Simply (Life Changes)

Hi, there!

I’ve missed you!

The past six weeks have been utter madness, but in the best way possible.

I got my first adult apartment and I changed jobs.

Because when I make life changes, I like to do them all at once… 

Everything started with my decision to move. I was commuting for almost two hours (one way) every day and it was starting to become draining. I feel like I would wake up at the crack of dawn, commute, work, eat some dinner, and crash by 9PM… and then repeat. Dinners out with friends needed to be early, the gym was totally forgotten, and blog cooking was minimal during the week. Overall, I feel like I was not having the quality of life that I should be having at this stage of my life.

The other component (besides quality of life) that pushed me to make the leap out of the nest was that I felt financially ready. I worked super hard for the two years after graduating internship and paid off all my student loans… and then stayed at home to save for another 8 months. After a long budget discussion with my parents around our kitchen table and a very honest conversation with one of my friends who is a financial wiz, the three of them determined what a workable rent would be. I was fortunate to find a cute little studio apartment in hospital housing which was FIVE MINUTES AWAY from my hospital. I saw the place, my mom saw the place, and I signed all the paperwork.

And then I went shopping. 

And bought all the things!

And loved decorating the space with my family.

Like filling this $8 IKEA tray with pumpkins.

And filling these simple mason jars with flowers.

Because it’s the simple things!

In between the weeks of shopping/prepping for the move, I received the opportunity to apply for a Senior Dietitian position within our hospital system. 

So it was back to the kitchen table with my parents to discuss the pros + cons about the job and what it would mean for my career. I interviewed and interviewed… and then was offered the position.

In a span of 2-3 weeks, I went from just getting a new place to live to getting a new place to live + a new job.

While I have been unbelievably excited for these changes and have been humbled by all the love and support I have been receiving, it has also been a little nerve-wracking. Thankfully, I have a bit of time between the move and the job change, so I can acclimate to my new place before learning a whole new hospital.

I was able to host my parents for a light lunch yesterday before they headed out after helping with the last bits of the move – my mom and I made pre-packaged meatballs tossed in a General Tso’s sauce (basically the best party appetizer ever, BTW) and toasted with a little Chianti wine. Simple and perfect.

While the next few days will be overwhelming (because this girl has never lived by herself in her entire adult life), I know that this new chapter is going to allow me to continue to grow and learn.

And I think that this new chapter is going to be as bright as the sun was.

oxox,

Catherine