Finding Yourself Through Reinvention

There’s a famous quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald that’s always stuck with me: "It’s never too late to become who you want to be." Beautiful, right? But also terrifying. Most of us read it and think, Sure, F. Scott, but do I really have time to overhaul my entire personality between work Zoom calls and laundry?

For years, I believed reinvention was reserved for movie montages and plot twists—Anne Hathaway trading frizzy bangs for sleek Chanel suits in The Devil Wears Prada or Moira Rose rebranding herself with bébé charm in Schitt’s Creek. Real life, though? It felt messier. But then I realized reinvention doesn’t have to mean an Immediate Life Revamp™; it’s not about becoming someone completely new but rediscovering and refining parts of yourself that were waiting to take the stage.

So, if you’re feeling stagnant—whether in your love life, career, or just the day-to-day—why not give reinvention a whirl? Armed with lessons learned from my own fits and starts (hello, bangs during the Melbourne heatwave), here’s how to embrace your inner phoenix, minus the melodrama.

Step 1: Acknowledge That Your Wardrobe (or Life) Might Need a Spring Cleaning

When I was 24, I returned to Vancouver after a year in Melbourne—a city where everyone seemed effortlessly cool, pairing denim jackets with artisanal flat whites. Inspired (maybe too inspired), I came home with three pairs of culottes, convinced they were my new "thing." Spoiler alert: Vancouver’s drizzle and my 5'2" frame said otherwise.

The same goes for life. Reinvention starts with looking at what you’re holding onto—and asking yourself why. A relationship that’s more lukewarm than a cold brew after an afternoon hike? A career path that feels…fine, but not inspiring? Sometimes the hardest part is admitting something isn’t working. But that’s also the moment growth begins.

Game Plan:
- Perform a "life audit" by listing areas where you feel stuck or discontent. Relationships, hobbies, self-care—nothing’s off-limits.
- Ask: "If I was starting fresh today, would I still choose this [job, partnership, haircut]?" If the answer’s no, it’s time to rethink.

And remember: Change doesn’t mean failure. It means you’re evolving. I mean, do you think Sandra Oh regretted leaving Grey’s Anatomy for more nuanced roles? Doubtful.

Step 2: Start Small—Rome Wasn’t Rebranded in a Day

Back in the café my parents owned in Kitsilano, they used to sell these delicate egg tarts that attracted a cult following. When our recipe changed slightly one summer (we ran out of duck eggs—long story), a regular customer declared them "ruined forever!" Change, even the small ones, has a knack for making people squeamish.

But personal reinvention doesn’t have to be drastic. Start with one small shift that excites you—whether it’s a new hobby, a bold lipstick, or finally testing out that spin class your coworker swore you’d "totally love."

For me, it was taking a surf lesson in Tofino, something I once swore I’d be terrible at. (I was, but catching even one wave gave me some surfer-girl swagger.) Every micro-change builds momentum, and things snowball from there.

Game Plan:
- Swap your usual routine for something novel once a week. (Eg: Instead of your go-to YouTube yoga class, try a salsa lesson.)
- Lean into curiosity instead of perfection. Who cares if you’re a disaster on day one? Every pro started somewhere.
- Recognize the ripple effects: A single new habit often reshapes your outlook. What begins as watercolor painting could reawaken your creative energy for a career pivot.

Step 3: Borrow, Steal, and Hybrid-Create Your New Identity

The beauty of reinvention is that you don’t need to figure it all out alone. One of the most liberating lessons I learned while living in Melbourne was that the city thrives on hybrids—coffee shops doubling as thrift stores, yoga studios slinging green smoothies. Why not borrow this mashup ethos for your own reinvention?

Identify the people, cultures, or experiences that spark inspiration. Maybe it’s the bold vulnerability of someone like Lizzo or the quiet minimalism of your one friend who actually lives by a capsule wardrobe. Take the bits that resonate and remix them to suit your vibe.

For instance, I’ve started weaving elements of my Hong Kong heritage back into my style and cooking. Cheongsam-inspired pieces paired with vintage Doc Martens? Yes, please. Nostalgic café-style cha chaan teng tea recipes, tweaked to include oat milk? Game-changer. Reinvention doesn’t erase the old you—it adds layers.

Game Plan:
- Create a vision board (Pinterest, sticky notes, wine corks—whatever works) of aesthetics, personalities, and lifestyles you admire.
- Experiment with blending influences, whether it’s merging old interests with fresh discoveries or updating childhood favorites with a modern twist.
- Stay true to yourself. Reinvention isn’t imitation; it’s curation.

Step 4: Lose the "All or Nothing" Mentality

Growing up in Vancouver, I thrived on seasonal reinvention. Fall was for swapping swimsuits for academia-approved layers. Winter? Full hibernation mode. Spring, though—that was the season of hope. Even local cherry blossoms reinvent themselves every year, emerging beautiful despite the blustery rain.

The point? Reinvention should feel seasonal too. You’re allowed to evolve in phases, testing the waters without a full 180-degree transformation. After all, movie montages famously skip over the gritty in-between moments where you’re frantically Googling "Can I pull off platinum blonde hair?" as a wayward drip from your at-home bleach kit lands on the bathroom floor. Spoiler: The answer is usually no.

Game Plan:
- Go gradual. Introduce minor changes before tackling grander goals—try waking 30 minutes earlier before booking an expensive yoga retreat in Costa Rica.
- Accept that some things will flop. The journey toward reinvention is a zigzag, not a straight path, and that’s what makes it interesting.

Step 5: Give Yourself Permission to Let Some Things Stay the Same

Finally, here’s an unconventional truth about reinvention: You don’t have to overhaul everything. In fact, some constants might be exactly what you need.

One of my favorite moments in that messy post-Melbourne year was catching up with high school friends over dim sum at the same Chinatown spot we’ve frequented since we were 13. While reinventing certain parts of me, I realized I didn’t need a brand-new social circle to feel renewed—just a different lens to appreciate the people and experiences that already felt like home.

Not everything needs to shift. Keep the values, routines, and relationships that genuinely fulfill you. Reinvention is less about running from your old self and more about embracing a fuller version of who you already are.

The Last Word: You’ve Got This

Reinvention isn’t a one-time event. It’s a constant, evolving process that lets you step into the version of yourself that feels most authentic today. You’ll have awkward starts—culottes you’ll cringe at in a few years, hobbies that fizzle out—but you’ll also have breakthroughs.

And the best part? Nothing is wasted. Reinvention teaches you resilience—it shows you how to pivot, adapt, and trust your intuition over external expectations. Whether you’re looking to rekindle your sense of adventure, redefine your relationships, or just add a splash of excitement to the ordinary, remember: starting fresh isn’t scary. Staying stagnant? Now that’s terrifying.

Happy reinventing. You’ve got this.