Anything about Everything

Just doing a check in here - how's everyone doing? I know it's a scary, unsettled time, and we're all at some stage of feelings. Not everyone will feel the same as you do - and that, my friends is okay! It doesn't mean those around you don't understand or don't want to hear about how you're feeling. It means we are all navigating this the best we know how with the information we are given.  When this started 10 weeks ago, I thought it would be a month long, max. I had high hopes that this was going to blow over because it was going to be contained as soon as humanly possible. Fast forward to right now and I am dead wrong. I had to process that feeling 4 weeks ago, when we were starting week 6. It was certainly not the easiest emotional journey to go through, and there were plenty of nights where I cried myself to sleep because I missed my old life. The life that would allow me to visit with friends and family without judgement from people on social media as ...

Have you ever blinked, and a year has passed?  Like, you woke up one morning and its a year later, and a whole lot has changed?  That's how I feel lately, and while I am so elated with how things are rolling along in my life, it wasn't always like this.. and it hasn't been all sunshine and roses. Which you know - if you've kept up with these posts!  This blog turned a year old YESTERDAY, and I am so excited to celebrate! Over the last year I have been consistent in updating when the information is right and the flow just works. This blog, while I was hoping would evolve into something crazy exciting, has stayed right on course with how it started. Something that has become very important to me is personal development and self awareness. I try to bring attention to this journey in every post, in some way, shape, or form. How can we be better versions of ourselves if we are stuck living out our old habits?  The last year has been quite a roller coaste...

29 taught me a lot of life lessons - some great, some heartbreaking - but all lessons nonetheless.  I had my heart ruined by a guy, I had friends write me off of their own volition. I lost a very close friend unexpectedly, I watched a lot of my close friends become parents. I spent some time soul searching (truly), I got out of my comfort zone. I tested my limits, I gave into some bad habits. I started a blog that has reached and helped so many people, I have had days where I didn't have a single ounce of positivity to share. Looking back at my 20s as a whole? All of the above is pretty true.  I loved hard in my early 20s, had my heart stomped on with spikes and am still healing. I made a ton of amazing friends. I graduated with both an bachelor's degree and a master's degree in the same decade of my life. I moved out of my parents' home at 24 and never looked back. I bought my own car for the first time, and prematurely had to buy another (RIP Fi). I left a ...

November is notorious for being the only month every year that people truly reflect on how thankful they are for things in their lives. I get it - November is home to the best holiday on EARTH: Thanksgiving. Delicious home cooked meals are absolutely things to be grateful for! Memories and time with family - huge mega grateful point.  But what about your life? What in your life are you grateful for?  What has changed in your life that needed to, in order for you to be happy? What has changed in your life that you didn't want to, but it did anyway?  I am grateful for... Friends that turned into family Aside from my brother, and a few extended family members, family is scarce for me to come by at home. Thankfully, I have an incredible group of friends who have pulled me out of some dark places and have enriched my life in so many ways. We may not see each other near as often as we would like, but when we DO get together, it's always a good time. I love ...

Today, I spent the day at the Christmas Festival in Boston - getting in the holiday spirit! This event is amazing- last year was my first year and my friends have now included me in their annual trip. It's rows and rows of booths - handmade crafts and food - all while listening to Christmas music over the speakers. It's a sight to behold. While browsing one of the rows today, we stumbled upon a super cute sign making booth. One of the signs I saw hit me right between the eyes - and it's so true it almost hurts.  "The greatest prison people live in, is the fear of what other people think." That oughta make you think huh? We are so focused on how other people will judge our appearance or thoughts that we operate like we're walking on egg shells. Here's the deal people - YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE HOW YOU WANT TO!!!! If you want to wear a certain outfit or buy a pair of shoes or watch a certain show because it makes you feel good? Then grow the eff...

Before I decided to grab hold of my life and find happiness every day (harder on some days, easier on others!), I was not one to sit and relax. I felt like I was constantly being watched, feeling VERY unsettled. I felt like work was the only thing that would make me happy, so I busted my butt to stay running in the same circle. I felt like I had to conform to whatever everyone else was doing so I could fit in. I wanted to be included in everything all the time.  When the scenery changed, so did my view of everything I thought was true.  I no longer needed to conform to what others wanted, I no longer needed to stifle my likes and favorite things for fear of competition with "friends." I was no longer working myself into a tightly wound stress ball, yet I was (am) making more money and leaving work feeling so much less stressed.  I am so grateful for the opportunity I was given, even though it's not even remotely in either field I have my degrees in. Eventually, I w...

We have touched upon it before, but self awareness has been a topic that not many want to address. It's scary to take a serious look into who you are, what triggers you, what brings you the utmost joy, and what you need to adjust because it's not working with the rest of your world. It's hard, because it's a journey that you need to take alone - no one can tell you what you need to address to make the positive changes - they aren't you. YOU know what YOU need to do in order to make changes, it just comes down to biting the bullet and doing it.  I get it - it's freaking terrifying. Sitting alone with yourself, a journal, a pen, and your thoughts - super scary regardless if you've done it a hundred times, or never.  Some helpful hints for you to get started (or restart if you need the reset!): What has happened in my life that prevents me from accepting positivity and happiness in my heart?  When did this happen?  Why did it happen? What can I chan...

You have a choice, every single day. Are you going to be happy? Or are you going to let the constant negativity and misery around you be your life?  When it comes to self love and self discovery, a lot of the time people will fall off your radar. These people may be friends, family, someone you're interested in. If you find that your energy is vibrating much more positive into the universe while on this journey WITHOUT these people in your life, it's okay. Sometimes, you need to distance yourself to work on you and find your passion, your drive, yourself. This does not necessarily mean these people have been written off for good.  Here's the deal: you are allowed to cut off anyone that makes you feel less than fantastic on the daily. If you're surrounded by constant negativity, constant misery it might  be time to change some things. If you're constantly wondering if you're enough, if your presence is important to anyone - GET YOURSELF INTO A BETTER PLA...

Last week, I had the privilege to surprise my mom for her 60th birthday. My dad and I started planning it in January, and when it came to the day of the surprise - I was FREAKING out. I didn't want to blow it - we had worked so hard! Well, it went off without a hitch, and she was VERY surprised.  While I was visiting, we spent time in Asheville, North Carolina as well as Hendersonville, North Carolina. If you are ever looking for a place to go, this would be it. Such adorable little mountain towns with a lot of culture and vibrance. We toured the Biltmore Estate (a MUST do if you go out that way), and really just enjoyed the sights and sounds around us.  The last time I took a true vacation was in December, at Christmas time. I always felt guilty taking any sort of time off, because I felt like I was slacking if I wasn't in the office. I put work VERY high up on my priority list, in hopes that I would see growth. I didn't. I worked myself to the point of burning out, a...

Day 22 of 30 As we wind down the last week of the May blog challenge, the topics seem to be getting a little more serious and heavy - I will do my best to keep things light and positive - because that's what Anything about Everything was founded on. Today's Discussion: How you've changed in the last 2 years I think this ties in amazingly with the overall energy of this blog. What have you done in the last 2 years to set yourself up for victories?  The last 2 years have been a bit busy for me, with a lot of soul searching and an understanding of what I want out of life. I have overcome some obstacles with ease, while others seemed to be harder than anything I have ever handled in my life. Being raised Catholic certainly helped me get through a lot of the last 2 years. I am not going to get preachy on you, but I know that I was not alone.  I'd say about 2 and a half years ago, I realized that I was in a deep and dark slump that no matter how hard I tried,...