Julius Serrano

It happened! And I'm still buzzing.

This morning I delivered "The Resilience of Emerging Leaders: Navigating Change and Uncertainty"at Victoria University of Wellington for the Kitea Impact Programme. It's now the afternoon and honestly, I haven't quite landed yet.

More than twenty students from various disciplines showed up...and I mean really showed up. Fully present, genuinely engaged, laughing at the funny parts, quiet when it mattered, and asking questions that told me the content had already become theirs.

The part that got me: the activities helped them discover things about themselves they had never recognised before, but were there all along. Watching that happen in real time, in a room full of people who came in as strangers to some of these ideas...that's something I will remember for a looong time.

One student told me it was the best workshop they had attended so far. I'm just going to let that sit there.

Andrew, who manages the Kitea Impact Programme, was there the entire time, handling the logistics and sharing genuine insight from his perspective as the person who knows these students best. The session was richer for having him there.

I walked out energised and grateful. Simple as that.

Once I receive the photos and videos from the session, I'll put together a highlight reel and share it here. Watch this space.

⏳ In seven days I have the privilege of delivering a resilience workshop at Victoria University of Wellington, drawing from my book The Resilience Code. And I'm doing something that's got me thinking differently about preparation.

🎤 I've done plenty of in-person sessions before. But this particular room inspires me to show up differently.

Here's the thing about being a blind speaker: every format has its own rhythm, its own set of invisible decisions. In person, online, large room, small group, the way I navigate each one is different. Not better. Just different. And each time I step into a new context, there's a period of figuring out what works for this one.

That's where I am right now. Working out the rhythm of the room before I'm in it.

The content? I'm not worried about it. When material is drawn from your own life, your own experiences, your own years of sitting with something until it becomes clear, it lives in you.

💭 What I'm working on is the craft around it. The structure. The transitions. The quiet moments that need to land. The difference between a pause that's intentional and one that isn't.

It's reminded me that preparation is never just about what you know. It's about how you'll be in the room. And that's always worth thinking through, no matter how many times you've done it before.

✨ Seven days. Exciting times! I'll let you know how it goes, my friend!

🤝 One lesson I've learned over the years is that the people you surround yourself with can have a bigger impact on your life than you realise.
A supportive community won't live your life for you, but it can encourage you, challenge you, introduce you to new ideas, and remind you that you're not pursuing your goals alone.
✨ A while ago, I joined a community that focuses on personal growth and success. It's been a genuinely positive part of my own journey. I've met some wonderful people, had conversations that have made me think differently, and found encouragement to keep growing. Those things matter so much to me.
📚 I'm sharing this for the same reason I'd recommend a great restaurant, a good book, or a film that stayed with me. When you come across something that's added value to your life, it's natural to want to tell your friend about it.
💬 If you're curious, I've put a link in the first comment. Have a look when you have a moment, and if you do, I'd genuinely love to hear what you think. Whether it resonates with you or not, I'm always interested in hearing your perspective.

Hey my friend, I recently watched Mortal Kombat II 🥷

Now, I know Mortal Kombat isn't for everyone. The violence alone will be enough for some people to pass on it.

But there was a scene involving Hanzo Hasashi (the warrior also known as Scorpion) that stayed with me.

Hanzo is a character whose life has been defined by loss, suffering, and violence. Yet in one scene, despite being surrounded by what appears to be a burning, hellish realm of fire and torment, he manifests a beautiful, peaceful garden through his thinking. 🌿

I found that incredibly powerful.

It made me think about how much of our experience comes from our circumstances, and how much comes from the lens of our thinking and the way we interpret them.

We often wait for the external world around us to change before we allow ourselves to find peace.

But perhaps the "garden" needs to come first, within our mind. 🌱

Perhaps the way we think shapes the world we experience more than we realise.

Two people can stand in the same fire. 🔥
One sees only flames.
The other finds the potential for a garden. 🌳

What do you think? 😀

If you've ever rebuilt yourself from scratch — career, identity, or both — this one is well worth your time.
Just dropped a new interview and this one feels personal.
Being interviewed by two Filipino legends here in Aotearoa hit differently. The questions were real, the conversation was warm, and I said things I don't usually say in a professional setting.
Mostly in English, with a little Filipino warmth mixed in. 😄
Check it out, my friend.

A Filipino's Story of Blindness & Resilience in NZ I didn't expect to say the things I said in this interview.I join...

What is the thing you keep avoiding because it scares you just a little too much? 😄
I am totally blind. That did not stop me from hurling myself off clifftops, tumbling down hills, and leaping off skyscrapers all over New Zealand.
Tom Babinszki, founder of Even Grounds, heard about it and decided the world needed to know. The full story is right here, including the part that will make you uncomfortable in the best possible way. 👍
Read the article now my friend!

Julius Charles Serrano: The Blind Man Who Keeps Jumping Off Things in New Zealand - Even Grounds I would like to introduce my friend of 20 years, Julius Charles Serrano, a coach, speaker, accessibility consultant and an adventurer. We met in person the first and only time in Malaysia in 2008, when I taught the first group of blind people in South-East Asia to become accessibility consultants. S...

🎙️ Check out my latest video on YouTube.
I was invited by Community Networks Wellington (CNW) to speak on their radio show Catching Up With Community — and this conversation went deep.
We talked about what resilience really means for the people on the frontline of Wellington's community sector. The social workers. The housing advocates. The youth workers. The volunteers. The people who give everything — every single day.
If you work in community services, or you know someone who does — this one is for you. 💙
▶️ Watch the video now, my friend!

Julius Charles Serrano Resilience for Community Workers | CNW Radio Interview

🎙️ I sat down with Victoria Quade on B-Side Stories (Wellington Access Radio) to share the full story of my journey.
Losing my sight felt like the end.
But it wasn't. It was the beginning of everything.
In this conversation we go deep…the raw reality, the mental shift, and the exact principles that helped me keep going when my world seemingly collapsed. 💙
If you're facing a massive life change or just feel stuck, this one's for you.
▶️ Listen to it now, my friend. And do let me know what you think.

Finding the Code for Life's Hardest Moments | B-Side Stories I’ll never forget the day my world went completely dark. At the time, it felt like my life was over…but looking back, it was actually a new beginning.I recen...

Auckland reminded me of something I already knew but needed to feel again.
There's this thing — free, simple, no equipment — that I've watched transform how my clients think, feel and perform.
10 minutes in, I was feeling absolutely fine...and I found out why!
Watch the video now!

Do This to Feel Better Fast — Science-Backed! Feeling drained, overwhelmed, or just stuck in your head? In this video I share the one thing that genuinely reset everything for me. My mood. My energy. My ...

🎙️ This morning I sat down in a radio studio in the heart of Wellington and recorded something I'm genuinely proud of.
I was invited by Community Networks Wellington (CNW) — the organisation that connects over 130 community and social service groups across the Wellington region — to be a guest on their radio show, Catching Up With Community, broadcast on Wellington Access Radio 106.1FM.
They wanted me to speak about resilience directly to the men and women on the frontline of Wellington's community sector — the social workers, the housing advocates, the youth workers, the volunteers — people who show up every day for our most vulnerable, often carrying enormous weight of their own. 💙
So that's exactly what we did.
We talked about my story — losing my sight as a teenager, the darkness that followed, and the unexpected journey inward that changed everything. We explored the principles from my book The Resilience Code and what it means to build inner strength in a structured, intentional way. And we went deep into what resilience actually looks like for people who spend their lives holding others up.
📍 Recorded at Wellington Access Radio, Ghuznee Street.
If you work in community services, or you know someone who does, this one's for you. Stay tuned for the air date. 🙏