Loving the Present Does Not Mean You Have Settled {Jun Loayza}

I recently wrote a blog post about why I can’t do what I’m passionate about. After the post, I felt frustrated with my family because I felt like they were holding me back. If only my dad saved more money, or if my brother went to a 4-year university, then the weight of my entire family would not be on my shoulders.

But, as I read through the amazing comments on my blog post, I began to realize how selfish and self-centered I had become. In only two years, I had developed tunnel vision for developing a successful Internet company and living location independently. I was so focused on these goals that I forgot to appreciate what I already have.

I believe that we often fall prey to the “wanting what I don’t have” disease. It seems that the grass is always greener on the other side, but in order to be truly happy, one must learn to appreciate one’s current state of being.

I used to believe that being happy with the present meant settling for less than what I wanted to achieve. I now know that it is possible to have dreams and aspirations, while at the same time, feeling happy about the present.

These are the people that I am thankful for in my life:

1. My Family

I don’t know how my family has put up with me for 24 years.

When I had to come home every weekend during the spring of 2006, my Dad gladly drove an hour each way to pick me up from school and drop me off at home. When I decided to leave my full-time job after only three months, my Mom gladly welcomed me back home with open arms. And when student loans weren’t enough to pay for rent and tuition, my Mom and Dad gave me an allowance that allowed me to focus on school and not have to get a full-time job.

Without my family’s love and support, I would not have been able to take advantage of the opportunities that were presented to me.

2. Kim Ear

Kim has been with me since the very beginnings of my entrepreneurial journey. Since my early days of Bruin Consulting, she has seen me start The Veridical Group, Future Delivery, Viralogy, and many other small projects. She supported me when I left my corporate job, and has never pressured me to get a stable income so that we can move in together.

For two years, she has loved me, even though I’ve been broke and unable to buy her lavish gifts. I joke with her that the only reason she sticks around with me is because she knows I’m going to be a millionaire someday, hahaha.

I recently had the opportunity to get sponsored by a company and travel the world for a year. Two other contestants were in a relationship and they both broke up with their girlfriends because of the process. Their girlfriends gave them an ultimatum: “It’s either this trip or me. Choose!” Kim, on the other hand, was the envy of all of the guys there, because she was the only girlfriend that was understanding and encouraged me to chase my dreams.

Without Kim’s love and support, there is no way that I would be where I am today.

3. Best Friends

“Tell me who you hang out with, and I’ll tell you who you are.”

My Dad burned these words into my brain when I was young, and I have lived these words ever since.

My friends are much smarter and more academically sound than I am. They got better grades in school, are going to graduate school, and have a greater salary than me. Instead of feeling inferior or jealous, their success motivates me to keep up with their accomplishments.

People are always surprised when I tell them that I’ve never smoked or been to a strip club in my life. The honest truth is that I’ve never been because my best friends and I just never did it growing up. We’d rather play basketball at the park or watch a movie at the Irvine Spectrum.

Without the love and support of my friends, I would not have the motivation and drive that I have today.

Thank you so much Sam for doing this series. I know that I’m late to it, but I don’t think I truly appreciated what I have until now.

Appreciative Revolutionary: Jun Loayza (@junloayza)

Bio: Jun is the Co-Founder of Viralogy and the President of SocialMediaMarketing.com, a social media marketing agency.  Find out more about Jun at his blog: Young Entrepreneur.

Favorite ice cream flavor: Strawberry Shortcake

I appreciate Jun’s persistent entrepreneurial spirit, his desire for innovation, and the way he reaches out and recognize other bloggers through his site, Viralogy!

Tagged as: Advice, Appreciation, being thankful, bloggers, Learning, Relationships