I remember the day my hamstrings loosened. I have kind of a terrible memory, so naturally I don’t recall the exact date. But oh, the feeling. I was in a yoga class last summer, about five or six months after my teacher training began. As I moved into parsvottanasana – a forward bend that makes me want to punch things challenges me – I noticed that something felt different. That day, my hamstrings didn’t scream quite so much as they had been for months prior. That day, there was space to go a little deeper. I inhaled, straightening and lengthening my spine. I exhaled, folding forward just a little more than I ever had before. It might only have been one-quarter or one-half of an inch, but there it was. Something had shifted, and I was present, breathing, noticing.

Now I have a confession: I didn’t accomplish any of the goals I set for myself way back when in my third post.

In my first few drafts of this post, I wrote an explanation here about why I didn’t complete them. But you know what?

It doesn’t matter.

I wasn’t ready.

Am I now? I think so.

Five months after the beginning of my Stratejoy journey, I’m getting that same feeling in my life as I did with my hamstrings last summer. There’s space now. Things are shifting.

* * * * *

Five months. 15 countries (including the United States and Canada). 37 beds, couches, futons, armchairs, air mattresses, and uncomfortable, questionably clean train seats. Thousands of photographs.

Have I changed? Good lord, yes.

How have I changed? That’s…more involved.

There are the obvious things, of course. I’m no longer working a 9-5 job. I no longer live in Brooklyn; my residence is still transient. I’ve put on weight. I drink coffee now, and I don’t spend as much time on the internet. I no longer hit snooze ten times when Joan Jett yells, “I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation!” in my ear.

The more subtle stuff is harder to nail. Some days, I still feel stuck in the same patterns in which I’ve found myself for years. Other days, I feel like a new person. I frequently find myself feeling so fucking grateful for people, places, and moments that I want to explode with joy. I’m more at peace; I’ve shaken that stressed-out-hurry-hurry-frequently-annoyed attitude that I picked up during my six years in NYC. And overall, I’m feeling truly empowered and happy. I’m sure that there are other things, but those are the ones that I’ve figured out how to verbalize so far.

It seems that the nomadic lifestyle mostly works for me.

* * * * *

While preparing to write this, I took a look at my values from The Joy Equation, which I mentioned in my second post.

Connection. Bliss. Abundance. Trust. Adventure. Courage. Magic. Strength. Without even planning it, I’ve ended up posting about each of those over the past five months. I love when it’s suddenly clear that I’m on the right track, even when I hadn’t been planning every detail.

Seeing in concrete terms that I’m now living my core values feels really fucking amazing.

* * * * *

Though my time writing in this space ends with this post, my journey will continue. Today I’m on a flight back to New York. That was definitely not part of the original plan – but then again, neither was staying in Europe until February. I wanted time for yoga, tattoos, my favorite foods, and friends and family.

And then: Australia. I’m sad to leave Europe, and at the same time, I’m ready to develop a routine again. I’m excited to meet Kate and other new friends, and pumped to start teaching yoga again. I’m gearing up for summer, kickboxing classes, and maybe learning how to surf!

I hope you’ll continue following my adventure:

twitter: shinyredtype
facebook: pierced hearts and true love
blog: piercedheartsandtruelove.com
yoga teaching schedule: katselvocki.com

Thank you all for being a part of my QLC! And as Edward Abbey wrote, “May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.”

[photo credit: my friend and travel buddy, Jenni]

I can’t say I’m surprised these past five months writing for Stratejoy went by so quickly. In between writing every week was a whirlwind of activities and new things to experience, so time ran forward at an inexhaustible pace. We were asked to ponder how we’ve all changed in the last 5 months, and at first, I thought, “That is too short a time to change, so I haven’t!” But, I started looking deeper and realizing that the small progressions I’ve made in multiple areas of my life have indeed been changing me. When I set my goals the third week of this blogging season, I talked about my fears of setting goals, and how I would be happy if I even managed to stick with one. Let’s take a final tally and see how I did, shall we?

#1 Stick with ONE of these goals. (I did!)

#2 Further explore the concept of minimalism. (What is minimalism? Joshua and Ryan do a great job of explaining this concept here.) (I downsized most of the stuff in my apartment and just last week removed a few final loads of stuff to Goodwill. The apartment is more open, and I feel a hell of a lot lighter having embraced the philosophy of minimalism.)

#3 Get moving. This might involve FINALLY taking those yoga classes or just taking a walk every night. I’m lazy. I like the couch. What can I say? (I walk a lot at the zoo when the weather is nice, and I started taking yoga on a fairly regular basis. I ended up losing 10 pounds before Christmas.)

#4 Continue the quest for healthy eating. I’ve cut out most processed foods and eat meat only on occasion. I want to keep getting better at this. (Rob and I have become mostly vegan at home and part-time omnivores when out and about in the world. If we are eating animal products, we consider where it comes from and how much we’re ingesting. I’ve watched multiple documentaries and can honestly say I rarely ingest anything super-processed which has felt so good.)

#5 Fully embrace my Americorps experience. (What this means may come only with time spent in Americorps.) (I pretty much live at the zoo, so I think that counts!)

#6 Create a financial plan that works towards eliminating all of my credit card debt (Still working on this one…)

#7 Begin learning to play the guitar (I have THOUGHT about beginning to learn the guitar. That is as far as that has gotten, haha.)

5 of 7. I can deal with that, especially because I’ve seen the positive changes those 5 goals have had in my life. I’ve learned that goals don’t have to be scary and steps can be small. Even with goals in mind, however, I’ve ultimately learned that it is ok to live my life one day at a time, enjoy the experiences I’m having now, and it is ok NOT to be sure of the future if I’m going to ignore the blessings of the present.

I am thankful to Ashley, Dusti, Hannah, Kat, Kristen and Laurenne for sharing their powerful experiences with me and the rest of the community. I’ve learned so much from you all and found so many different perspectives as we’ve gone on this blogging journey together. A special thanks to Katie for her encouragement along the way and to Molly for allowing us all to share our stories with the incredible Stratejoy community.

Where can you find me from here on out? I’m not much of a blogger outside of Stratejoy, but I do tweet @elyse_lohrbach on Twitter. I’ll be continuing my work with the zoo and the Emery Theatre and really embracing some new truths I’ve learned about myself on this walk. I look forward to not knowing what is ahead as I stumble through life.  And as the famous JRR Tolkien once said, “Not all who wander are lost.”

So without further ado, continuing on into that mysterious horizon, this is Elyse signing off.

{Photo Credit: Bossco}

AH! We’ve reached the end of five months. Time. Time. Time. It’s so strange. We grow and grow and change and stay the same. And then all of a sudden, it’s January.

Writing for Stratejoy has uncovered so much for me. It pushed me to write about my feelings in a way I haven’t before. This is HUGE for me and all the writing I’ll do for the rest of my life! Growth and emotions are really what matter, and I’ve learned that I LOVE exploring them through writing. Writing here has opened me up.

I adore this community. I can’t believe people survived without the internet. How did we find each other? It’s beautiful to know that we’re not alone in our journey, our strange thoughts, our loneliness, our brilliance, our revelations, our humanness.

Did I reach my goals? Let’s see. Like Hannah said, we don’t look different. I look the same, save for a few more wrinkles because I can’t figure out how to sleep on my back. Oh, but I had other goals. They were:

Go easy on myself I used to feel like I was a failure if I wasn’t the best. I remember doing a stand-up routine, making lots of people laugh, and then coming off stage thinking only about the one word I got wrong. It’s just how I’ve always been with myself. Of course I didn’t change overnight, but I am catching my inner voice when it’s mean to me. I don’t deserve that shit.

Trust I started with such anxiety because I didn’t trust myself or my colleagues. What a life! If you don’t trust anyone, you can spend some serious time WORRYING! About the present. About the future. About everything. But if you realize that nothing bad can happen ever because everything is a learning experience, then there’s nothing to worry about. I’m working on that. I have four performances coming up, and I haven’t yet worried too much about them, knowing I can’t control everything! Stupid control! You’re just an illusion.

Feel pretty After spending the last year in pajamas writing, I felt gross. I have been buying myself one clothing item I feel amazing in per month. I’ve been wearing my hair down. And I’ve been taking Flamenco classes to bring out my femininity! Slowly, I am feeling like a woman again. Phew. I might even paint my nails tonight… nah.

Connection My goal was to build a community and value my friends, and I have! I’ve played more board games in these past five months than in my childhood. To Park Place we go!

Get Romantical I went out on dates! I wore heels! And for three of these five months, I had a boyfriend! It was magical. He broke up with me the day before New Year’s Eve ‘to work on his screenplay’ (BARF! So LA.), but I enjoyed three wonderful months of lovey dovey feelings. I needed that.

Time I have realized that, while I love writing and there’s nothing I find more luxurious than a night on the couch with my computer and my words, the most important things in life are JOY and PEOPLE. And I have been putting them first more and more often. Phew. I was beginning to burn out.

Open Hmm… This meant I wanted to keep my schedule more open and not be so booked all the time. This one I’m still working on! Maybe I’ll plan to master this one later.

Step into my path These five months have been witness to a full existential crisis, chronicled here. But it’s over! I feel so much closer to what I want, and I can attribute that to writing out my truth on Stratejoy. It’s helped me think. It’s been my diary. It’s forced me to spit out my emotions weekly! And I love that feeling. So, even though the path I’ve chosen (writer!) is hard, I’m doing it. I’ve questioned it, but I’ve definitely spent these five months answering my questions. Ah. I LOVE ANSWERS.

Thank you guys for supporting me and reading the words I’ve spent time agonizing over. I love all of them and you. Don’t go away! You can find me on Facebook or on my blog, humans are funny. Or come to a Taboo Tales show!

[Photo credit: A friend! This was karaoke. Putting relationships first is fun.]

I can’t believe this is over. Five months has never flown by so fast! I have loved this little corner of my life, making the time each week to focus on my life- where I’ve been, where I am now, and where I want to be. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that I’m a different, better version of myself today than I was in early September 2011.

When I started writing here, I set some specific goals for myself:

1. Personal- create an authentic life full of joy!

• Weekly brainstorming session- ideas, goals, dreams- about my best life
• Register for one of Molly’s awesome group coaching programs
• Practice yoga at least once a week

2. Professional- be a grounded, curious, and empathic counselor!

• Find a mentor
• Read at least one book relating to psychology each month

3. Financial- finally get out of debt!

• Create a monthly budget
• Stick to monthly budget
• Open a savings account

So, how did I do? Well, it was a mixed batch.

I didn’t do a scientific, exact measure, but my life feels more authentic ad joyful. The weekly brainstorming sessions didn’t happen as I had envisioned. I didn’t sit down and journal or make lists or create a vision board on a weekly basis, but if we swap out “weekly” with “monthly” then it was a total success! I registered for, participated in, and absolutely loved the Put Yourself Out There group as well as The Council: Holiday Edition. Both groups helped me create a clear vision of what I want my life to look like and what changes I need to make in order for those dreams to become a reality. I continued to practice yoga weekly, missing only a few classes. And surprise! While training for my half-marathon, I fell in love with running and the time and space it provides me with to be alone with my thoughts.

My professional goals were a flop. I didn’t find a mentor and I didn’t read one book each month. This isn’t really a huge surprise to me since my love for my job began slipping away from me these past few months. I started two books, but they are both sitting on my shelf with a bookmark tucked somewhere in the middle of the pages. I still want to find a mentor and that is something I am going to pursue. I want to find someone who challenges me, supports me, and hopefully inspires me in my professional growth as a counselor.

Financially, I am in such a better place than I was in September. While I cannot cross off any of  the goals listed above, I feel more secure, and have allowed myself some wiggle room from month to month. In December I began the process of consolidating my student loans which means that my monthly payments have gone down over $600! My rent is also about $150 cheaper in my new apartment, so that helps too. With these changes, I am able to travel more, put money aside (what I call my “mental savings account”), and feel much more relaxed when it’s time to pay bills. I can just feel the anxiety melting away!

In addition to working toward these goals, I’ve learned to trust myself over these past few months. I wrote myself a love letter and I faced my inner critic. I imagined my best life and I solidfied my core values. I moved to a new apartment, watched my best friend get married, and I decided to run a half-marathon. I stressed out over money, reflected on 2011, and set an intention for 2012: Savor Growth. I shared stories about my dad and my long-distance relationship, I questioned my career choice, and I answered a bajillion questions. It’s been a journey, y’all.

I feel stronger, more courageous, and more at peace. I feel like I know myself better, which I guess is what you can expect when you spend an uninterrupted hour or two with someone (yourself) each week writing, reflecting, and sorting through all your personal thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

I’m so sad that it’s time for me to go. I have truly loved every minute, every connection, and every friendship that has been built because of Stratejoy. Thank you for cheering me on as I shared a bit of me with you each week. You all mean the world to me. In case you want to continue following my journey toward a life full of audacious joy, you can find me here:

• Personal blog | That Super Awesome Blog
• Twitter | @AshleyD
• Email | superawesomeashley [at] gmail [dot] com

Please stay in touch!

[photo credit: my boyfriend; Me- In front of the harbor in his hometown in Canada]

The first thing I did this morning was change a poopy diaper.  Yep.  That’s the exact same first sentence as my first post for Stratejoy.  It would be easy to get down and think that nothing has changed in the last 5 months.  I’m still a nanny. I still deal with literal and metaphorical crap every day.  But a lot has changed.

In 2004 I was a super senior at Oregon State University.  I had a major, but didn’t know if I had chosen the right one.  If you wanted to find my self esteem you’d have to scrape it off the floor from underneath the spilled PBR and old pizza boxes.  I was starting to gain weight, had just finally given up dating guys I didn’t even like, and had zero plan for the future.  That’s when I started nannying.   It’s no surprise that the job now holds such a negative connotation.   Thankfully this was also the time I met Mister.  Soon after graduation I moved to Seattle.

Life slowly started perking up.  It got better and better.  Especially this last year.   I turned 30.  I got married to my best friend.   I quit one of my nanny jobs.  I really nailed down what I want from my business.  I can certainly attribute a lot of my growth to these things.  But I keep wondering how much of my change has been because of Stratejoy…going through the Joy Equation (twice), sucking up the fear and writing my application to be a season 5 blogger, and for the past 5 months, spending time reflecting on my Quarterlife Crisis through these blog posts.  I am not the same person I was a year ago.  I believe in myself.  I trust myself.  I’m excited about what is to come. And most importantly, as I said last week in the interview, “I’ve realized that the feelings of needing to do more, be myself, and live life my way are not unique to me.”  I don’t feel alone anymore.

And so as I finish my stint as a Season 5 Stratejoy blogger I have mixed feelings.  On one hand I’m so sad that the support of this tribe won’t be there every week like it is now.  I won’t be forced to mentally push through the roadblocks that get in the way of moving forward.  I won’t have to give myself time to think and write about myself every week.  In some ways I’m afraid I’ll forget everything I’ve learned when it’s not front and center in my mind anymore.

But on the other hand, I’m excited.  It’s time to move on.  It’s time to stop talking about where I’m going and where I want to be.  It’s time to just go.  And I go ahead with the knowledge that you are all out there going through the same kinds of things I am.  We’re all in this together in one way or another.  And somehow, that gives me a little bit more confidence.

I don’t even remember the plot of the movie Bounce, but I do, and always will, remember this quote:

It’s not brave if you’re not scared.

And so I step forward into the next stage of my life, afraid, but not alone.  Feeling brave and strong.

If you want to keep in touch, follow my business blog, email me, or find me on Facebook.  I would LOVE to hear from you!  And I’ll be around.  Don’t think you’ll get rid of me that easily.

Until next time, sticky notes, coffee, sweater blankets, and everything good to you!

[Photo Credit:   Mister took this on our honeymoon in Italy]

The past five months have gone by entirely too quickly! It’s still a little mind-blowing to me that I’ve been on the road for nearly four of those five. A lot has happened during that time, and while the big things are obvious, I think the smaller changes are going to take another five months to process. And that’s okay! I want to keep growing and transforming as I continue working through my QLC and settling into my new life. I’m still so honored that I’ve been able to share this journey with all of you!

What are you obsessed with at this exact moment?

Zotter chocolate, yoga, mochas, getting my etsy shop up and running, visiting my OddDaughter in England, my impending gluten detox. (I’m gluten-intolerant, and I have not been careful during my travels.)

You can time travel but only to the past! What time period/ historical event do you go and experience?

This is an easy one! Every time I talk about Coney Island, I tell people that I want to go there during the early 1900s, when it was “America’s Playground”. Coney Island is literally one of my favorite places on the entire planet, and I’d love the opportunity to experience Luna Park, Steeplechase Park, and Dreamland in their heyday.

If you could be any animal, which animal would you be and why?

A tiger. I find them mesmerizing; they’re so strong, and yet still graceful.

Any person dead or alive, who would you have dinner with?

David Lynch. I think he’d be an utterly fascinating dinner companion, and boy, do I have some questions for him!

What is on your life’s soundtrack?

I planned my final yoga class at my old studio around the theme of overcoming fear. This was the playlist for the class, and I think it’s a pretty accurate soundtrack for my life as well:

• Twin Peaks theme song – Angelo Badalamenti
• King of Carrot Flowers Part 1 – Neutral Milk Hotel
• Big Trucks – Pedro the Lion
• There’s More to Life Than This – Björk
• Starman – David Bowie
• Thought I Was – Rainer Maria
• I Don’t Want to Be – Gavin DeGraw
• All Things Ordinary – The Anniversary
• Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games – Of Montreal
• Suddenly I See – KT Tunstall
• Today – Smashing Pumpkins
• Tattoo – Petra Haden
• In the Aeroplane Over the Sea – Neutral Milk Hotel
• Central Reservation – Beth Orton
• Silence – matt pond PA

In addition to that playlist, I’d add these songs that I can’t live without:

• Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
• Deceptacon – Le Tigre
• Walking to Do – Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
• Rapture – Pedro the Lion
• Thunder Road (from Live 1975-85) – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

I’ve linked to as many of the songs as I could, so hopefully you’ll go forth and enjoy some new music – and if you like it, support the artists!

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

If I could clone myself and simultaneously be with my friends in NYC, Seattle, Minneapolis, Raleigh, St. Augustine, San Francisco, Vancouver, Edmonton, Oxford, Graz, Vienna, Rabat, Melbourne, Sydney, and Okinawa – well, I’d do that. Since that’s not going to happen, I think I’ll stick with wanting to be where I as I’m writing this: Barcelona!

Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your QLC?

My yoga kula (community): the ladies who completed teacher training with me and several other friends/mentors. They inspire me every day with their passion, bravery, and love.

If money, education, time, or location were not an issue, what would you be doing for work in life?

It feels pretty awesome to say this: I’d be doing exactly what I’m doing now/about to be doing (teaching yoga, writing, taking photographs, traveling)! I just wouldn’t need to worry about my bank account so much in the process.

What was the biggest mental shift you’ve made from 5 months ago to now?

Over the course of my last few weeks in New York, I was seriously doubting my decision to leave and my ability to keep myself afloat financially and emotionally without a 9-to-5 job. Now I feel certain that I did the right thing, and that I can make this all work.

What’s changed? List 10 little sweet things.

1. I gave up my cozy Brooklyn apartment for a transient lifestyle.
2. I don’t really mind wearing the same clothes four months in a row.
3. I’ve developed and renewed so many amazing friendships.
4. I miss good tacos and bbq.
5. I’ve learned, once and for all, that my yoga practice – the reading, the āsana, the meditation – is crucial to my well-being.
6. I drink coffee!
7. I’ve visited 13 countries (six new ones and seven return trips).
8. I’m learning to be less afraid of making mistakes.
9. I’m a pro at navigating new European cities where I don’t speak the language.
10. I don’t think I ever want to go back to the 9-5 world.

What’s one thing that you’ve learned – in general or about yourself – over the past five months?

I’ve (re)learned just how important it is for me to have a community. I am fortunate to have amazing friends scattered around the globe, but what makes a place feel like home for me is having some of my people nearby.

What would you have done differently on your Stratejoy journey if you were starting today?

I wish I’d put more time into soul-searching (writing morning pages, completing The Joy Equation, etc.) at the beginning. I feel like I’m only now beginning to tackle some of the really big, deep stuff! At the same time, I think that I needed space to get there, so maybe it’s all worked out for the best.

What song(s) will remind you of the past five months?

• Holy Holy – Wye Oak
• So What – P!nk (my cell phone’s ringtone)
• Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z featuring Alicia Keys
• Snow – The Chemical Brothers
• Lollipop and Grace Kelly – MIKA
• I’m on a Boat, 3-Way, and Jack Sparrow – The Lonely Island
• Somebody That I Used to Know – Walk Off the Earth covering Goyte

What is your favorite thing about YOU?

I am so proud of myself for doing things – from minor items to major life changes – even when they absolutely terrify me.

Name 3 things you absolutely love about yourself.

1. I love that I’m my quirky self; I rock diverse interests that range from the badass to the absurd, and everything in between.
2. I love that I’m not afraid to cry.
3. I love that I don’t need a lot of stuff to survive and thrive.

How are you living life on your own terms?

I quit a steady job to travel the world and move to a new country to start a less traditional career path. Despite the concerns of my family and my slowly dwindling bank account – which will be pleased when I arrive in Sydney and also begin selling my photos – I am overall the happiest I’ve been in my life. Even when I get scared (and it definitely happens), I feel like I made exactly the right choice for me, and I love that I’m listening deeply and following my heart.

[photo credit: me!]

What are you obsessed with at this exact moment?
My brain! Is that too self-obsessed? Maybe. Being in school for psychology sure keeps me thinking about how to learn from everything. In class, they say to simply feel from the heart, but I prefer to overanalyze my childhood. I also can’t stop drinking coffee, eating buttered toasts, or saying ‘Fancy that!’

You can time travel but only to the past! What time period/ historical event do you go and experience?
I think I’d like to be a cavewoman. It might be so much easier to communicate without words. Or harder. I guess I’d like to see. I would definitely be a vegetarian cavewoman.

If you could be any animal, which animal would you be and why?
Dolphin. Or Sloth. I used to want to be a bird, but I think I would hate living above the sea and not having hands.

Any person dead or alive, who would you have dinner with?
My dad. Snoozer answer, but I would love to talk to him and be like, “So… about your suicide…?”

What is on your life’s soundtrack?
I have, what some may call, strange taste in music. I’m a bilingual girl who doesn’t keep up with the kids today. So, I like old ballads sung in Spanish. This one by Joan Sebastian is my favorite. I love ‘Grita’ by Jarabe de Palo when I’m sad. And I belt Julieta Venegas or Regina Spektor when I’m happy.
When I want to marvel, I listen to the smartest wordsmith musician I’ve ever heard, Brian Cutean. Favorite lyric is his song, ‘Three Little Letters’: BMW? BFD.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
My goal is to get this question and be able to say, “I am completely content where I am right now no matter what.” Until then, I will say a warm beach in Panama, playing futbol with the local kids while the sun goes down, no to-do list in sight.

Who has been your biggest inspiration throughout your QLC?
Ugh. I hate this answer, but I must speak my truth. When Steve Jobs died, I was like, “Guys, he just made some computers. Relax. No big deal. Bah.” But… He believed he could do things, and then he did them. So, he’s pretty inspiring. I also like to think about how Tina Fey is a funny woman who carved out her own path. I’m inspired by everyone here all the time too– I LOVE anyone who says they will do something and then does it.

If money, education, time, or location were not an issue, what would you be doing for work in life?
I’ve been asking myself this question forever. I think it’s what I’m doing now. Writing! I think. It might be nice to be doing it from a little bungalow on that warm beach though. I’ve been teaching writing workshops, and I love the idea of writing therapy. I’d love to cultivate that in the future and be a writer who spends half the year writing from that warm beach and the other half leading seminars and speaking around the US. I also think being a medical examiner would be so interesting. The human body!

What was the biggest mental shift you’ve made from 5 months ago to now?
There have been many! I think mostly I’ve developed more patience, trust, and the ability to be gentle with myself. I started Stratejoy just as I submitted my book to agents. I thought I needed to sell it ASAP to be considered a ‘real writer.’ If not, I thought I’d be a failure and my life would mean nothing. Since then, I see how things take time. I see how much I’m learning from each rejection I get, so I know that I wasn’t supposed to sell my book immediately. I am trusting that this process is going just as it’s supposed to. I’m trusting my own abilities. And I’m not putting so much emphasis on outside validation. I don’t need that credit to my name to be considered ‘real’ or ‘valid’ or ‘good enough.’

What’s changed? List 10 little sweet things.
-I’m putting myself first more often.
-I’m more gentle and loving toward myself.
-I have a vision board!
-I’ve stopped judging my mom and our relationship has blossomed (not really a LITTLE thing!).
-I’ve alloted more time to game nights and friends!
-I’m taking on only projects I love (what a relief!).
-I’m managing time wisely.
-I’m taking more time to just experience joy.
-I feel a new sense of calm.
-I’ve set a new order of priorities.
-I am trusting that everything is just how it’s supposed to be.

What’s one thing that you’ve learned – in general or about yourself – over the past five months?
I don’t always have to be the best, the most perfect, the first, etc. I am enough how I am NOW! In the past, I’ve spent so much time reeeeeaching for perfect. My teacher asked me, “If you were perfect, how would you know?”

What would you have done differently on your Stratejoy journey if you were starting today?
I’d put aside a specific amount of time each week to write so I didn’t feel so rushed! Time, you elusive bitch.

What song(s) will remind you of the past five months?
This one by Bebe really reminds me of any QLC. I heard it while running a few months ago, and I just burst into tears on the path by the beach. Favorite lyric in that song: Today you will discover that the world is just for you.

What is your favorite thing about YOU?
Just one!? I love my ability to never be offended and to see that everyone means well.

Name 3 things you absolutely love about yourself.
Oh, okay. Three more.
1.) My body! It’s awesome and helps me do everything I want to do every day. Hands are pretty cool.
2.) My willingness to laugh at everything– not in a deflecting way but in a way that means ‘Hey! Life is weird. Let’s make the fucking best of it.’
3.) My brain. It thinks a lot and I’m so grateful for it. I love how I’m constantly learning and being open to whatever might enter my thoughts.

How are you living life on your own terms?
I try to not be swayed by society. I don’t watch TV (besides illegally streamed ‘Shark Tank’ episodes). I don’t keep up with rules. I don’t listen to anybody who tells me I can’t do something. I believe that anything is possible. I don’t let money be an excuse. I make things happen. I love myself.