Living in New York has made me realize a few things about myself. I am way more comfortable now outside of my comfort zone than I have ever been before. New York exposes you to so much just in every day life. You are constantly surrounded by people. It's true, your personal space is pretty nonexistent most of the time. From crowded streets, subway stations and even grocery stores. But the good thing is that you have a lot more chances of meeting some amazing people. Everyday is like a new experience filled with new opportunities.

I have also learned to embrace change head on. Change used to be something that made me feel anxious and I often avoided it. I've had a lot of change in my childhood and I think that essentially made me fearful of change in my adult life.

I have settled into the city and adapted to my new life pretty well in the past 8 months. Moving in general can be overwhelming but moving to New York adds a whole new level. Smaller space, roommates, no car, public transportation, longer work hours....the list goes on. All of which seem somewhat normal to me now. I LOVE living here in the city and for once I welcome the change that comes with it.

Fear of failure is also something I'm learning to let go of. I no longer want to say "what if." I want to live the life envision for myself and put my fears aside. It can be scary to chase dreams. But I think having regrets is scarier. I would rather say that I tried and failed than have never tried at all. I'm learning that the journey is more important than the end result. I created this blog to document my journey here in New York. But also, in hopes that women can relate to the honesty of embracing your thirties and reinventing yourself. In addition, I am writing a book based on my life experiences, relationships, friendships and lessons learned. My goal is to one day publish the book.

I guess you can say New York has changed me. Or maybe it's that I've allowed myself to be more open to this experience. Either way, I'm so grateful for the growth.

XO, Rae