‘Every decision you make has an impact on your tomorrow’

Mary Christine (26) is a health coach and inspirational social media influencer. She’s a German, Philippine, Australian mix up who knows her way around the world and just published her first book about becoming a vegan.

What does happiness mean to you?
Waking up in the morning and being alive. To take a shower, eat beautiful food, having someone to kiss and fresh water to drink. Happiness is in everything you do. You feel it when you see it.

What is your background?
My mom is from the Philippines and my dad from Germany. I was born on the Philippines but lived the first years of my life in Berlin. When I was six we moved to Australia where I grew up, went to school and lived a happy childhood. I studied for and became a nurse and worked in a doctor’s practice for several years. Two years ago I became a vegan. I’ve had an eating disorder for seven years and was looking for an answer. One night I dreamed about a blonde girl lying with her back on fruits. I googled it to check what it meant and then I came across ”freelee the banana girl”. After I saw all her video’s I was totally inspired and became a vegan too. Since then I feel much better. When I was 24 I travelled by myself for three months and started my Youtube channel about becoming a vegan, happiness and how to love yourself. At first it was just a way of expressing myself. It gave me confidence when people connected with me and my channel started to grow. When I came back home me and my boyfriend, decided we wanted to see the world before we would get married or have children. We saved up, sold everything and just went. During that trip I studied health coaching online. When we came back to Australia, we wanted to travel more. After six weeks we decided to move to Chiang Mai. I love this city, it has many vegan restaurants, good Wi-Fi everywhere and the living costs are low. It is a perfect base to work on my business.

Where do you stand in life?
When I was younger I always had an idea of where I would be when I would be 26. I thought I would have bought a house and have children. Reality couldn’t be more opposite. I am living in Thailand setting up my own business and just published my first book. It is nothing what I expected but I do every day what I love and couldn’t be more grateful.

Are you familiar with the 30 years dilemma?
I don’t think too much or worry about turning 30. I try to live in the now, life changes every moment and I try to enjoy all the days I have. Every decision you make has an impact on your tomorrow. I believe if you do the best you can it will lead you in the right way.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Do you have a dream?
I see myself very happy in the future, businesswise successful, living in nature and surrounded by beautiful people.

What wise lesson did your parents teach you?
Do you, nobody else can do you. To not worry about what other people think. Since I was young this influenced me to always go my own way.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Just breathe. Everything will turn out fine and don’t wear a too short skirt when you go out.

When was your last moment of happiness?
Now I am meeting you guys and before eating a 80% chocolate bar. Chocolate is always a moment of happiness.

Under the same sun is an ongoing travel log which you can follow on our travel and lifestyle blog Meet You at the Bridge. The reports show the similarities and differences on what it means to be happy for women between the ages of 25 and 35 who hail from different cultures.

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