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For the past two months, I’ve been having an affair.

I’ve been working part-time at a gym, but I’ve ended things with my full-time job and decided to run off with my mistress.

What’s been brewing

If you read my last update, I was stoked about my new role—but once the honeymoon phase wore off, I was worn out too.

Web3 is unlike any other industry I’ve been a part of. The people in this space believe in something bigger than god; they believe in decentralizing the internet to provide everyone with accessibility to the web, financial freedom, and privacy.

They say tech is fast-paced and ever-changing, but web3 moves even faster. The markets never close, timezones are nonexistent, and weekends are just a constraint, as a peer once said.

Don’t let the intensity fool you—web3 also knows how to have a good time.

Working in Developer Relations involves frequent travel. In April, I was on the road for three weeks, visiting Boston, Sydney, and Rio de Janeiro.

My team planned an offsite in Bali right after Ethereum Rio, but I declined because I was exhausted from travel.

Imagine declining a trip to Bali.

Travel isn’t the only perk.

The people.

I could go on for days, but if it wasn’t for the vibes, I wouldn’t have lasted this long.

DevRels especially. I don’t know what it is, but being a DevRel in web3 is like being part of a secret society. Everyone is welcome, and everyone just helps each other out. We speak on panels together, ask for the best camera tips, and are always up for a good debate.

After six weeks into my new role, I asked myself: gun to my head, do I want the last thing I read to be about epochs and slots?

The answer was an absolute no, fuck no.

This took me back to a time when I was listening to Tim Ferris, who said there’s no other podcast he’d rather be doing than The Tim Ferris Show. This was when Web3 for Basic Bitches was in full swing. I knew then that blockchain wasn’t it for me, but I thought if I just tried harder, I got more reps in, I would learn to love it.

Unfortunately, it didn’t happen like that.

Motherhood

Claudia and I are ready for our next arc: motherhood.

I turned 32 this year, and it feels like something shifted—kids are now on the roadmap. It’s clear that whatever issues you don’t deal with as an adult, your kids are the lucky inheritors.

One of my issues has always been my relationship with work. I'm unhappy.

I know, I know - it’s very millennial of me, to want to feel purpose and excitement from my career.

My family immigrated to the United States when I was just a baby. I grew up watching both my parents work non-stop. With limited options, they began working as newspaper carriers. This was a 7-day-a-week job with no holidays, no benefits, and if they wanted a day off, they had to find someone to cover their route and pay them a premium, or risk losing their routes. They kept this schedule up for 30 years.

My parents were a force. They were known around the depot for the number of routes they delivered, the quality of their work, and their willingness to always take on more. People couldn’t believe my mom could handle her workload—at 5’3”, she’d pack her car to the ceiling with papers and, come hell or high water, she’d get the job done. You could count on them no matter what.

The intensity and focus came at a cost.

This past Christmas was the first since we’ve been in the US that my parents didn’t have to leave for work, as they retired from newspapers last year.

Today, my dad, now 62, continues working full-time as a construction glazer, a job he’s had for over 15 years (all while working full time delivering newspapers), while my mom, now 58 works at a retirement community running orange juice and coffees to seniors.

To say my parents have a strong work ethic would be an understatement.

So, you can imagine the difficulty in explaining to them how, after working in tech for 4 years, I felt burnt out and wanted to pursue something I love.

Despite being old school, my parents understood. They worked tirelessly so that my sister and I could have opportunities they never had.

They didn’t have the luxury to stop and reflect on their job satisfaction, but they made sure we could.

I owe it to them to do better.

Practicing what you preach.

I’ve already imagined countless parenting scenarios. One lesson I hope to share with my kids is to pursue what they love and not focus solely on money, because money is never the end game.

How can I teach this if I remain in a career driven by external rewards?

I’ve thought a lot about how parents sometimes tend to ‘live through their children,’ trying to fulfill dreams they never achieved themselves.

Here’s a radical idea: How about we continue to pursue our own dreams and teach, not by words but by our actions, that if there’s something you want, nothing is stopping you but yourself from achieving it.

Following your passion is bullshit

Passion is like a flame that will eventually burn out.

When I first began exploring web3, I was passionate about providing an alternative to the global banking system. I believed that individuals’ financial futures shouldn’t be tied to political decisions beyond their control.

I loved the idea of this, but doing it… not so much. As times got tougher, this flame eventually burnt out.

Love, on the other hand, is something you do regardless of how hard it is. You do it because not doing it is unfathomable; you can’t imagine your life without it.

Passion is something you feel; love is something you do.

What do I love? I made a short list:

1. Overcoming physical challenges

2. Seeing people do more than they thought they were capable of

3. Bringing people together

Mensana Fitness

Mensana comes from the Latin phrase ‘mens sana in corpore sano,’ which translates to "a healthy mind in a healthy body."

I’m building a community hub for active people. Think the Huberman Lab meets Mind Pump Show, but with a woman protagonist—me.

Unlike in the web3 world where having a dank GitHub is enough to get you a job, credibility in health and fitness requires degrees and certificates.

The first level to unlock: becoming a certified personal trainer.

I’ve come to accept that going back to school may also be on the roadmap, but for now, I’ll be focusing on becoming the best trainer I can be.

Burning the boats

354 days ago, I wrote my first update.

I was lost, uncertain, and scared.

Today, I know exactly where I’m headed, and I have no doubt I will get there. I’m still scared, but I’m no longer afraid of trying.

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