Meet Bijan Vaez
“Internal happiness is the reward from being in flow.”
Meet Cinnamon & Oak team member Bijan Vaez from Vancouver, BC.
Just so we can all get to know a sliver of you really quick, share 5 things that make you, you:
The one thing that every person in the world has in common is that we have to eat. Multiple times a day. If you can make this experience joyful, you’re already living a happy life. So yes, I love eating (and making) the best food at all times.
I grew up in a very political household immigrating to Canada from a volatile society. And so I’m always thinking about the future, and how it can be shaped for the better and what my part is in that.
As much as I love nice ‘things’, I live for experiences. Some for me personally but more so experiences I can share with others. I love to create unique bonds by shared memories. So do know if we hang out, at some point you should be ready for some sketchy shit.
I’m an eternal optimist to a fault and it gets me into trouble regularly.
At the end of the day what gets me going is building. Whether in my hand, in my mind, or gathering a bunch of amazing people to build an awesome company, I have this constant urge to create from nothing.
Why do you do Movember? Why is it important to you?
Men’s specific health issues don’t get the voice they need in proportion to the number of people they affect everyday. Movember has been one of the greatest vehicles to destigmatize and spread knowledge as well as awareness around the most pressing men’s health topics today.
What’s your morning routine like?
After years of attempting to wake up earlier and earlier (at peak it was 5 am!) to get more done in a day. I’ve realized I’m really - like REALLY - not a morning person. These days it’s all about the slow wake up - pour over coffee ritual, make the best tasting breakfast I can think of, read up on news, clear my notifications - kick off the day.
Favourite podcast, book, documentary, etc?
I’m a big picture thinker and Yuval Noah Harari’s “Sapiens” has been one that I’ve been referencing for years. It has helped me connect the dots to better understand and reason about what is happening in our world today. Ray Dalio’s “Principles” has also stuck with me as an interesting way to compound and build on your learnings through life.
A favourite quote or one you’re pondering right now?
“Internal happiness is the reward from being in flow. Create, meditate, love, and play. That is what clears the mind. That is what leaves us in peace.” - Naval Ravikant.
I’ve been very lucky to have had success very early on in my life. The biggest lesson has been the true realization of what it means to be living for the journey and not the destination. There is always something more, no matter how far you get, and the pursuit of a destination will slowly kill you. Instead, if I can focus on internal happiness, I can keep moving from one journey to the next with a clear mind and happiness and slowly build the amazing chapters that make up the book of my life.
In the past year, what have you done to take care of your mental health?
Dream, plan and create. The more I focus on how to shape my future, the less anxious I feel about everything I can’t control today. It allows my mind to let go and live in the moment right now. And when my mind is able to think freely without blocks, I can focus its energy on building out what comes next.
If you want to connect with me…
…you can find me at the usuals LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter
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