I took a quick pause from making our lunches for the week to post in here. I’ve been feeling pretty bleh lately, but luckily I am aware that this feeling isn’t going to last forever. Today I’m still doing what I need to do to set myself up for the week, and for that I am proud.
I purposely made zero plans this weekend just to use it as a reset, and it has been exactly that. Yesterday my husband and I went out for a breakfast date and grabbed a few necessities from Walmart, but we spent our Saturday night in hanging out together. This morning we slept in and then went out and grabbed some Starbucks!
Spending time with my husband and just being in our home is such a blessing, and I am grateful for this life of ours. Wishing everyone a happy Sunday filled with blessings and love! 🤍✨
I have been on a social media break since the beginning of December. One of the accounts I really liked on Instagram has an email signup where they send daily affirmations, so I had signed up over a year ago and I continue to get them. Todays affirmation from Moon Omens was as follows:
“I trust that what is meant
for me is on its way. I am in
alignment with my life path.
I embrace the unknown.
I choose love over fear.”
I definitely needed this today, as I have just been in a little funk with this winter season. I also have been dealing with different health conditions like flu, uti and possible tonsillitis. We also had to take one of our cats to the vet yesterday, so today we will get results from her blood and urine. I’ve just been feeling a bit overwhelmed and when I read this I resonated with it. I figured I also can take this and put my own personal twist on it:
I trust that what is meant for me is on its way; I am allowed to release all of my worries and let go of control.
I am in alignment with my life path, even when I am not feeling 100% myself, I can trust this is all happening for me and a higher plan.
I embrace the unknown, and lean in with curiosity. This had me immediately think of another other quote I stumbled upon recently that says “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing.” I am allowed to dive into the unknown and let go of the need to appear smart or perfect.
I choose love over fear. I think we’ve all heard the phrase “the only thing to fear is fear itself,” and that is because if you let it, fear can completely take you over. I’d much prefer to live a life where I see through a lens of love and compassion rather than fear and hatred.
I’m using this weekend as a reset. I want to get back in a good headspace and focus on my goals- I am honestly very excited for it. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Sending extra love and positive vibes to everyone!
It’s the second to last day of November, which means the end of the year is upon us. It also means it’s now officially Christmas, so don’t mind me obsessing over lights and other cute decorations for the rest of the winter season LOL. As we come to a close on 2024, I can’t help but feel so grateful and emotional looking back at this incredible year!
This year was all about our wedding, which makes sense considering my husband proposed a year and four days ago. In March, I went dress shopping with my mom and close friends and I was lucky enough to find my wedding dress! Not only was it the first dress I tried on, but it was also on clearance for $90! I remember I had a night out with a couple of my high school besties that night too, and it was just such a great time!
In July, me and those same two friends went to Minneapolis to see Qveen Herby live in concert! This was one of my dream concerts and I got to see her with my best friends on the day before my birthday!!! Then on my birthday we all went shopping at the Mall of America and just had so much fun! That experience also offered opportunities for me to reflect and grow, and I am so thankful to have these memories.
At the end of September, my now husband and I flew down to Florida to start our wedding trip!! We were able to spend a few days in Pensacola Beach just chilling with my family and then we had his family and our friends trickle in before the actual wedding day. I’m honestly so glad we had a pre-vacation prior to our wedding- highly recommend this! Then at sunset on 10/2/2024, we said our “I do’s” and celebrated our marriage with all of our closest loved ones. We celebrated with a nice dinner afterwards and enjoyed a fun night!
After the wedding we went over to Orlando and enjoyed Harry Potter World before we left in a hurry due to hurricane Milton, and honestly we were so happy to come home and just be with our fur babies in our own bed. We had our Til Death Do Us Party a couple weeks after we got back, and since then we’ve just been enjoying the quiet after all the busyness.
We were invited to our friends’ home yesterday for Thanksgiving, and we enjoyed a delicious meal with them and their kids- this was honestly my favorite Thanksgiving so far! I never enjoyed the holiday as a kid because I don’t like any of the classic Thanksgiving food, but honestly this year I tried the ham my friend made and it was good! She did a great job and I was happy to see other side options rather than the stuffing and green bean casserole I usually avoid.
I know I only listed a few core events of this year, but these few events have made 2024 one of, if not the best year of my life. I also knew it would be, mainly because we were getting married, but it’s still so great that I had so much time with great friends and family this year. My heart and soul are just feeling so full, and I’m excited to see what the rest of the year brings.
There’s still a whole month left of memories to make, and now that it’s Christmastime, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!!🎄♥️✨
said yes to the dress!qveen @ the fillmorehello 29!the night before the weddingbest day ever ♡rainy hogwartsthe dragondrunk in lovedisposable cameras ftwmy friend’s fire ass thanksgiving dinneryummy mini cheesecake
Today I went inside Dunkin’ to order coffee, because the drive thru line was insane. Once I was inside I was able to order right away and went over to the pick up area to wait for my drinks. The cold brew for my fiancé came out quickly, and then I was just waiting on my iced coffee. A line of people start forming by me as they are also awaiting their orders, and the start minutes going by. Turns out they had run out of iced coffee, so they were working on making another batch. The beeping of the machines was so loud and felt never-ending, and the staff was all moving around quickly doing each of their duties as best as they could with the circumstances.
As I was sitting there, I started thinking about the experience as a metaphor for life. Being in that restaurant, as overstimulating as it was, was really just showing me the art of patience and mastering our own minds. Whether the employees decide to get frustrated or customers decide to get angry, nothing was going to change. Yelling and being upset is not going to make the iced coffee come faster. Giving up and throwing in the towel was not going to stop the mobile orders receipts from piling up. As much as it can feel like “when it rains, it pours,” how we shift our mindset and process our emotions is key.
There is so much external sh*t in our lives that we cannot control. The more time we spend trying to control our external environment, the more we are ignoring our inner world. Instead of focusing on how long the wait is or why the staff didn’t make iced coffee “fast enough,” why not focus on the fact that you are still having your iced coffee made for you. Why not focus on the fact that you’re lucky enough to not be behind that counter with the stress of having customers scream around you for things you’re actively trying to fix. When we focus on what is within our control (aka our mindset/perspective) we can become less rigid and overwhelmed by life.
There are things in life that you truly can never prepare for. Things like becoming a parent, having a parent pass away, witnessing an unexpected tragedy- these are beyond our control, yet we still have to live with the results. Life will continue to throw challenges our way, which is why mental health and emotional wellbeing are so important. The more we understand ourselves and how we process certain things, the more we can support ourselves during the journey of life.
Being able to have a more positive perspective or being able to lean into faith and letting go allows for less tension and suffering in our minds and bodies. Worrying about things beyond our control only fuels fear and robs us of the peace and joy we can find in the present moment. I have been actively trying to be more present in my life, and I know that there is so much comfort in stepping back and getting out of survival mode.
I could have become irritable and impatient waiting for my iced coffee, and I could have even used the excuse of all of the chaos that ensued in my life over this past week, but what was that going to do for me? Encourage my misery? Allow me to stay in a victim mentality? Instead I tapped into this “life imitates art” moment and recognized the metaphor in front of me. There is peace in letting go- whether it’s letting go of expectations, outcomes, or the need to control the situations around you, you’ll find that there is a feeling of content that washes over you when you stop and just be.
Since this year is my wedding year, I feel like I’ve been crying more tears of joy than I have in my lifetime. From trying on the dress for the first time, to visualizing walking down the aisle and up to the altar, the tears have been flowing steadily.
I used to hate my sensitivities as how often I cried at everything, but now when I find myself getting emotional, I meet myself with love. Although it can feel exhausting when I feel pain and sadness very deeply, it is absolutely incredible when I feel joy and love at that same depth.
This year I have found myself sitting in those moments of pure joy, and just allowing the tears to flow. Then when I actually think about my growth/progress with my mental health, the tears just flow faster. I used to feel so empty and numb, feeling like nothing in life would ever be enough, and that is no longer my reality.
Crying is honestly one of my favorite things about being a human, because it is sooo relieving. I’ve had those days/weeks/months of grieving losses throughout the years, and as much as I felt like I’d never ever be able to stop, I never held them back. So what if I cried everyday for months? I wasn’t going to shame myself for how much love I had for someone.
Love is a beautiful thing, and we all deserve to be well loved… especially by ourselves. I am leaning more and more into love and this journey has brought many tears of happiness along the way. I am so proud of who I am today and how dedicated I have been to the journey. I have talked about having my emotions basically turned off with medications, and that experience has made me appreciate my feelings and sensitivities so much more.
I am grateful to have access to therapy, as I continue to learn about and understand myself, it makes it easier to love myself. I am also grateful for podcasters/authors like Mel Robbins and Dr. Nicole Lepera, as they give resources for self-help and share their own experiences in a meaningful way to help others grow and be their most authentic selves.
Life is a wild ride, full of every single emotion you could ever imagine, and I am prioritizing joy wherever I can. We never know when life will end for us or those around us, so take this time we have now to let your loved ones know they’re loved by you. Spend time with the friends who you can be your full self around and where you’re laughing 70%+ of the time.
We are all going to cry tears of pain and sadness in this lifetime, which is why I embrace and enjoy the tears of joy when they come. I am blessed to be here in this moment, and I am so grateful for where I am today.
Today is a relaxing day, and I am enjoying some time alone while my fiancé plays his VR. I decided to do a card pull from Gabby Bernstein’s “The Universe Has Your Back” deck. Before I pulled the first card, I asked the universe to “show me what I need to know.” When I pulled the card, one I have pulled recently, I actually giggled.
After reading “The key to prayer is to forget what I think I need,” I immediately took that as a sign to just surrender and release expectations for the next pull. Normally I don’t even pull two cards, but I knew this time I was meant to. The second pull, also a familiar card to me, read: “I’m unapologetic about what I desire and trust that what I focus on will grow.” That was the card I needed.
I find myself not allowing myself to fall deeply into my desires out of fear of them not being able to be fulfilled. I don’t want to feel disappointed or upset when things don’t go as planned, but I also have to give myself credit where it’s due. I have been able to let go of control a lot more this year as I lean into my faith in the universe. I focus on being present in my life, which has brought so much peace and happiness, and I know that in the present is where I belong.
I feel so lucky to be where I am today. Years ago I dreamt about these peaceful days of hanging out with the love of my life in our beautiful home. I dreamt of the days where I didn’t have constant panic attacks or angry explosions. I dreamt of being able to just relax and do nothing without feeling guilty or unworthy of love. These are the very best days, and I know that I will have even better days ahead, but for now I am so grateful to be where I am.
It’s been amazing to watch you grow into the woman you are today. A woman who is no longer afraid of her emotions. Once upon a time you wanted to completely rid herself of them, and with just a few months of Zoloft that goal was achieved. It didn’t take long for you to recognize how lost you were without them, without your powers.
The sensitivity you have to others and to the world around you is a gift when you learn how to use it, and it’s amazing to see you catching on. I see you allowing yourself to feel that childlike joy and also allowing yourself to feel the anger that you’ve been shoving away for too long. Far too long. See how the world has shifted now that you accept and embrace these feelings? No wonder you want to share this with the world.
You care so deeply for others, for humanity as a whole actually. You’ve seen and felt what pain and trauma does to one’s mental health and well being, which makes it easy to have empathy for those who are struggling. You know what it’s like to not be able to feel the true love and joys around you, and now that you can feel them, you want everyone else to be able to feel them too.
You used to let this empathy consume you; losing yourself in everyone else’s worries that they all endlessly dumped on you. You absorbed the anxieties they had and abandoned yourself for too long, completely losing track of what was yours and what wasn’t. You did all of this while trying to keep up a perfect appearance to literally everyone around you- never releasing your own problems or feelings, because they all had enough to worry about.
You always felt like a burden, which is why you made sure to always put everyone else’s happiness before your own. If other people were happy, then there was less likely to be any conflict, thus giving a feeling of safety. You were in survival mode for most of your childhood and early 20s, and I am proud of the transformation you have made through your healing journey.
You allow yourself to rest without shaming yourself about it; instead you now realize it is necessary to recharge your own battery. You are present in your life, making new memories and taking time to enjoy the time with loved ones. You no longer talk about yourself negatively, but instead with the same empathy and grace you’ve always given to others. You have recognized the importance of speaking up and being authentic, and you openly and kindly share your thoughts and opinions with those who you’re close to. You prioritize spending your time and energy with the right people, and you aren’t afraid to say “no.”
You have grown so much throughout the years, and I am so proud of who you are. You deserve peace and love, and you have it all around you and within you. You are a magical woman with a strong intuition, and you’re a magnet for miracles. I love you so much, and I’m so happy to finally be here with you in this beautiful and crazy world. I am here. I am home.
All I see people posting about is the solar eclipse tomorrow on April 8. As I have been dabbling in astrology, I personally am excited for this eclipse. Eclipses are looked at as powerful times where we can harness the energy to set our intentions and truly shift our lives in the direction that we want to go. I am really trying to stay focused on the positive and keep a faith based mindset rather than fear, as of course, the other side of the Internet is all conspiracies about the end times.
The more I go through this life, the more I just believe that we do create our own reality and whatever we believe to be true will be true. I know that can’t really apply to science and math, and it may not make sense to everyone, but if two things can be true at the same time while having complete opposite meetings, then why couldn’t this be possible? Maybe this is the “end times,” but doesn’t that also mean it’s time for a new beginning?
I have not followed any religion closely, nor do I know the stories of the Bible, but there are people who follow the Bible who are noticing the timing and the path of the Eclipse. This path of darkness crosses through many religiously significant towns, such as Jonah TX, and Rapture, IN. Also, the path apparently passes through seven different towns named Nineveh, which is where Jonah had to go to urge people to repent their evil ways otherwise the town would be destroyed. To some, they believe this is the time that Jesus will come back.
I’ve also seen videos pop up on my Instagram feed talking about a solar eclipse that happened in 1811 and how huge earthquakes happened a couple months after that which caused the Earth to open up. We just had a 4.8 earthquake in New Jersey which some find to be ironic, because the solar eclipse is also on 4/8. Apparently eclipses can bring wild weather events, which we are already seeing with the wild storm in KY and also a huge 7.4 earthquake in Taiwan.
Regardless of what the eclipse can bring or what it symbolizes, I am still leaning into faith. I believe this world needs togetherness, along with and mutual understanding and empathy. I believe that the more we continue to love ourselves and let that love spill out and over onto others, the happier we will be as a species. I’m praying that we can come together and recognize how beautiful this world is, how amazing each other are, and how much goodness we can accomplish together.
Leaning into faith over fear. Thanking my angels and guides of the highest truth. Being present to the love around me. I am blessed. I am grateful. I am ready. 🤍
What a gorgeous day to be alive and writing this post from my kitchen island. Iced coffee to my left, R&B radio in my headphones, and sun beaming in through the windows. I am here. I am here in my home, surrounded by love, my love. I feel so connected to my fiancé, and so grateful to be in this space. Today we get to relax and just be with each other, as we enjoy the peace in our lives. This is the closing chapter before marriage, and before we start our journey towards parenthood, and I am cherishing these moments. I know that as excited I am to start having children, there will be times that I will miss moments of silence and total freedom, so for now I am choosing to enjoy them.
Life is all about seasons, and I am working on embracing each one. I am not a religious person, however I can appreciate the energy of today: rebirth. This is spring; this is the time where we allow the rain to hydrate our souls, and allow the sun to shed light on our souls deepest desires. This is the time we turn toward our inner light and keep feeding it. Feed it with gratitude. Feed it with joy. Feed it with taking moments to simply breathe and allow your body to relax. Feed it with anything that feeds it! The world needs more light, more love, and more peace. Let us be what we wish to see in this world. Let us be reborn into the present moment. Let us embrace this season, and make it our own.
As I lie here half asleep in my comfortable, warm bed, I can’t help but feel content. I remember the days where the second my eyes were open, I was immediately up working on household chores or school work or some other task that probably didn’t actually need to be done; I wouldn’t allow myself to rest. I’d always tell myself “I just have to get it all done now so I can relax later,” but later never came. I’d just add more and more tasks, none of which contained any rest or self care.
I used to feel chronically guilty and shameful when I’d rest or spend any time (or money) on myself. I felt shame around resting because it felt like laziness. I felt shame around spending money on myself because it felt like a waste- like whatever I had just purchased was stupid or completely unnecessary. If something unexpected came up and we needed money, I’d immediately think of how much I spent on myself and feel guilty and like everything was my fault. I always felt like everything was my fault.
I now live a life where I have unlearned some unhealthy patterns and I have released such shameful, guilty feelings for the most part. As a human, sometimes I will get triggered again, but it’s easier to acknowledge and give myself grace as I am aware of where these issues stem from. I feel so blessed to be able to just lay in bed next to the love of my life and relax for hours and not feel an ounce of guilt. Tasks will get done, life will go on, and it’s important to think about which memories are the ones I’ll want to bask in when I’m an old lady.
I’ll never regret cuddles with my fiancé or with my cats. I won’t regret the iced coffees or trips to cute downtown areas. I won’t regret the times I spent writing or being creative. I won’t regret taking the time to count my blessings. I won’t regret nice phone calls with friends. I won’t regret the fact that I decided to focus on my mental health and my own well-being, as it has allowed me to be more present in my life and truly soak in the love that surrounds me. More importantly, it allows me give that love to myself.
From Dark to Light 