later.

It's rather far to be finished and my plan is to make it interactive so that anuone could use it, but for now I still lack the skills. But trust me, I will get there soon, and I will most likely keep you updated in the process!

Speaking of which, don't hesitate to tell me in the comments, if you think I should write some posts to describe the process, of design, coding, deploying, etc. 😁

Check out my other birthday post 🎂

Here, that's it for this post! If you have missed it, I also published another post today: 11 things I learned in 22 years. I hope you like it!