Serena Guen's Home Truths
Everyone, this is Serena. Why ask her for her Home Truths?
Cos she founded SUITCASE Magazine - a brand all about getting the best out of travel - and cos she’s given us all the best childhood photo you’ve ever seen (see left).
1. The song to put a smile on your face…
Get Down Saturday Night - Oliver Cheatham. It makes me want to stop whatever I'm doing and get up and dance. I've even tried and failed to learn the routine from Ex Machina.
2. You can only watch one film for the next three months… What is it?
Avatar. At the moment, I'm in need of escapism and I love the other world that they've created in the film.
3. The TV series you want everyone to watch:
Wolf Hall. It's like dark chocolate, you don't need to binge on it to be satisfied. It's slower than a lot of series I've watched recently but now that I have the time, I really appreciate something more intelligent and complex.
4. The book you most recommend to people:
The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama, which I read when I was at a retreat called Vana in the North of India. It's a really lovely insight into people's motives in life and that we all share the common goal of seeking happiness – it totally changed the way that I perceive people and their behaviour, made me less quick to judge!
5. The subject you’ve put off exploring that’s now top of your to-do list:
I've started dancing again using Steezy Studio. It's an incredible resource. I used to be good at dancing as a teen so it's nice to be able to practice again without the pressure to perform in a class. I've also started meditating again using the Calm app twice a day and it's made an incredible difference to my daily stress levels.
6. The wild card you wish more people knew about…
Gratitude Journals – it's so cheesy but they honestly make it so much easier for you to maintain a positive mindset. I've now started to place more emphasis on all the things that have gone right rather than letting one small thing put off my entire day. (N.B. I got mine from Intelligent Change).
7. We’re allowed dinner parties again… What are you cooking?
The only thing I can really cook well: lemon roast chicken with rosemary roast potatoes, and meringue and berries for dessert.
8. Everything’s back open. What’s the first coffee shop, restaurant or pub you’re visiting?
It would be a tie between the River Cafe for squid and stracciatella ice cream, and Luca for a negroni and one of their pasta dishes (gluten-free of course) and their gluten-free bread!
P.S. What you know now, that you wish you knew then…
That our team can work well remotely and that I could have introduced more flexible working earlier on. It's such a scary leap to make but we're so lucky that we can use technologies like Slack, Zoom, Google Hangout etc. to keep our collaborative spirit. I've also learned how much of the spirit of travel can be embodied at home, and that we have a role to play in bringing other cultures into our reader's everyday lives.
C’est fini... Now what?
Read some more Home Truths from family, friends, or Founders. Not sure what’s going on here? Head to Home Truths to find out more.