We had the good fortune of connecting with Justine Palencia and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Justine, how do you think about risk?
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was for my mental health. I had just lost a parent, had a few thousand dollars to my name, and I decided to give up my apartment, give away all my stuff and pack up my car to visit family and just exist in my own energy. I traveled through Arizona, Washington and all over California. I didn’t know what I wanted for my brand at the time, let alone how to start a business, but taking that risk gave me an opportunity to get to know myself and get to know who I really am and what I really want. Without doing that, I wouldn’t have been given the opportunity to work for a startup company where I learned what I needed for my own startup one day. Not only did taking that risk introduce me to the resources I needed to learn the logistics of starting my own brand or company, it introduced me to amazing people who are helping me build my brand and rebuild myself. People who never could of been there if I didn’t take a risk. If your goal in life is to change what you see as injustice in the world, you’re not doing it right if you aren’t taking a risk. If that goal is to write a story that will inspire millions or to focus on your personal mental health, that risk may be financial and you may be putting your dreams over your stability. There is no way of knowing which risks are worth taking, only you know the answer to that if you look inside yourself and are honest. But all I know is that when I tell my stories, the risk is always the best part.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Keys2Bliss started off a gift and now has evolved to a brand of storytelling. A brand where people feel their lives and experiences truly matter. It is ever evolving and who knows where the limits are. I spent so long trying to figure out what keys2bliss meant, what it stood for and how I can present it to the world. Years later I realize that the only thing stopping it from growing was the labels I was trying to give it. Instead of telling keys2bliss what it is, I’m gonna let keys2bliss tell me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Food: Ta-eem The Farmers Market in the Grove Mozza Tu Madre Pinks Hot Dogs Kung Pao Bistro Street Vendors Food Trucks Doomies Gracias Madres Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Cuisine Silver Palace in Whittier Visit Movie theater (I am a movie lover) Venice Beach Boardwalk Downtown LA Shopping Vintage Shopping La Brea Tar Pits & Museum Dive bars California Science Center Disneyland Griffith Observatory I also love places with good lighting, good drinks, amazing food, and comfy chairs.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
When I first started Keys2Bliss, it started off as a gift. A gift that would allow me to share over 10,000 keys all over the world without having to step on a single airplane. That was only possible because of the amazing friends, family and strangers who believed in its message of self love and motivation. It would be impossible to thank just one person when hundreds have guided me, inspired me, and showed up for me and for Keys2bliss.

Website: www.keys2bliss.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keys2bliss/?hl=en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justine-palencia/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keys2bliss
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuDApF_1J3SdujU2fgXUF0A

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