NEW YEAR, SAME DREAMS

Happy New Year, y'all! I'm excited to get back to blogging and share even more content with you in 2017! Not gonna lie though, I'm kinda sad the holidays are over. I love how the city transforms into this magical place during the month of December. But I guess all good things must come to an end sooner or later. And maybe that's a good thing, considering all the indulging that I've done the past few weeks with holiday treats and cocktails. Thank GOODNESS for yoga pants!

A New Year is kinda like having a fresh start. Whatever held you back last year or didn't bring you joy, you can leave it all behind in 2016. And that is exactly what I plan on doing. Since leaving my 9-5 corporate job in the Summer of 2015, I have been in this awkward transition phase. I worked from home for awhile and have since been putting ideas together of starting my own business. My dream is to create a Lifestyle Brand that reflects me and has something for everyone's budget. And it has proven to be harder than I ever imagined. Not that I thought it would be easy, don't get me wrong. But having BIG DREAMS also means BIG CHALLENGES. So, here I am, back to the drawing board and pushing myself to do EVERYTHING I can to get this business off the ground this year. 

I was recently explaining to a friend, over brunch, how you loose some of your confidence when you haven't worked in awhile. I have always been driven in my professional life. And I always succeeded in any position I held. But when you strip everything away and get back to the basics, it's easy to forget what you are actually capable of. You constantly fight off doubt and start to question yourself. 

I also, allowed my personal life to overshadow my dreams and goals last year. My parents divorced and the aftermath was more that I could handle at times. I spent months just feeling like my whole world was coming apart and I didn't know how to fix it. And it caused me to be distracted and unfocused on my life.

For me, 2017 is going to be a year of CONQUER. I want to conquer the FEAR, DOUBT, COMPARISON and DISTRACTIONS. And I want this year to be the year I let go of anything that doesn't serve a purpose in my life. It is possible to live your best self, you just have to want it bad enough.

How will you make 2017, your best year yet?!

XO, Rae

SO MUCH CAN HAPPEN IN A YEAR

Finally, I had some time this evening to sit down and blog. Life has been non-stop with the holidays, traveling and working from home. But I could not let the year come to an end without reflecting back and sharing one last blog entry with you all before we embark on 2016!

This year by far has been one to remember. So many changes & so many things that all fell into perfect place.

I settled into a new city and still can't believe that I get to call New York home. I never imagined being so happy here and feeling so comfortable in such a short amount of time. It still feels exhilarating every day that I get to spend here.

I quit a job that I once dreamed of having. It in turn made me realize that you always have a choice to walk away from something if you are not happy. And it also made me take a chance on myself. I had no plan B and although it terrified me, I knew that my happiness was worth the risk. Even through other's doubts and questions of my next move, I realized that sometimes in life you are allowed to not have a plan. You do not owe anything to anyone. But you do owe yourself, everything!

I closed the door to my past for the last time. The classic story of too little to late. He would say "I'm sorry" and ask for me to come back and all I could do was say "I can't". Even though I know I will never love anyone as much as I loved him. I know I could never allow myself to go back. I used to not be that strong and would have done anything to let him back in my life but this time was different because well, I was different. 

I removed toxic people from my life, met new friends and even reconnected with old ones. I definitely believe everyone holds a purpose in your life no matter how long or short lived. However, life is so much better when you have the right people to share it with. And I am lucky to have such amazing family & friends in my life. I would not be the person I am without them. 

Most of all I learned to trust the journey. And by far the best lesson of 2015! You may not be exactly where you think you should be but trust me you are exactly where you are supposed to be. It's the moments that we often forget to enjoy because we are so focused on what comes next. So, as we welcome 2016 and a NEW YEAR ahead, my hope is for you to enjoy the moments along the way. The rest will fall into place. 

CHEERS to 2016! And thank you for following my journey!

XO,  Rae