Casey Mendoza: Creating a fulfilling and balanced life

What does it take to lead a fulfilling life? For Casey Mendoza, Group Account Director in LG2’s Toronto office, it’s finding balance through passions that nourish her mind, body and soul.

It’s not just one thing that intrigues her. Her curious and open nature has led her to try all sorts of things: she attended a Hawaiian dance school for years, trained for her first-ever marathon in under a month and even started her career in advertising based on a rom-com. Once she sets her mind to something, she sees it through no matter what.

Her various passions are part of her day-to-day life. It all starts in her home, which mirrors her many pursuits. Full of souvenirs from countries she’s visited and her book collection, all organized by colour, it’s the perfect space to work on her reading goals and reflect on what challenges and travel destinations she wants to tackle next. It’s also home to her newest family member: Oliver, the cockapoo puppy. Her very first pet, Oliver is showing Casey all the joys of being a pet parent, including the benefits of starting each day with a walk.

Outside of the house, sports play a major part in Casey’s life. Having grown up doing Hawaiian dance, her current fitness routine includes playing softball, long-distance running and taking reformer pilates classes at Function Studios. To her, sport isn’t just about taking care of the body, it’s about trying something different, meeting new people and building community. It’s all the better when you can share the experience with others.

On summer weekends, Casey and her family will take out their boat to experience the beauty of Georgian Bay. It helps clear her mind, she says. The fresh air and the natural wonder of the Great Lakes remind her of how much world there’s still left to see. Plus, getting her boating licence was a fun goal to work towards. And when a trip up North is too far? She laces up her sneakers and goes for a run in the woods.

Running has been a safe space for Casey ever since she did cross-country (yes, that too) in elementary and high school. It’s not only the physical aspect that challenges her but the mental. After graduating and immersing herself in an advertising program at college, running and Hawaiian dance gradually took a back seat.

However, a few months before her 30th birthday, she decided to run a marathon. It was a tight training window – not one she recommends – and while it wasn’t her personal best race time in the end, the mental fortitude it took to keep her moving toward the finish line is something she’s very proud of. It reminded her of how capable she is of doing hard things. Something she doesn’t think she’d have been able to do if she hadn’t curated a balanced life.

What matters most to Casey is getting outside of her comfort zone and pushing her boundaries, whether it’s with her nose in a book, on a reformer pilates platform or by a lake. She’s sure to keep on chasing after her best self, no matter what direction it takes her in.