Home for the Holidays

Last week, Alex and I travelled back home to see our families for the Christmas holidays. It was a great 5 day trip, I ate a ton, laughed a lot, felt lots of love, and got to spend quality time with my close family and friends. Five days just wasn’t enough for the both of us, but we needed to get back to reality.

So far it has been just about six months since Alex and I made the big move. We’ve gotten used to the city, our apartment, and our lifestyle together. So much so that when we went home for the holidays, it didn’t feel much like our home anymore. Both of our old rooms were bare and none of our toiletries were in our bathrooms anymore. It makes me somewhat emotional, as if a piece of me isn’t home anymore. I only hope that my dogs remember me every time I make a trip back.

Coming back to SF after our 5 day trip back to LA, Alex and I both felt this sense of relief, like we are where we’re supposed to be. Our stuff is here, our food, our bed, our new home. I think we agreed that this place is finally starting to feel normal and good. The only thing missing, that we always miss, is our family and friends.

It really is difficult to change your habits, like moving to a new city. What you’re used to always feels like home, so when you have to suddenly deviate from that, it feels like something isn’t right. Maybe that’s why we don’t like change. We’re afraid of not feeling like ourselves anymore or feeling like we’re not in control. I have to remember all the times I’ve changed my routine, whether it be starting a completely new job or starting college, I survived and managed to get myself through it. All those new experiences made me a better person, allowed me to meet awesome people, and gain great knowledge that I didn’t have before.

We will always dread trying something new, but we always have to remember that we’ve been through it before so we need not to be afraid. I don’t need things to prove where my home is. I  always believe that saying,”home is where the heart is.” My home is with Alex, here in San Francisco, but it’s also back in SoCal with my family and friends, it’s in Seattle with my sister and brother in law, it’s in Nevada with my aunty and uncle. The ones I love have my heart and wherever they are, is my home.

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

xoxo

Flying High

I recently took a trip back home for the weekend for my grandpa’s 80th birthday. I traveled alone since Alex was due to arrive on a later flight after class. Luckily I had a window seat for a flight that was only an hour long. I was tired after a day at work and was hoping to not sit next to someone who wanted to chat, as cynical as that may seem.

While I was staring out the window, I got to thinking, the city of San Francisco looks so tiny from a higher point of view. I thought, how could a city, jam packed with buildings and some hundred thousand people look so small? How large really is our world? I think to myself a lot without words ever leaving my mouth. I could be walking in the airport, sitting at home, working out at the gym and I am always thinking, do I look okay? What does that person think of me right now? How can I become someone that people remember and know?

Truth is, in a world that is so large with billions of people and thousands of places, it seems unnecessary to always wonder what others think. No one person has everyone’s love, respect, or even knowledge of existence. There are simply too many people. Why am I so bent on making such a big impact right this second? And if no one notices, why do I care so much? As I read on some of the top leaders, entrepreneurs, and personalities, every single one of them was a “nobody” at some point. They didn’t make it their main focus to have people like them or approve of what they did. They achieved greatness by taking a combination of small and large steps, having some minor setbacks, and never letting their self doubt or the negativity of others bring them down if what they were doing was something they truly believed in.

With that being said, I stopped and realized, I am tired and I don’t really feel like making conversation with anyone let alone the stranger next to me on this plane. But who got anywhere by being a pessimist or letting a little setback, keep them from meeting a new friend, an exceptional acquaintance, or a potential business partner? Needless to say, I had an awesome conversation with the man in the seat next to me. I learned about his adventures around the US, he gave me some ideas on where to visit in San Francisco, and we laughed about how we missed the beach in the South Bay and how there’s no better place to live (although now we both reside in SF). I walked away feeling better. I wasn’t tired anymore, I was happy..happy to know that there’s nice, interesting people out there that I may have more in common with than I could ever possibly think.

Take opportunities, meet new people outside of your comfort zone, be pleasant. This world is too large to not want to explore and wander and see all of its possibilities and wonders it has to offer. Life is so short, so wouldn’t you want to go out thinking, “I went as far as I could and it was incredible”?

xoxo