LIVING SOLO ON A BUDGET

After spending about a year home hunting for a condo in downtown Seattle, I threw in the towel and decided to rent a 475 square foot apartment in the city to test the waters. Living alone in downtown Seattle has been such a dream. Sometimes lonely. Scary. But magical and has allowed so much growth. This was also my first time living alone and I thought I would share some tips and tricks on how to do it on a budget and also share about some of my favorite apartment pieces!

THRIFT LIKE IT’S YOUR JOB

Thrifting became my favorite hobby when I first moved into my apartment. I thrifted so much it started to feel like a job. I figured the things I wanted to save money on were things that you couldn’t see, IE: akeware, drawer organizers, shelf risers, over the door hooks, and lazy susans. However, my favorite things to thrift for were furniture, antiques, and decor. It’s such a fun way to make your space look one of a kind while still saving a ton of money. I went to chains such as Goodwill and Value Village, but I also went to flea markets, the Fremont farmers market, and utilizing online secondhand resources such as Craigslist, Let Go, OfferUp, Buy Nothing, and Facebook Market.

INVEST ON ESSENTIALS TO LAST

There are some items worth investing in to prevent repurchasing in the near future. For me, these were my bed frame, mattress, and television. These were my essential items I absolutely knew that I was going to reuse for years no matter where I end up living. It helps to make a list of things you need a circling these key items, then doing research on what websites have the best deals while keeping your max budget for each item in mind.

SAVE ON TRENDY PIECES

I think it’s so important to honor your taste and style in the moment, even if that means donating or selling the trendier pieces upon moving out. However, budget on these items!! They may not be your forever pieces, so I just feel like pinching pennies makes sense here. Trendy pieces I saved on: my velvet chaise lounge I got on Amazon versus Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie, my tiny home media console I got on Amazon versus West Elm, my bar stools I got on sale at Target versus everywhere else because bar stools are EXPENSIVE.

LIVEN IT UP WITH PLANTS!

Living alone can be isolating and feel extremely lonely. One easy way to liven your space (along with keeping a rolling queue of podcasts playing) is with plants. It’s nice to have something to take care of and it honestly just changes the energy of your home. Plants are also relatively affordable. One of my favorite places to get them is Trader Joe’s. I also enjoy supporting local nurseries, but try to avoid the trendier ones because I find it can get pricey pretty quick.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED

I know this may seem like weird advice, but think of ALL THE THINGS you have in storage or just in the corner of your room collecting dust because you don’t remember the last time you used it. And by no means am I telling you to go around asking all your friends for a TV, but I don’t think it would hurt to mention that you are in search of one. I mentioned that I was looking for a shoe rack to a friend and she just happened to have one that she wasn’t using! Never hurts to mention or ask!

UPCYCLE WHEN YOU CAN

I mean, there’s a reason why there are so many wedding and home decor DIYs on Pinterest, right? It saves you SO MUCH MONEY. One of my favorite DIYs for my apartment was upcycling old jars of all shapes and sizes (nut butters, marinara sauce, etc.) and turning them into pantry staple containers. Containers from The Container Store, Amazon, and even TJ Maxx really adds up. I ordered a label maker off of Amazon and turned it into a really cute and fun project! Upcycling jars and containers is a great way to prevent waste too!

HAVE PATIENCE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SALES

This is kind of a no brainer but I can’t stress this enough. WAIT FOR SALES. I saved so much money on some of my favorite pieces that I couldn’t say no to, but couldn’t justify paying full price for, IE: my rug from Urban Outfitters, my bar stools from Target, my television from Amazon, my Stasher bags, and my decorative pillows from Urban Outfitters. Turn on your e-mail alerts especially when you know your favorite shops always have sales.

I hope this helps! If you have any other questions or want to know more about my experience living alone or in the city, let me know! Until next time. All the love. <3

ACCOUNTABILITY IN 2020

As we get ready to wrap up another year, I can’t help but get so excited for 2020. Perhaps it’s my love for even numbers or just the fact that I love the feeling of a fresh start, but either way it inspires me to set goals for myself. I know we should never wait for a new year to set intentions or goals, but I feel like it’s always a good idea to reflect and see what else you can do differently to make yourself proud. Here are some of mine!

  • travel out of the country once a quarter/season
  • call one friend I’ve lost touch with just to say hi at least once a month
  • use a recipe from a cookbook once every two weeks
  • sleep for at least 8 hours a night
  • go on at least one solo trip
  • see a therapist
  • take a new workout class once a month
  • cook for a friend once a month
  • give myself one day off at least once a week (no flying, instagram, emails, etc.)
  • shop at the farmers market at least once every two weeks
  • stay in a treehouse
  • volunteer at least once a month
  • give myself enough time to meditate and journal every morning (even if it’s just for a few minutes)
  • go to at least one concert every few months
  • take mom to italy
  • read one book a month
  • take a lesson in something

This next year, I really want to focus on my growth. I have noticed that I’ve plateaued in my learning and I want to devote more time to learning new recipes, workouts, languages, cultures, activities. As much as I think we should honor where we are today, I think it’s also healthy to set attainable and measurable goals to challenge ourselves. Change can be so good, if we let it. I’d recommend making some small attainable goals of your own. Remember to be specific so you can hold yourself accountable and that way, it’s not as overwhelming too. And remember that less is more! All the love!

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Exploring the night market in Hoi An, Vietnam

Not until just recently, it was almost a little taboo to do things for yourself. To take time to meditate in the morning or time the time and money to pamper yourself. Did mental health days even exist?! I think self care is so important and here are some of my key items I think are worth investing your time and money into when caring for yourself.

Gym Membership or Gym Equipment

Whether you’re into yoga, spin, prefer to workout at home, or enjoy a variety of fitness activities (check out ClassPass), you are investing in yourself and your health. So own it and go on with your bad self!

Supplements

I’m talking adaptogens, collagen, probiotics, etc. These are all things that will benefit you in the long run. I’m personally taking a multivitamin to supplement my plant based diet and they’re not the cheapest, but they are worth every penny.

Skincare

My skincare regimen is so sacred to me and I’m not mad about it. I choose to invest in locally made and nontoxic serums and my skin has never looked or felt better. I highly recommend @herbivorebotanicals to anyone looking to switch things up! I would also recommend looking into nontoxic makeup. It can be pricey, but chemicals in makeup and nail polish can be very damaging to your body over time.

Hobbies

Whatever it is that sets your soul on fire, do that. Love cooking? Take a cooking class! Enjoy trail running? Make the time for it! You are so deserving of fun things.

A Good Walking Shoe

Honestly though. Think about your poor feet and how far they’ve taken you thus far. It’s time we take care of em. New Balance makes some great ones and I can always find them at the Rack for a great deal. But it’s definitely worth the splurge to get a style that suits you.

Therapy

Not only is it worth the money, but it’s worth your TIME. I am a bit of a hypocrite here though, because going to therapy is something that has been on my back burner to do list for far too long. Let’s be accountability buddies and make it a goal to meet with one next year. 

Cocofloss

THIS IS NOT A JOKE. Perhaps this is my personal opinion because oral hygiene is so important to me. So aside from an electric toothbrush (also an essential), I think investing in a good floss is also something to consider. This is going to sound gross, but just think of all the plaque lingering on and in between your teeth. My teeth have never been so clean after using Cocofloss and I will never go back.

Closet Essentials

Think timeless pieces and also items that you wear often. For me, that’s a pair of black Chelsea boots. A travel friendly backpack. A pair of blue jeans so comfortable you can also wear them as as a non-revenue passenger. Workout pants. It’ll be different for you, but just consider investing in quality pieces. Not only is it more sustainable, but it will actually save you money and time in the long run too.

Travel

So I am totally biased here but I truly believe that so much growth (and honestly LIFE) happens in traveling, especially alone. It’s not always affordable to travel, so I recommend setting financial goals to keep yourself on track with saving to make the trip. It’s also not a bad idea to start with a smaller trip. One of my favorite U.S. cities worth visiting is Austin, TX and it is pretty affordable! Keep your eyes peeled for flash deals on flights and hotel too. Hotel Tonight is also a great resource for more affordable last minute accommodations.

This is my own personal list. Honorable mentions: dirty dozen six organic foods, your living space and what goes in it to bring you peace and joy, and BOOKS! What’s on yours? All the love.

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.

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.

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