Personal

Life Lately

June 5, 2022

Hi there! It’s been a while. I’ve been quiet on the blog in recent months because, truthfully, I wasn’t sure how to share about my life in the midst of a difficult season. It felt too raw.

Thankfully, I’m in a much better place now. There’s a skip in my step again, and the familiar pull to pick up my pen has returned. I invite you to come along today as I reflect on the past eight months and look ahead to my plans for the future.

Getting Sick

At the end of last September, I got an ear infection. Little did I know at the time that this would be the first event in a chain of dominoes. In short, the antibiotic I took to treat the ear infection messed up my digestive system. After months of botched lab tests, only being able to stomach Cheerios and bananas, and the worst pain I’ve experienced in my life, the doctors finally figured out I had a severe colon infection. Unfortunately, the antibiotic used to treat the colon infection was as brutal as the infection itself (it’s never an encouraging sign when you’re given a “drug of last resort”). It took months to recover, and I’m still not able to eat completely normally.

Getting sick put things in perspective for me. It was the wake-up call I needed, prompting me to majorly decrease my stress levels and prioritize my health in a way I didn’t before.

Breaking Up

Since I’ve written about my relationship here on the blog for the past few years, it feels appropriate to share that the relationship ended at the beginning of 2022.

It would be disingenuous to gloss over the difficulty of a breakup. There’s nothing easy—emotionally or logistically—about disentangling two people’s lives after a long relationship. However, I know ultimately, I made the right decision for my long-term happiness. I’m proud of myself for that.

The breakup served as an inflection point for me. It prompted me to revisit the foundational questions of What do I want my life to look like? and What do I want in a partner? Let me tell you, my answers now are vastly different than when I was 20 years old. I’m grateful I gained this clarity now instead of further down the road.

Starting a New Job

I started a new job at the end of January, just as I was recovering from my infection and going through the breakup. It was not ideal timing, but I’m so thankful I made the jump. It’s been a tremendously positive change in my life. I still work remotely for a large public relations agency, but now I focus on private sector clients. In my new role, I’m consistently learning and being challenged. I’m enjoying increased responsibility and leadership opportunities. Plus, the culture of my team is fantastic–a real feat given that things are still mostly virtual!

Looking Ahead to the Future

During the winter and early spring, I had many days where I felt like Dorothy when she woke up after the tornado and realized she was no longer in Kansas. I wondered, How the hell did I end up in Richmond, Virginia? It was a destination I never intended.

But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the city. I love the warmth of the people, evenings on the lawn at VMFA, and meditative walks by the James River. Richmond feels right in my bones.

I plan to re-sign my lease for another year and see where life takes me from there. Right now, I’m the happiest I’ve been in a long time, and I’m excited about so many things that are to come. Stay tuned for some fun news in the coming weeks!