Meet Su-Jit Lin

We recently connected with Su-Jit Lin and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Su-Jit, you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?

Honestly, generosity is a word I often attribute to others more so than myself … but it’s a trait I aspire to. I’m the eldest child of immigrants and didn’t have much growing up, so to live the way I do now as a writer, with access to incredible experiences, food, drinks, destinations, and more is beyond my wildest dreams. But it’s only possible because of others and I constantly remind myself of that.

It’s the generosity of the people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet along the way that have inspired me to always think about ways I can pay their kindness forward. When you’re blessed with that, it’s easy to pass thoughtfulness on, especially when you don’t close your eyes to the fact that there are so many others with so little, and never forget how it felt when even ONE person was generous to you. Because the truth is, there’s only so much people can enjoy themselves and it does no one any good to hoard gifts, opportunities, or resources. And all of those are pointless without folks to share it with, whether these people are loved ones or just some stranger in need of a bright moment in their day.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a B2B and marketing travel writer by day for a global tour operator, and a consumer travel, food, and lifestyle journalist by night (and weekend and holiday!) But what all of my stories share in common is a desire to be a helpful human, whether that’s through sharing tips and insight on how to save money on groceries, cook better, or vacation well. It also includes sharing the stories of underrepresented and passionate makers (such as chefs, bakers, growers, and more) trying to do the right thing, chasing their dreams, and create moments of joy for for others, as a way to support their success.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1) An attitude of gratitude. I never forget a good deed and always look forward to an opportunity to repay someone for their generosity to me. Whether it’s another writer who referred me, an editor that gave me a chance, or a publicist that believed in me, I make it a point to consciously commit to memory their kindness.
2) Optimism and tenacity. If I didn’t believe in myself and actively work to improve my craft through the years, I would still be struggling to break through.
3) Fearless enthusiasm! Holding onto my wonder, never trying harder to be cool than to be impressed, and being open-minded and into anything as an experience that might make me excited to write or an unanticipated way to keep my breadth of coverage wide. So what if I come off nerdy, inquisitive, or too excited? I believe the people who are are willing to be passionate about what you’re passionate about will become your greatest advocates, and are able to tell immersive stories best, so I don’t hold back on being present and thrilled to be there.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

Overwhelm. Balancing two jobs plus personal and home life responsibilities as well as volunteer work for Atlanta’s local animal shelters is a lot. Time is my greatest constraint and I’m lucky enough to have access and exposure to so many topics, people, and destinations to want to write about. But I’m trying to learn that this is a long game and that publicists and business owners I speak with understand that and not feel guilty about placement time or opportunity, and that it’s okay to take a breather to enjoy my own life, too … even if that means scheduling one do-nothing day a month with my partner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sujitlin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjlin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sujitlin