Vanessa is Embracing Opportunities and Lifelong Learning as She Ages

Meet Guide Vanessa, a vibrant individual and native of Boston, Massachusetts is taking this opportunity to travel and work from Florida with her sister. She is showing that being a digital nomad at any age is a possibility!  Vanessa radiates positivity and shares her inspiring journey of continuous learning and empowerment.

Vanessa's earlier career was in accounting, where she worked for a venture capital firm. However, she took a bold step when she decided to follow her passion for cooking. At the age of 40, she enrolled in culinary school, embarking on a new path as a chef educator focused on preparing healthy school meals. Vanessa's culinary journey allowed her to interact with food service managers, test recipes with children, and conduct adult learning classes in the evenings.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of successful people. I noticed that successful people invest in lots of different ventures. I think it’s nice to have in your background different interests and use your own talent to make your own money and so that’s what I’m working on - expanding my talent toolkit.”

The pandemic prompted Vanessa to explore a new avenue, and she ventured into nutritional coaching. Her love for healthy cooking and nutrition has been a constant thread throughout her life, reflecting her unwavering commitment to holistic well-being, in which she is constantly hungry to enhance her knowledge in. 

To stay physically fit, Vanessa engages in regular walks and exercises, which she balances with reading and meditation for mental well-being. She’s also started to lift weights as well because she knows how important that is to wellness as one ages. Her commitment to staying active, both physically and mentally, reflects her zest for life.

As she navigates the path of aging, Vanessa emphasizes the importance of a fearless mindset. She acknowledges that with age comes a reduction in fear, enabling her to explore new horizons. Meditation and yoga have become valuable tools for managing stress and cultivating mindfulness.

“It’s all a mindset, now I regularly meditate, and it keeps my stress levels down. In the past, I might have focused more of my wellness journey on losing weight, but now it’s more on handling stress and having outlets to do that healthily.” 

Vanessa's hospitable nature extends to her role as an aunt. She imparts life lessons to her nieces and nephews, providing them with guidance they can carry with them into their own journeys. She’s even been the inspiration for others in her family to go from accounting to following their culinary passions. Vanessa is passionate about empowering others to learn and believes in the uniqueness of every individual's path.

To empower herself and others further, Vanessa has begun working on a life plan. She's determined to step out of her comfort zone, setting clear goals and timelines for achieving her next steps. Her endeavors include exploring online learning platforms, enhancing her blogging skills, and exploring new avenues for side hustles.

Vanessa's curiosity is another driving force in her life. She's intrigued by the idea of financial independence and self-sufficiency, encouraging others to invest their talents in generating income. Her belief in lifelong learning shines through as she continuously explores new possibilities.

"I think that healthy people assume they will stay healthy as they get older. Often times they don’t plan long-term finances, and unfortunately, you just never know. My thought process is that as long as you're living, you can expand and learn. You should keep investing in learning and financial wellness for as long as you can."

The opportunities Vanessa has discovered in her later years are opening new doors for her. She recognizes that technology has an abundance of learning resources that weren’t available to her before when her main source of knowledge was the physical library. The digital age has made learning more accessible than ever, enabling individuals to educate themselves with free resources and self-guided study.

“There are so many things you can do digitally nowadays that don’t cost money. No one should be short of learning opportunities because there are so many digital ways to teach yourself.”

Vanessa expresses her appreciation for GetSetUp, emphasizing that it provides her with the opportunity to teach what she loves to an audience within her age group and beyond. Her role as a Guide allows her to interact directly with users, creating connections and sharing her passion for learning.

“I like the opportunity to teach what I love to an audience that is my age and above. I especially enjoy interacting with the learners live in the virtual classes as people feel comfortable to ask questions out love.”  

Staying active physically, mentally, and socially is essential to Vanessa's lifestyle. While she thrives in online communities, she values her introverted moments and cherishes her close-knit family. She’s also found cherished communities online in shared cooking communities that shared recipes virtually and other food tips. She knows in the modern era, community comes in many forms, and she’s proud to add the GetSetUp community as one of her communities.