On My Changes

I made a few changes on my blog. Mainly just a new header. It was pretty long overdue. It got me thinking about changes. Some changes are gradual. Some happen overnight. Some are created by us. Some are created by circumstances outside our control. Either way change is change. You can either be scared of it or learn from it or with it.

In the past year or so, here are the changes that have occurred in my life
Whether on purpose or by nature:

+I went from having a mother to being motherless
     The biggest change I've ever faced in this life [you can read all of my Mom posts here.] It was unexpected and turned my world upside down in a matter of seconds. As I watched my mom slip into the next life, I knew my life was never going to be the same. This change in my life started the domino effect of changes to come.

+I started After Sunset
     My mom encouraged my creative nature when I was younger but I quickly noticed how SATs, college papers, and cover letters throughout the years always seemed to win on the list of priorities. I knew life was too short so I launched my little shop on Etsy and dove straight in to creating new designs. It's been a gradual process but I've loved the road thus far.

+I bought a new car
     I did the one thing I always told myself I'd never do [okay except for sky-diving and all that jazz] I bought a brand-spanking-new car. It was my first real investment and I felt ready for it. [Although, I wasn't ready for the scratches that were inevitably about to come with it. If only people were more careful...!]

+I moved from Virginia to California
    The second biggest change because with this change has come many others:
          +I work with a company that I am passionate about and wake up everyday [even on the weekends because I'm a total nerd] excited to be a part of their team!
          +I'm away from family and my best friends. This just pushes me harder to find new people that inspire me and encourage me!
          +What I eat, how I exercise, how I speak, what I wear - Some of my favorite foods and fashions are so easily accessible here not to mention, I can exercise outside any day I so choose and people don't make fun of me for saying "dude" ;)

+And then I chopped off my hair
     I mean, tell me changing up your appearance like that doesn't make you feel like a changed woman ;) Go do it for yourself if you don't believe me. I'm loving my short hair! And knowing that some woman will have a wig makes this change even better!

These are just some of the "on paper" changes. I have to admit, I feel entirely different. I feel changed. For the better. I look back at previous relationships, friendships, and problems that were a part of my life and I see them all so differently now. The way I make decisions has changed. The way I handle my feelings has changed. The way I prioritize things has changed. The way I see life has changed... tremendously.

Sometimes a big change or lots of little changes combined together are exactly what we need to take our life in the right direction. The direction that was meant for us. I have no doubt that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be right this very second, and if it weren't for those changes above - who knows - I probably wouldn't have learned all I've learned about life this year.

Change can be a good thing. It can be a great thing.