I am writing this because of an article I read that talked about how no one talks about their struggle when they are in the thick of it. Only after, when they are on the other side.
After about a year of living in Nashville, I realized that for my personal happiness there are 3 components that have to be in balance. Job, friends and a significant other. If I hated my job but had amazing friends to go to after or a boy to kiss, great. If friends were not strong in quantity or quality and I was single but had a job that was incredibly satisfying, great. You get where I am going? It is all about balance. After almost 4 years in Nashville, I felt like I could not find a consistent balance and I was over it. I missed my family and had a maybe 2 good friends in Houston, but at the time that seemed like enough. So last February, I made the drive back to Houston, the city I hadn’t lived in since High School.
What was I going to do for work? No idea, but it would be something I love because I was living with my parents and had that ability. Those first few months in Houston were amazing, full of weddings, reconnecting with friends and exploring my city again. I got a part-time remote job with Bumble helping with the blog and Bumble BFF content. So great, right?! Life was great! Then in May, I got a job with a beauty startup doing social media. I was so excited because on paper it was my dream job. Running all of the social and digital marketing for a company that had huge wholesale accounts! In the next 6 months, I moved out of my parents’ house, got an apartment in one of my favorite neighborhoods and reignited an old fling. Things were looking great with a capital G.
A few months later the old fling ended [again], the dream job wasn’t so dreamy and the dreaded 26, kicked off your parents’ insurance, birthday was creeping in. Days after my birthday, miserable that I was in a job I hated with little prospect of other opportunities, I was laid off. So there I was, newly 26 just having learned how to get my own insurance, wearing one of the two more than I could afford happy birthday to myself presents, in an apartment I still had 8 months in, jobless. JOBLESS.
If you are reading this thinking “this happens to everyone, it’s your 20s everyone is struggling and confused” please leave. Not trying to be rude and I get it but it’s like beating a dead horse and it’s actually very unhelpful ‘words of wisdom’. Becuase no matter how many times you tell me that there are millions of struggling people in their 20s that doesn’t make me feel better about being one of them.
What do you do next? Anything you can right? But there is that thing stupid thing called pride that seems to get in the way. Pride and judgment. Friends tone when you say “I will attempt the restaurant industry” but also frustrated when you can’t go out to eat. It is a sticky sticky balance and I was in the thick of it. I am already a homebody, 70% of me would rather stay in and 30% wants to rage. I am the person who sits on the couch sad that she doesn’t have plans but then the thought of reaching out to see what people are doing is not appealing and turns on a movie. This behavior mixed with not being allowed to spend a penny is really bad. I was getting weird.
So there I was, unemployed in a corporate city wanting to do something creative with social media. Not the best combo which had lead me into the of a spiral of why did I move to Houston? Why did you have to fall in love with social media? Why do you have ‘skills’ that majority of the jobs listed in Houston do not give 2 shits about? How do I become a boring 26 year old wide wife to an oil tycoon? Is taking a photo of makeup really a skill? What am I going to do with my life in the short term? What happens when you don’t pay bills? Will the 2 hours I spent watching youtube videos on editing help my unemployment or my blog that does not make money? Reading your lease over and over to see how much they charge to cut it short. The list could go on and on and it does.
On a quick lighter note, having no income can result in two things: gaining a ton of weight or losing a ton of weight. Becuase you either go the route of ‘crap food and fast food are cheaper’ or ‘barely eat anything and eat random cans [of veggies]’. I was/am dead in the middle, a can of refried beans here, Mcdonalds there, sweet potatoes and eggs. every. damn. day. It’s a pattern I am getting used to but honestly wish my body could thrive on less so I could take the ‘damn she got skinny during her unemployment phase’ route.
As of 2018 things are starting to turn around and I will share more on that journey next. Finding the light at the end of the tunnel. But in conclusion, my time in 100% freefall was semi-amazing. I was able to think about what I want in a job. What I want in my next professional community. What I value in a company I work for. The saying “if you can’t laugh you will just cry” got me through the past 2 months. Don’t let me fool you there were a few full-blown breakdowns full of hyperventilating but for the most part, it was a “what the F is happening in my life this is comical” laughing. End tangent.
Diet Coke Love
This shop/post has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #ItsAMatch, #DietCoke #CollectiveBias
If you know me you know that I LOVE me some Diet Coke® and drink one once a day. So when they reached out I knew it would be perfect. One of the reasons I love Diet Coke is because of the fact it has zero calories. Reaching for a midday sweet is usually my go-to but Diet Coke is much better than candy or any other snack!
Winter is slowly winding down but somehow here in Houston is picked back up again which had me craving buffalo chicken dip. Rich dips are my favorite and always go perfectly with a Diet Coke. One of the reasons being that I don’t feel as guilty indulging in the dip when my drink is zero calories. Do you balance your food and drink pairings? I know the majority of you are also Diet Coke fans for sure! I mean hello, there is a reason Diet Coke and pizza are the number one pair in the country!
I have always enjoyed watching the brand come out with new concepts and this new one is awesome. Not only is there a sleek new design to the can but 4 new flavors (Feisty Cherry, Zesty Blood Orange, Ginger Lime, Twisted Mango)! This fun little quiz will tell you which flavor suits you best! Think the Twisted Mango would be so tasty with a mango-based salsa this summer!
As you can see in the photo above the cans are also available for individual purchase at Kroger which makes it super easy for you to try out each flavor! You will have to tell me which is your favorite, I cannot wait to try them all. As a die-hard fan of the classic, I love that they are adding a twist to Diet Coke!
Super Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip:
- Package of cream cheese, light!
- Buffalo Sauce (1/2 cup)
- Ranch dressing or blue cheese (1/2 cup)
- Celery
- Monterey mixed cheese
- Shredded chicken
- salt and pepper to taste!
Mix together the above ingredients, sans celery, in any bakable dish. Put in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. I checked in about half way through and gave it a good stir to break up the cream cheese! Hope you enjoy!
Weekly Favorites
Boston pt.1 – interiors
I spent this past weekend/week in Boston with one of my favorite people in world Katie, and her boyfriend Jake. She has always had AMAZING interior style but she has really outdone herself in her current apartment. A lot of her finds are from antique stores around the country, which is a skill in and of its own. Their home is a perfectly gender neutral, not too girly and not too masculine so they both love it equally.
Here are a few tips from Katie about decorating your home when moving in with your boyfriend.
1. Take your time– Especially when it comes to the big decisions. Moving in with your significant other is a huge life step. When I say our apartment was practically empty for two months after we moved in (other than a bed and a couch) I’m being dead serious! It was important to me that my boyfriend Jake and I enjoyed the process together and found items that we’d both like for a long time. Lucky for me, he loves design and kept me great company while planning and shopping. Aside from the financial investment in big furniture pieces, I wanted to be sure we were achieving an aesthetic that made us both feel at home. In retrospect, I wouldn’t have traded a mostly empty apartment for the world and I’m incredibly glad we chose to take it slow.
January Inspiration
Few things floating around my mind for the upcoming month:
Take in more news- read, listen, watch…whatever be more informed.
With that, listen to more inspiring podcasts and really take them in.
I know this ups my crazy girl status but now that I am semi-working in the bridal industry my love of weddings is skyrocketing. My Pinterest boards are looking like I have a rock on my finger…I indeed do NOT! Growing up my Mimi always said no blue tableware because you should not have plates that have a color that no food is. Sorry, Mimi, I cannot get enough of blue and white china right now!
Used the rest of a gift card on a Charlotte Tilbury lip liner in pillow talk; her best selling lip color in a form I have never used before. Liners always seemed old lady but the more stalking I did the more I learned that when I admired peoples lip colors they were filling their lips with lip liner, not a lipstick….will report back!
Diving into 2018
Cannot believe the year is over, adios 2017. Looking back on the year was hard because it feels like so much happen and time FLEW. Someone on Thanksgiving said to me “oh so you have almost been back in Houston for a year” and I argued him because there was no way it was true. Well, it is.
Highlights from the year include:
Gaining a new appreciation for interior design thanks to my Nashville Roommate Trevor
Falling in love with photography and learning how to actually use a real camera- and edit those said photos
Leaving Nashville and moving to Houston….so bittersweet even typing it
Losing a job in Houston…not a highlight
Learning what having my own insurance entails (shit let me tell you shit)…not a highlight
Last non-highlight, navigating unemployment…possibly more on that soon
So, all in all, I am incredibly excited that 2017 is over. Not to say there were not more real highlights but in this movement, the negatives are kind of outweighing the positives of 2017. Do you set goals? I never do because I tend to get excited about things, dive head first and go too deep too quickly and then halt. This time around I want to focus more on positive thinking, taking in the quotes, really listening to the podcasts and stop half ass take in this information and inspiration.
Do you make resolutions? If not what else do you do to reflect?
November Vibes
It finally somewhat feels like Fall here in Houston with a little help from Thanksgiving!
My brother’s friend was wearing these velvet pants from J.Crew that I need to go try on asap. They were sooo stinking cute on her!!! Pretty sure they are still on mega sale as well so snag them right away.
I hope you all had an amazing holiday, do you want more gift guides?!
