The Making of
Sneakers & Stilettos
A Journey in Sneakers & Six Inch High Hopes
Let’s talk
I didn’t set out to become resilient.
I became resilient because life broke me open—and I chose not to disappear inside the cracks.
The Making of Sneakers and Stilettos is the story of learning how to stand again—sometimes in sneakers, sometimes in stilettos, often in pain, always in truth. It’s about rebuilding a life after injury, loss, and reinvention, without pretending the process is pretty or linear.
I was born in Romania, raised in Chicago, and reshaped in California. Each place taught me something different: how to survive, how to hustle, how to soften without breaking. After a life-altering injury forced my body—and my plans—to change, I had to meet myself all over again. This time without the armor. This time without the timelines. This time with compassion.
This space exists for the women & men who are navigating becoming—after heartbreak, after illness, after burnout, after the version of themselves they thought they’d be forever.
Here, I write about:
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healing in a body that doesn’t move the way it used to
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ambition without burnout
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grief, growth, and the quiet courage of starting again
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femininity that’s both soft and steel
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building a life that fits who you are now
Sneakers and Stilettos isn’t about choosing between strength and beauty. It’s about owning both.
It’s about walking forward—however slowly—without apologizing for the pace.
If you’re here, you’re not behind.
You’re in the making.
— Paula
"Purpose isn’t something you wait to discover — it’s something you create by the way you choose to live"
How Cab I Help?
Sneakers & Stilettos™ | Mindset, Healing & Sustainable Ambition
Whether you’re healing, pivoting, or stepping into your next chapter, I help you walk forward fully as yourself—no rushing your becoming.
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Set goals that honor your reality, not just your potential
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Master your mindset without pressure, perfectionism, or burnout
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Build sustainable productivity systems that work with your life, not against it
You are not BEHIND
You are BECOMING
Confidence is not something you suddently wake up with
You earn it
How do you introduce yourself?
My name is Paula Temian. Professionally, I’m the creator of Sneakers & Stilettos, a writer, storyteller, and event leader who helps bring people together through powerful narratives and meaningful experiences. But outside of the brand, I’m simply a woman who has lived many lives in one — Romanian-born, Chicago-raised, and now California-rooted, with a love for sunshine, fast cars, deep conversations, and rebuilding myself as many times as life requires.
I’m the friend who will make you laugh at the darkest moments, the woman who believes in second chances, and the soul who survived more surgeries than birthdays in my twenties — and still found a way to rise with softness and strength. At my core, I’m driven by connection, resilience, curiosity, and a desire to create a life that feels as good as it looks.
That mix of grit, femininity, humor, and heart is who I am — both inside and outside of my work.
The Making of Sneakers & Stilettos
Signature Quotes
"I am still rising"
"I am proof that you can loose your footing, find your fire, and still walk back into your life with grace"
"Becoming myself cost me comfort, convenience, and people. Worth it."
"Healing didn't make me softer. It made me clearer about what i will and will not carry."
"Some days i heal quietly. Other days I rise loudly. Both are sacred."
"There is a version of me that broke -- and a version that built everything you see now"
"I choose myself -- and the rest rearranged"
"This is what becoming looks like."
"I didn't rebuilt my life to make it look pretty. I rebuilt it to make it honest -- and then the beauty followed"
"I learned that starting over doesn't mean starting from nothing -- it means starting from experience"
"I didn't rush my healing. I respected it.
"Some days require sneakers, some demand stilettos. Both versions of me are powerful"
"I didn't survive to stay small. I survived to take us space -- with intention"
"I didn't walk into this life, I earned it"
"I met myself where i was -- and decided not to abandon her"
"Pain changed my peace, not my direction."
