Year 26

Leading up to my birthday every year, I tend to get contemplative. I like to reflect on the last year's birthday and what has changed since then. You know, the highs, the lows, the wins, the losses, and the never agains. 

Last year for my 25th, I felt a lot of pressure. As if there was some unsaid expectations of what it meant to be a "real adult" (whatever that means). I can't really tell you if I successfully lived up to those expectations in my 25th year, but I can tell you that I did learn a lot. And I grew a lot too. With 26, I felt like there was way less pressure (by and large, self-imposed anyway).

So, in December (less than two months away from my birthday), I decided to "bite the bullet" and purchase the tickets for a flight up to Seattle to visit a friend that I've been promising (to both her and myself) to visit. She's graduating from Udub in April, so I felt like it was "now or never, do or die." 

Can I just tell you how wonderful this trip was?! I tried new foods (like drunken Thai noodles, Turkish Delight, octopus, a turkey/bacon/brie/apple sandwich, banana foster with orange flambe, and sweet potato frittata). I danced and sang at the top of the Space Needle. I went to the most beautiful museum I've ever been to (Chihuly Glass Museum). I went to the original Starbucks and Pike's Place. I went to Gaslamp park where a scene from "10 Things I Hate About You" was filmed. I took a picture with the troll under the bridge. All the while, spending time with one of my good friends and enjoying her company. It was bliss.

It was one of the best decisions I've made in a long time (for obvious reasons). I'll be doing more traveling this year for a number of less obvious reasons:

1. Self-care

You guys. I haven't felt this alive-- this *awake* in a while. I've been suffering from wanderlust for about a year now. And in some weird way, I've told myself that it's best that I not splurge on trips for myself. I was so wrong. I need travel in my life. In order to love the people in my life best, I need it. 

2. Single-savvy

Subconsciously and maybe even a little consciously, I've been punishing myself for not being where I want to be in life. I've graduated with two degrees and I thought by now I'd at least be dating someone. That's the normal progression of things, right? I'm learning that there is no such thing as "normal." So as I've been waiting around for Mr. Right to show up, I've been holding myself back. Stupid. Listen to me, ladies. That's stupid. Really stupid. I've been waiting for my life to start. To start for what? It's already happening. It's happening now. If you are like I was, do yourself a favor and just book the damn tickets, already.

3. New resolutions

I did some serious soul searching before New Year's. This article made me stop and think about what I wanted my life, particularly my single life, to be about. I want my life to be about limitlessness. So, I made a resolution to travel more this year. The goal is travel to a new place at least once a month for the rest of the year. I went to Vegas twice in January. Seattle was in February. Trips slated for later this year include Portland in August and Jordan (the country) in the fall. But I'm already dreaming up ways to get to San Fran, the Grand Canyon, Maine, Washington D.C., Georgia, and China. I've drooled over my friend's travel pictures on Facebook/Instragram/Twitter enough already. Enough is enough.

Now is my time. Now is your time. Get out there and live life, people. Stop waiting for tomorrow to make it happen.

"Coincidentally" (I believe in coincidences less and less as I get older), I met a girl who is around my age on the plane ride home today. She had gotten home from teaching abroad in Japan for four years in August and she was headed on her way to New Zealand. 'Cause why? Because she could. She had a work visa and this was her one shot to make it happen since the visa doesn't last for ever and you can only apply for it once. It was "now or never, do or die" for her too.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Let's make it happen, people. Let's live our lives out loud. I saw this quote on Facebook the other day, "She loved life and it love her right back." Love your life and let it love you right back.

Much love. 

D