I’m going to start off by saying that my absence from this blog turned out to be much longer than anticipated. What I originally intended to be a week-long break quickly turned into months. It’s a little crazy that after five years of consistently blogging, I was able to let go of this routine so easily. I mean, can you believe that my most recent blog post was in August?

But, I needed a break. Three months ago I was tired of the routine and struggling to create. I was also feeling like I was missing out on doing other fun things. So, I’ve been trying to change that these past few months and here’s what I’ve been up to since you last heard from me:

I Adopted a Pup

If you’ve been keeping up to date with my life on Instagram, you’ve probably seen my beloved Mocha make an appearance. I adopted her on Labor Day weekend and it’s been one of the greatest adventures for me.

She was very shy and afraid of everything when I first got her. However, she’s now more comfortable and her huge personality is shining through. She loves attention and wants to be friends with all the big dogs, despite being only 10lbs. And she’s also very loving and playful, and having her in my life is such a blessing.

Working on Keeping Myself Healthy

This goes for both my mental and physical health. There was a point in time where I would prioritize taking photos or writing over working out. But, I’ve been on a huge exercise kick lately and have noticed how much it helps me feel awake, energized and clear my mind.

And speaking of the latter, I’ve been working very hard to feel balanced and in a good place mentally. I had so many stressors in my life this past year – from dealing with the death of a loved one to looking for a new work environment – and just needed to spend some time feeling like me again. I’m also learning to let go of things and thoughts that aren’t serving me well, and it’s made a huge difference.

By the way, if you’re wondering, I mostly work out at home and YouTube has been an excellent resource. I really love following Blogilates and Whitney Simmons for fitness routines.

Making Room for People

Whether it’s spending time with old friends, making new ones, or even going on a date, I’ve been trying to be less selfish with my time. I’m hanging out with friends on the regular, trying to actually call my family and being less shy about being around new groups of people.

All that being said, I am an extrovert, so being around people has been more energizing than draining for me. Plus, especially when it comes to dating, I’m learning to be more open minded and see where things take me. That’s been a huge shift from having the mindset that meeting someone new is not worth my time.

So What’s Next?

I cannot emphasize how much I love working on this blog. Even when I was having doubts a month ago, it was refreshing to go through old posts and reminisce. Lately, it just got tedious because I felt as if I was producing the same thing over and over again.

To resolve that issue, I’ve been busy brainstorming what various topics I want to write about. When I first started this blog it served as motivation to get out of my neighborhood and explore. And, to be frank, I don’t think I’ve really done Portland justice. So my goal is to explore more and share those adventures with you.

I also want to challenge myself creatively. I used to paint, draw, create and cook, and I haven’t been good about keeping up with all my hobbies. My goal is to make space to develop my different talents and find ways to share that with you here.

Outfit Details:

Everlane Crop Denim | Madewell Boots | Thrited Oak + Fort Sweater (Similar) | Thrifted JCrew Belt | Machete Earrings