GETTING OVER FOMO AND FINDING BALANCE 

Oh FOMO. 

I’ve spent so many years saying “yes” and piling so much on my plate because I was afraid to say “no.” I was afraid to miss out. Afraid of missed opportunities. Afraid of feeling left out. A lot of this stemmed from my lack of confidence and thankfully, growing up has helped me a lot in that department. Traveling alone is something that has really pushed me out of my comfort zone and gain that confidence and independence I was missing. It made me realize growing up really isn’t so bad.

When I first became a flight attendant, I would spread myself so thin and got very little rest. I put myself second. Coming to realize that has been one of the most life changing thing. Self care is so important, especially with a big life change, for me being my career. I no longer sat in a cubicle working a 9 to 5. Instead, I was getting called at 3am to work a flight at 5am to Alaska when I was packed for Hawaii. I learned a lot and I’ve grown a lot. My layovers (aka rest time) were spent out adventuring. Some of my highlights being: visiting a bald eagle wildlife sanctuary in Sitka, running 8.5 miles around all of Central Park, seeing the White House, visiting ground zero, watching Aladdin on Broadway, going to Disneyland, going to a hot springs in Fairbanks, the list goes on. I am SO incredibly lucky to experience these things and I’m grateful for the memories I’ve made. However, waking up at 2am PST to workout before spending an entire day in DC wandering aimlessly? It’s unlikely I’ll do that again. Balance is so important in every day life, especially when your job is taxing on your body and your sleep schedule is whack. Sometimes you have to learn how to be selfish and care for yourself so you can be your best self.

PRACTICE LISTENING TO YOUR BODY

Being mindful and listening to your body is not an easy thing to do! For some people it might be, but for someone like me who’s always on the go, I had to learn how to take it a step at a time. I started practicing listening to my body after tuning into several podcasts discussing exercise. I felt so burnt out with my HIIT workouts. Not only that, but I was bored of the routine. So I practiced listening to my body by incorporating yoga and allowing myself to practice whenever I felt burnt out. Along with mindful exercise, I also started practicing mindful eating. How many times do you catch yourself snacking just to snack? That was me! I couldn’t stop. I needed a snack if I was bored or if I was watching something on Netflix. It was ridiculous. I’ve noticed a drastic difference in my health since I’ve started mindful eating. I literally ask myself if I’m hungry before I reach for a snack. It’s helped a lot and it’s honestly a mental game most of the time. Love yourself. Rest when you need to. Eat when you’re hungry. Treat yourself how you treat your best friend.

MAKE A LIST

Organizing your thoughts and prioritizing tasks will help you come up with a loose game plan. Keyword: LOOSE. Having a game plan will save you so much time. No zig zagging around town or wandering around aimlessly – unless, of course, that’s what you want to do! It’s really important when making this list to not hold yourself accountable for crossing it all off. I used to do this and it would lead to disappointment. Instead, change your mindset. Allow yourself to change things up and to be spontaneous if that’s how the day goes. Think of how grateful you are to be there in the first place. Enjoy living in the moment and take it all in. Know that quality time is so much more meaningful than the quantity of things you’ve done or seen. Plus, there’s always a next time! If you want to make it happen, it will happen.

TAKE BREAKS

When I was in Stockholm, I learned of a term called “fika.” It means taking a break, usually a snack or coffee break. This was a pretty common thing in Sweden. The coffeeshops were always packed with people and I felt so inspired by it. Now when I travel, I always fit in some time for fika. Whenever I feel myself feeling exhausted, I let myself drop into a coffeeshop and sit with a coffee or tea in hand and just relax. It’s a little reset for the mind, body, and soul. Now, I find myself finding the importance in taking time for myself to take breaks – even if it’s just to breathe deep and slow down.

BE PRESENT

When you’re tackling a long list of things (fun or not), it’s hard to be present. My best friend Abby and I shared the same experience whenever we went on our Disney trips. We’d come back to our hotel and feel like the day just flew by and we felt in a daze. Like we weren’t even there. The next day, I decided we would take “moments.” In these moments, we’d hold hands (optional but also necessary as she’s the yin to my yang), take a deep breath, and do a 360 turn around, absorbing the moment and letting it all sink in. After practicing being present, we noticed a drastic change at the end of the day. Our hearts were so full. We felt present and our memories were more vivid. Don’t forget to take moments for yourself, to take a deep breath, and absorb it all.

STOP MULTITASKING

If you think about it, multitasking requires a lot of attention and effort. It’s extremely difficult to give every task your all versus working on things one at a time. When you’re able to give something your full attention, you’ll be surprised at the result. You might find that you’ll enjoy the movie more or that the cupcakes turned out better than they did last time. Slowing down is not always a bad thing!

BE OKAY WITH SAYING “NO”

Saying “no” isn’t always easy. It took me years to be okay with the thought of disappointing people (BTW – YOU’RE NOT). It’s common flight crews will go out to dinner and drinks together after a long flight and my immediate response was always “yes.” Partly because I didn’t want them to think I didn’t like them and also because I didn’t want to feel like I missed out the next day when it clearly seemed like they had a fun night of bonding. Also because it wasn’t in my nature to say no, I was a “yes girl!” If that’s what you’re thinking too, stop that. Do not hold yourself accountable for saying “yes” ALL THE TIME. It is so important to give your body what it needs. If you don’t feel like socializing after a hard day, don’t force yourself to. You don’t owe it to anybody, you don’t even owe it to yourself. Happiness is listening to your body and being confident in your own decisions.

In the most recent bonus episode of the Soul on Fire podcast, Jordan and Kelly Leveque brush on the topic of FOMO. It’s a really good listen and I found it so relatable. If you’re wanting more FOMO talk, go check it out! Until next time, loves.

WHAT’S IN MY CARRY ON BAG – HEALTH AND BEAUTY EDITION

I’m currently sitting inside Caffe Nero at the airport, waiting for my sister to arrive so we can push start on our annual family trip! Another pinch me moment. I feel so lucky that my sister and I both have jobs that allow for traveling as often as we do, and getting to take mom with us is just another big bonus! I remember the day I got hired as a flight attendant, the first thing I thought of was how excited I was to give back to my mom and everything she’s sacrificed for me and my sister. /FEELS.

So today, I wanted to show you guys what I packed in my carry on – health and beauty related. Let’s jump in!

  1. Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Paper Mask
    • What better time to use a face mask than on a 10 hour flight? And with sheet masks, you’ve got no clean up!
  2. Cocokind Skincare Matcha and Turmeric Sticks
    • Matcha is great for your undereye area, especially after a long flight. I also love using it as lip balm and on dry patches, as well as on my cuticles. The turmeric stick is amazing for skin recovery. While the cabin’s dark, paint your face with this yellow magic wand and remove with a wet cotton pad 30 min. later. Pro tip: I like to leave mine on longer, mostly cause I hate going into the lavatory. Ha!
  3. Kiehl’s Cactus Flower & Tibetan Ginseng Hydrating Mist
    • Officially my holy grail. I had a stuffy nose and EVERYTHING felt so dry and so uncomfortable. With a few spritz of this guy, I immediately felt so much better.
  4. Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream
    • I like to pack heavier moisturizers for flights. Your skin will thank you for it later!
  5. Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Corrector Serum
    • Skincare is so important, especially on long flights. Perfect time to pack on serums, especially since I don’t wear makeup on long flights.
  6. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
    • See above!
  7. Clear Eyes Triple Action Eye Drops
    • I also have a case of dry eyes, so you better believe these are a MUST on flights.
  8. Murad Rapid Relief Spot Treatment
    • When I’m breaking out, I like to dab on a spot treatment in needed areas. This guy was my life saver this flight.
  9. The Honest Company Hand Sanitizer 
    • I think this one’s self explanatory!
  10. Tony Moly Magic Food Banana Hand Milk
    • I make it a habit to use hand cream after every hand wash. The hand soap on airplanes are super drying!
  11. Supergoop! Mint Fusion Lip Balm
    • Always a good idea to lather your lips with a good lip balm when flying.
  12. C.O. Bigelow Mouthwash
    • Packing travel size mouthwash for a quick pick me up is always a good thing. No regrets, that’s for sure!

Notes:

  • Being inflight is SO DRYING. Make sure to pack lots of moisturizers and balms for your skin and lips.
  • Try to avoid wearing makeup if you can, so you can really pamper yourself with a skincare regimen.
  • Now is a good time to bring those samples  you’ve been meaning to try! I get a ton of samples from my Sephora Play monthly subscription box and I love bringing serums and creams from my boxes. It’s easy to dispose of and will lighten your load throughout your trip.

  1. Healthy Human Life Water Bottle
    • Always bring a reusable water bottle! Not only are you doing good for the environment but, life hack: you can always ask your flight attendant to fill your water up for you. Free water beats $5 water bottles at the airport. I love that mine can double up as a blender bottle as well! Get your own Healthy Human Life water bottle with a discount using my coupon code: KALEIC10
  2. Rootz Nutrition Paleo Protein-Superfood mixed with Further Food Collagen Peptides
    • Being on the go means it’s harder to get all your nutrients in. That’s why I love combining my favorite protein powder (contains SO MANY superfoods) plus collagen peptides for more protein and benefits. Rootz Nutrition coupon code: KALEINTHECLOUDS & Further Food coupon code: KALEINTHECLOUDS10
  3. Eating Evolved Coconut Butter Cups
    • My favorite chocolate! Perfect sweet treat with minimal ingredients. Makes resisting candy at the airport checkouts so easy.
  4. Square Organics Protein Bars
    • Absolutely love these bars. They’re basically a candy bar in protein bar form – AND ORGANIC. What could be better? Square Organics coupon code: KALEINTHECLOUDS
  5. Emergen-C
    • I always pack Emergen-C with me when I’m traveling. Traveling is already so hard on your body. Think about the jet lag, lack of sleep, but also all the germs at the airports and on the plane. Take note from a flight attendant!
  6. Yogi Tea [Skin Detox, Immune Support, Probiotic Balance]
    • My favorite teas! These three are bound to keep you in tip top shape.
  7. Amazing Grass Green Superfood Tabs
    • A. MUST. I bought this on a whim at the checkout at Whole Foods, and I’m so glad I did. Each tab contains one serving of vegetables and fruit. You add it to your water and that’s it! It even tastes yummy!
  8. Bulletproof Collagen Protein Bar
    • Just discovered these and I won’t go back. They’re packed with quality ingredients and keep me satisfied, all while containing the benefits of collagen (check out my last blog post for more info).
  9. Kyolic Kyo-Dophilus Digestion and Immune Health Probiotic Supplement 
    • I take these every day so it’s definitely going in my carry on bag.
  10. Trader Joe’s Ginger and Turmeric Tea
    • My favorite tea when I’m feeling blah.
  11. Golden Root Turmeric Latte Mix
    • A sweet treat with all the benefits of turmeric! I literally CRAVE these.
  12. RX Bar
    • One of my favorite protein bars, so it’s gotta come with! They taste like bliss balls but in bar form!
  13. Zipfizz
    • With jet lag, I love keeping these on me for some quick B12 vitamins. It gives me just enough energy to keep going – and no crash!

Notes:

  • I’m not getting paid to promote any of these brands. They are brands I truly enjoy on a daily basis and get to share with my friends for a discounted price! Score!
  • Packing your own sweets and snacks makes it easy to not give into temptation at the airport. Make sure to pack your FAVORITES so you know the love is real.
  • Always pack your daily vitamins. Traveling is already hard enough on your body so you want to try to keep everything else consistent.
  • Packing your own tea is a good penny pincher life hack. It’s also a great way to take a little piece of home with you!

Hope you guys find this useful! Safe travels to all you on the go babes.

COLLAGEN YEPTIDES + NATURAL PRE-WORKOUT ELIXIR RECIPE

Okay, kind of dying at this punny title, for real. I hopped on this collagen peptides wagon several months ago and I feel like I’ve hit jackpot. How is it that I’ve JUST discovered something so incredible? For those skeptical or curious, I also want to admit that I, too, was a skeptic. I thought it was just another health fad. Before making my first purchase, I did A LOT of research. I read every tl;dr caption on Instagram about them. I looked up the top brands that I could find and read a ton of reviews. I did this for months, then I flew with a flight attendant who swore by them. I guess I just needed to hear personal experience from someone in person because that day, I went home and placed an order on Amazon.

Let me tell you firsthand that the benefits of collagen peptides are insane. Here are just some of them that really resonate with me.

  • Healthier immune and digestive systems
  • Reduces joint pain
  • Reduces wrinkles and cellulite
  • Supports hair growth, nail growth, clear skin
  • Contains amino acids that help muscle recovery
  • Contains protein, give your morning latte or smoothie an extra UMPH.

Since the day I got ’em, I have been taking collagen peptides daily in my morning smoothies and have noticed these benefits. It’s unbelievable. One of the most incredible benefits that I noticed was when I was training for my half marathon. I was able to run longer with less discomfort in my joints. The day of the run, I hit my PR of 2 hours and 27 minutes. Not to mention, my recovery was quicker and smoother than my last half marathon. Crazy, right?

My skin has also cleared up since using collagen peptides. Growing up, I was always very insecure about my skin. My skin scars easily so with every breakout, I’d deal with the aftermath, which was even more troubling than acne itself. It was frustrating. My favorite foundation was Estée Lauder’s Double Wear, a very high coverage foundation that made me feel comfortable because it covered every little scar. Anyone out there feel me? Now, I can confidently say that I enjoy no makeup days. Since seeing such improvement in my skin, I ditched my high coverage foundation for It Cosmetics’ CC Cream. Some days I only use it as spot treatment on my acne scars. Seeing my skin clear up has been a huge confidence boost and I’m thrilled to be sharing my “secret.”

Now what the heck is it and how do you have it, you ask? It comes in powder form and dissolves in liquid, can be used in baking recipes, etc. My favorite way to have collagen peptides is by sneaking them in lattes, smoothies, or oats. I find that when I do, I tend to remember to have them every morning. I’m currently obsessed with my pre-workout elixir, MATCHA MUSHROOM LATTES. (Don’t knock it ’til you try it!)

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 scoop collagen peptides (I use Further Food)
  • 1 tsp matcha
  • 1 tsp Bulletproof Brain Octane (or MCT oil)
  • 1/2 tsp Cordyceps (I use Sun Potion)
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cup almond milk (or any milk of your choice!)

Throw everything into a blender OR you can whisk manually or use a frother. I just got a frother on Amazon for $10. DEALS. Such a great idea for a stocking stuffer (yep, already going there). This latte is a perfect pre-workout elixir that’s made from natural ingredients and packed with a ton of nutrients and benefits from EVERY ingredient. Since weening off C4 (a pre-workout supplement filled with crazy chemicals), I noticed my workouts have become weaker. Since having this matcha mushroom latte, I noticed a boost in energy. It doesn’t feel crazy, I don’t get itchy, but it’s just enough to pull me through a HIIT workout + some weight training. This is real. I feel like I found the Krabby Patty secret formula!

As far as brands go, Further Food is the brand I currently use and I absolutely love their products. Health things can add up to be pretty spendy but their products are affordable and have lasted me so long. They’re a great company made up of friendly people who are passionate about health and wellness, which is something that’s super important to me when I do brand research. I’m a proud brand ambassador of theirs and if you use my code ‘KALEINTHECLOUDS10′, you’ll get a discount on anything on their website! I would never talk up something I don’t feel passionate about so you know this is real.

Do you guys use collagen peptides? What do you like to use them for and what are some of your experiences as far as benefits you’ve noticed? Let me know! If you’re curious and still have more questions, feel free to leave me a comment or e-mail me at kaleintheclouds@gmail.com. I tend to get rambly about things I love so if you’ve made it this far, I love you and hope you have a great day!

A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRANSFORMATION

With this new blog revamp, I really want to be open and honest about my health journey. I am so proud of myself in both of these photos, but for different reasons. On the left, I hit my PR of 175 lb. squats. This was a HUGE deal. I was able to push myself in ways unimaginable. But I was also obsessed. Numbers meant everything to me and I had very strict gym days despite feeling fatigue. I watched my sodium intake so extremely that I felt guilty if I ever added salt to anything I was eating or meal prepping. I was happy when I felt skinny, but hard on myself when I woke up feeling bloated/fat.

The photo on the right was taken yesterday. I’m squatting just the 45 lb. bar and most importantly, because I felt strong and determined. NOT because I felt like I had to. My workouts are now so varied and I don’t follow a strict schedule. I don’t punish myself for missing leg day. I’m learning to listen to my body, which is probably the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m nourishing my body with workouts that I crave, even if it’s just yoga after a long flight, or sometimes nothing at all. I let myself have wholesome foods made with real ingredients, despite it having x grams of fat. There’s a such thing as healthy fats and your body NEEDS it, which is something I learned reading Body Love by Kelly Leveque (LIFE CHANGING). I’ve stopped weighing myself. I’m trying my best to practice mindfully eating versus emotionally eating. I’m trying my best at being present. I’m trying my best. 

In the past three months, I dove into this health and wellness community on Instagram and I’m just in awe of the amount of love and support that it has to offer. I’ve never been happier or more excited sharing my food choices and interacting with like-minded people who inspire me to be my best self. I feel so incredibly lucky to have found these people. I’ve already met two of my foodie friends in person and both times, I woke up the next morning with an extra pep in my step, my heart SO full.

With a much healthier mindset, I am so excited to get back to blogging so I can keep sharing my progress with you guys. I also really want to start posting recipes again because I know a lot of my flight attendant pals have been requesting it, and I really do have so much fun creating them! Stay tuned, and thank you for listening. It’s not easy being vulnerable and admitting you were in a bad place. It’s so easy to become obsessed with fitness and physical progress, but acknowledging it and nourishing your mind and mental state is a million steps forward. I love you guys.

I BE UP IN THE GYM JUST WORKIN’ ON MY FITNESS

Oh hi! Remember me? I know, it’s been a little while, but I really didn’t want to make blogging a chore anymore. Unfortunately, I got stuck in the idea of writing for the mere purpose of having something to post. It wasn’t out of joy and passion anymore. But since launching flylittlebirdy, I made it a point to only write when I felt inspired and when I wanted to. No more scheduled posts. No bullshit.

So, what sparked my interest today? The sun was shining, peeking through my window and I can’t tell you how happy it makes me waking up naturally to sunlight. I woke up with a really positive mind, took my time getting out of bed (sometimes you just need that), and went for a 7 mile run. IT FELT SO GOOD. I hadn’t ran outside in so long – probably not since my half marathon in February. The weather in Seattle has just been super icky and I’ve also been low key obsessed with cycling and yoga lately. I was also inspired by a message I received the other day from one of my sweetest friends. She was asking for health and fitness advice and it made me SO happy. Someone asking ME for fitness advice? It felt so good because for me, fitness is still a journey. It will always be. My health is so important to me and it took me so long to realize that.

Three  years ago, my best friend Roxanne asked me to be her maid of honor.. and I don’t know, I guess something just clicked. It helped a lot that I had friends who were now all on the same page too. We were all working towards the same goal: getting in shape for this epic wedding. I’ve tried diets before. Bologna. I’ve always “worked out.” I didn’t think I was capable of improving in any way. I kind of accepted the fact that this was just my body type, maybe I’d lose 5 lbs and that’d be cool, I guess. That was literally my mentality. It’s weird to think back on now and reflect on how much I’ve changed – now I’m not even talking physically. My mindset is completely in a different place. I wish I could go back and tell myself, “you know you’re capable of anything right?” or “don’t set limits for yourself. seriously STOP doing that.” I was the only thing in my way of achieving these “farfetched” dreams and goals. It’s true what they say. Sometimes you are just too hard on yourself. Sometimes you are your worst critic. Sometimes you are your worst enemy.

Getting started on this journey, I went hard. I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I was doing something different. My workouts no longer consisted of straight boring (seriously zzzz) cardio for an hour. I started incorporating circuits, strength training, and cardio never lasted longer than 30 minutes, but I made those 30 minutes COUNT. HIIT cardio was my jam, hill sprints especially. Roxanne was/is my partner in gym (ha!). She taught me so much about HIIT cardio, read me articles about the benefits of it and it changed my life. My sister helped me overcome my fear of the “boys’ section” of the gym. Like many, I was so incredibly intimidated by the weight room. How does this work? Does my arm go here? What’s a squat? I felt so out of place. So uncomfortable and awkward. But guess what? Every day, I felt a little more confident. A little more… dare I say.. EXCITED, to hit the weights. It was a weird feeling, but also the best feeling in the world. I had this confidence I don’t think was ever there.

With gym time came a lot of kitchen time. Two words: meal prep. Also life changing. The word diet now had a new meaning. Diet doesn’t mean cutting carbs for X amount of months. It doesn’t mean avoiding dessert so you can fit into a size 4 dress. Diet is literally what you eat. The cleaner I was eating, I found myself thinking, ‘what the hell was I eating before?’ There’s nothing better than knowing exactly what is going in your food. I started pinning clean recipes on Pinterest, binge watching ‘What I Eat In A Day’ YouTube videos, and following a lot of health conscious food bloggers on Instagram. Cooking soon became a hobby and mind you, this is coming from somebody who before considered pressing buttons on a microwave cooking. Zoodles and overnight oats were (and still are) my jam. Love love love my superfoods (yes, I’m that girl) – chia seeds, hemp seeds, cacao powder + nibs. I have a love/hate relationship with apple cider vinegar – as much as I hate drinking it, the health benefits are out of this freaking world. Just do it. Your body will love you for it.

Things are always up and down. Some days I feel like I’ve plateaued. Some days I feel like crap, totally unmotivated, and like I’ve taken steps back. Other days I feel incredibly proud of myself (almost always after a killer workout sesh or run) and the only thing that sounds good is a massive salad. I love those days, but I get that this is a lifelong journey. Your attitude and mindset is what will get you through. I believe in celebrating small victories. I believe in encouraging others. I believe that balance is key. At the end of the day, what’s life without pizza?

My best advice to anyone who’s wanting to make a lifestyle change is to acknowledge that it’s going to be tough, but know that you can do it. You can do ANYTHING. Don’t be so hard on yourself. We’re all only human. Don’t deprive yourself of what you love, but also remember to balance. Learn to love yourself. Know that you deserve to live a happy and healthy life. Your commitment to living healthier and eating cleaner will not only show on the scale (scales suck btw) but you will have so much more energy. Your confidence will shine like never before and it’s so freaking amazing.

THIS MARKS TWO YEARS

TWO YEARS. Two years of finding myself. Two years of being pushed out of my comfort zone. Two years of going to places I never imagined I would. Two years of being anxious, nervous, scared, but happier than ever. Two years of meeting some of the coolest people (Shout out to Ben freakin’ Gibbard. Thanks for being so nice!). Two years of instafriendships. Two years worth of photos flooding my Instagram account, making me look way cooler than I actually am. Two years of making homes in hotel rooms. Two years of living out of my suitcase. Two years of not knowing where I’ll be tomorrow. Two years of waking up at 3am with a two hour call out for that first flight out to LA, smiling so much whilst greeting passengers that it’s made me a much happier “morning” person. Two years of a lot of coffee. Two years of feeling so freaking proud of be a part of something big.

I’m writing this the night before my second ever recurrent training, giving me my “license” to be a flight attendant for another year. To be honest with you, I’m feeling anxious. It feels like the night before the first day of school. I won’t know most of the people in the classroom and although I am excited to make new friends and see some of my lovely classmates again, I’m nervous!!! I was driving home from the gym earlier, shouting my emergency evacuation commands to myself to better prepare for the 8 hour day tomorrow. I’m trying hard to shake off these nerves. The funny thing is, I feel pretty dang confident. I am not worried about my exam. I am so passionate about my job and I think most people who know me will tell you that. I guess it’s just the nerves you get the night before a presentation at school. My inner introvert is like, “noooo!” But I know it’s going to be so good. It’ll be so great to have something to be proud of. Challenge accepted.

It’s crazy to think that just two years ago, I was heading into this completely blind and unaware of how much of my life was going to change. I remember asking HR if it was possible to change careers within the company if maybe two years in, I change my mind on flying and want to dabble in something else. As much as I appreciate the kind and thoughtful response to my question and I will forever keep an open mind to other opportunities, I am so grateful I found my niche. I’m that girl that is so cheerful at 3am because of my job. So cheerful, in fact, that someone once told me to tone it down. I tried not to take it personally and walked away, and I knew that the other 164 passengers appreciated a warm welcome at smile even though it was stupid o’clock. For awhile, I’ve been meaning to make a post about this job, to encourage those of you who are curious to give it a shot. Or maybe you have a friend who’s asked about it and you’re not sure what to say. Here are some reasons I think being a flight attendant is fly (hahaha!) and you should give it a try.

  1. The travel benefits are unbelievable
  2. You can essentially create your own schedule (eventually!)
  3. Work doesn’t feel like work
  4. You won’t need a gym membership
  5. You’ll always have a pair of to tights or pantyhose handy. And a comfy pair of black pumps!
  6. Spend less cash on gas
  7. Visiting friends or family out of state is “just” a plane ride away
  8. You could live anywhere in the world. ANYWHERE!
  9. It’s a foodie’s dream job (trust me, I would know)
  10. You’re forced to be easygoing and maintain a go with the flow mentality
  11. It’s the most spontaneous job you’ll ever have
  12. You don’t have to decide what to wear every morning
  13. It’s a good excuse to buy that lipstick you’ve been eyeing
  14. You meet the coolest people (unintentional networking!)
  15. You’ll learn so many life hacks you never knew existed (flight attendants are some of the most creative people you’ll ever meet)
  16. You’ll make friendships that last a lifetime
  17. You’ll gain full confidence in your CPR skills
  18. You’ll get over your fear of using airplane lavatories
  19. You can attend concerts and shows not coming to your town (and sometimes get paid to go to them, too!!)
  20. You’ll be everyone’s go-to travel buddy
  21. You’ll find any reason to get out of town
  22. You can work a second job to fulfill your other passions in life

This is just some of MANY reasons why this job is so epic. If you ever have any questions or want me to elaborate on any of these, please feel free to reach out to me! Share this post, spread the word. Airlines are always hiring. *Pro tip: do your research before you apply! Every company is a little different. Find one that stands out to you, whose core values are also important to you. *Pro tip 2: NEVER. GIVE. UP. If it doesn’t work out the first time around, give it some time and give it another try! Timing is everything and it might not have been your time, but being persistence is key.

For now, stay curious (and act on it). Sending lots of love and good vibes your way.

REFLECTING IN AUCKLAND


I can’t even believe we’re getting ready to wrap up the year. Around this time of year, I always find myself in a reflective mood. My mind is a constant flow of thoughts and questions, some which remain unanswered. If you’re in the same boat, I would really suggest talking it out with your best friend perhaps over hot cocoa, or just write. I like to think I’m really lucky because I have some of the best friends in the world. We talk about anything and everything, all that’s in between. Whether it be something silly like explaining what the latest meme means, or something as deep as how extraordinary the galaxy is and how there are galaxies beyond us humans have yet to discover. It’s magical and unreal. As I reflect on my life, I like to remind myself what one of my best friends told me: our galaxy is only one drop in the ocean. That will forever blow my mind. Life is way too short. What’s important to you? Make time for it. Name your top 3 dream destinations. GO THERE. Do something big. Help people. Inspire people. At any time in your life can you decide that today is the day.

One of the best ways for me to reflect is to be on my own. Traveling alone has allowed me to open up to people. It allows me to test myself, question my weaknesses, and turn them into a life lesson or something to be proud of. Being an introvert, I’m forced to break out of my comfort zone and adapt. One thing you might not know about me is that I was terrible when it came to navigating my way around – not just on foreign land, but even in my own hometown. One of my greatest accomplishments is getting over the fear of being lost. I’ve turned it into something to be excited about. Getting lost in Auckland? Check! And it was awesome. I’ve not run into one grumpy person in this whole city and though some are telling me that locals are always kind to tourists, I like to let myself believe that people are just genuinely kind. That’s it. And it’s a beautiful thing.

I’m sitting in an eatery/grocer/flower shop in Auckland right now called Scarecrow. I’m writing on my phone because I couldn’t be bothered lugging around my laptop when I knew I would hardly even touch it. Jazz music is playing, blended in the sounds of clinking glass, and city traffic. To my right is a large window, letting in natural light and despite the cold summer rain, I am happy. Despite being alone in an unfamiliar place, I am happy. Despite my empty glass of iced tea, I am happy. Despite today being my last full day in the gorgeous country of New Zealand, I am happy. I am happy, grateful, appreciative of all the people I have encountered. I’m leaving with some of my favorite memories with a friend of five years I never met until a few days ago, new friends I’ll have to reach out to not only in NZ but in Ireland and Korea too!, new ink that I’m obsessed with, and Marmite crossed off my very touristy list of eats.

I’ve become keen (kiwi slang!! I’m leaving with that too!)  with writing while I’m out and about, particularly in coffeeshops with great music. My posts so far have been just my brain to fingertip action, not much planning involved at all, but I really do plan on sharing some of my tips and tricks with traveling solo. It’s something I really feel passionate about and something I would highly encourage anyone and everyone do at least once in their lives. So that might be coming up soon! For now, I hope this is okay. If you read this, I love you and I hope you have the best day ever.










EMBRACING CHANGE

“You’ve changed.” These words have been painted in such a negative light.. and why? Isn’t change inevitable? We go through experiences, even in our day to day life, that mold us into someone new.. to some extent anyway. Our hearts and our souls remain the same, but our mannerisms and the way that we cope and handle challenges change as we learn and as we grow. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

I have changed a lot in the past two years. I made a career move that changed my entire life 180 degrees. I’m barely home, so I’ve learned to prioritize the time that I do have at home, making sure I spend the most time with the people who mean the most to me. Unfortunately, this meant less coffee dates with friends I would typically meet with once a month when I worked in Queen Anne. It sucks, I’m not gonna lie about that. I do want to be better and I’m working on being better at reaching out to old friends more often. It’s not easy, but it’ll be worth every shot I’ve got.

I’ve traveled to more places than I have in my entire life in the span of two years and I feel so so so incredibly lucky (even that is an understatement). There’s not a day I don’t think to myself how lucky I am to be excited to go to work. It makes me feel like everyone should know what this feels like. My love for travel keeps growing by the day, and I have been pushed out of my comfort zone countless times because of it. My journey really started when I booked a ticket to London two years ago and never looked back. I knew it was going to be hard being alone, traveling from place to place, especially considering I hated something as simple as grabbing lunch by myself. But now, here I am in downtown Denver, in some random coffeeshop, typing this post up. And I am so comfortable, and so happy. I want to say I feel like a new person, but that’s not necessarily true. I feel like the person I wished I was when my self-esteem was low and when I was too dependent on other people. I like that I can do things by myself and I like that I’ve learned to appreciate my own company. I feel like that’s so important.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met someone who made me want to be a better person. And that’s a form of change, right? To do better and to be better? What I learned about myself is that I’m an easily inspired person. I could have a quick ten minute conversation with someone, then suddenly feel like I need to get out there and do something big. I just met with another flight attendant recently who really made me consider planning my move to London sometime in the near future. The thought is moving is scary, but it’s exciting and here’s the thing – it doesn’t have to be permanent! No change you make has to be a definite thing. You keep moving forward to strive for your true happiness. And the funny thing is, even what happiness means to you will change, so you’ll have to decide what to do to cater to what makes your heart feel the most full. This is an ongoing process that makes life so special.

I just think it’s really important to remind ourselves that change is not necessarily a bad thing. Try not to be so hard on yourself if you do something and it feels like a mistake. Everything you do is a learning experience and will better prepare you for the future. Change will happen, and it’s up to you whether you want it to be a good one or a bad one.

rosie