Cloé L.

I think Cloé is the newest friend I have featured on here; we met at our current job (I'm pretty sure she's one of the first, if not the first person I met when I arrived) and I'll admit I creepily decided in my head... immediately... that we had to be friends. So then I made her be my friend. But for real though; Cloé is someone who is so easy to talk to, so friendly, beautiful, sometimes has a sexy little French accent if you listen close, AND she is from Canada so I can make her be my friend forever! From Jimjilbangs (nude public bath houses oo la la), to various "shows" at an exhibition place near us, to henna and drinking wine, she's been my go-to girl this year. She is understanding, compassionate, hard working, generous, and is always there to listen. She's an all around wonderful person with a big big heart.

Where are you from and where are you now?

Alberta and Quebec are where I grew up, but I currently call Seoul my home.

What goals are you working towards and what keeps you motivated?

Well, where should I begin? I’m the type of person who is always working on something.
The major goal, the one that has kept me motivated for close to 3 years now, the the reason for me being in Korea, well that one is easy. I’m here working towards making the trip of a lifetime that will see me solo traveling across South East Asia and parts of Europe over the course of 6 months! I’m so close I can almost taste it!
Part of me secretly, or not so secretly, just wants to be home. I am really looking forward to being home again.

What does confidence mean to you?

Confidence to me means not letting another person dictate your happiness or self worth.  Whether that be in the form of a relationship status, loving to treat yourself to that double cheeseburger, becoming a gym rat and saying no to many social invitations or for simply not giving up on your dreams, knowing full well that it may cause others pain. Confidence is knowing what you stand for, being comfortable in your own skin, being kind, helpful, wholehearted and never settling for anything less than what you know you deserve. Confidence is a part of you, like a muscle. You can strengthen it or neglect it, but it is always there, waiting to be used..  

Where does your confidence come from?

The foundation of my confidence comes from the woman who raised me. There are not enough words to describe how much she has influenced my life. She is a beautiful, selfless, strong and tenacious woman! She doesn’t give up and I strive to follow in her footsteps.
My brother, Jason, and his girlfriend, Kate are a great source of confidence for me. I am so lucky to be living at the other end of the world with them and I can not express how much that means to me. They are my family and my family's opinions I value like no other. They have always supported me and put me in my place when need be. They ground me, and with how high I tend to fly...I need them from to time to time.
Of course, at the end of the day, I wouldn’t be who I am without the friends, acquaintances or people that I have, have had or will have in my life. There are a handful of people in my life that I cannot live without and they have contributed to my personal growth like no other. Jessica is one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever met and I could not be the confident woman I am today without a friend like her at my side!  She is my person, till the end.

What do you love about yourself?
          a) Mentally? I love my strong character. I have learned a lot about myself these past 3 years living abroad and I am mentally stronger than I have ever been! I love, love, love that I am finally being more comfortable with just saying “no”. I am learning to love myself and to do what makes me happy. It is an incredible feeling!  b) Physically? I love my curves! More specifically, my behind! In the past 2 years I have come to realize that I love weightlifting and that I am actually quite good at it. As many women before me, I have always felt insecure of my body and thought that lifting weights meant gaining huge amounts of muscle. I am very happy to say that that is not the case! I am falling in love with my body, one body part at a time! :)   c) Emotionally? I wear my emotions on my sleeve. At times this is something I love about myself because I am not a hard person to read but in other cases...I could use some work in that aspect. I’ve learned to say no, to listen to my wants and needs. To respect myself. When it comes to our emotions, there is always room to grow. :)

What is one of your greatest accomplishments?

My greatest accomplishments thus far have been quitting smoking, regaining control of my health and well being, and living/working abroad.
These 3 accomplishments seemed like impossible feats until I actually set my mind to it and just did it!

Do you find you compare yourself to others often?

Constantly. I wish I could say otherwise. I really do. I know it is an unhealthy, negative behavior because everyone has a different path, a different story and we shouldn’t let another person's journey dictate ours but.. it still happens.

I’m working on creating my own story.

What is something in your life that you have had to overcome, or that you are working to overcome?

My body dysmorphia. From an early age I was diagnosed with a hormone imbalance. This lead to quite a few embarrassing side effects for a growing teenage girl. I didn’t know how to deal with being different from other girls my age, so I shied away from certain situations. Boys mostly.
I’m happy to say that today, after being diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) back in March, I understand what my body is going through. I am learning more about myself now than ever before.

What always makes you feel better?

My friends. My family. A good dinner and a great glass of wine.

Is there anything about yourself- mentally, physically, or emotionally that you would like to improve?

Life is about all about reinventing yourself. Learning. Growing. Striving for more. I am always looking to improve myself, in all aspects of my life, but I am also very happy with how I’ve gotten to where I am today. :)
If I had to pick something? I would love to be more of a reader, more organized and have a bit more self discipline.

What is one of your insecurities?

My irrational fear of being disliked.

How do you deal with jealousy?

I try to give myself a reality check when this happens. Jealousy can overwhelm you and I try to take a step back, talk to someone about how I’m feeling, and let the emotion out, rather than keep it locked inside. I find talking to my friends and family helps me through a lot of issues I may have in life.

Do you feel pressured by societal norms for your life to turn out a certain way?

Oh definitely. Who doesn’t feel the pressure to have a white picket fence, the cars, the perfect partner, the babies and the career to top it all off. WOW! I can feel the pressure just from typing it out like that.

Who has helped shape who you are?

My friends. My parents. My brother. These are some beautiful and inspirational people!

What is the most important part of a romantic relationship?

Communication and spontaneity.

What are three things you are grateful for today?

Korea. My job. The people I have met along the way.

What book should I read and why?

I’m not much of a book worm, but I am trying to change that. ;)
A book I was recently gifted with that has a beautiful message is “Me Before You”.
If you’re looking for something a bit more steamy then get your hands on the “Outlander” series. You can thank me later.