GRADUATING
“Oh my gosh! You’re done with school in less than two weeks! How exciting!” It is exciting, but it is equally as scary and sad. For months, I’ve been counting down the days until I throw all my papers up in the air with the expression on my face that screams “I’M DONE!” (because we all know I wouldn’t scream in public - too much attention). For years, I’ve worked toward a diploma. I’ve stood on the platform of college, waiting for the moment when I can take a leap of faith into whatever lies ahead - a career, a job, a family, a grad school program, or something else.
But, now I’m not ready. I’m not ready to say goodbye to my classmates. I’m not ready to look my professors in the eye with feelings of preparedness and confidence. I’m not ready to sell my favorite textbooks, to not look forward to buying new ones for interesting classes. I’m not ready to walk around this beautiful, lively campus as a graduate. Now, when people ask how excited I am, I tell them that.
This town became home for me - a girl who moved from her Minnesota birthplace at a young age to an OC suburb that only felt like home because of wonderful friends and family. San Luis Obispo - all of its lush green hills, its passionate community members and friendly college kids, its sophisticated wineries to the North and its stunning beaches to the South, and closest to my heart, the nine girls who also just happened to pick this place and became my best friends - is home.
Can I get some tissues, please?
FULL-TIME BLOGGING
Onto something that is actually exciting! If you signed up for the weekly newsletter, you read a few weeks back that I am transitioning the blog into a full-time job. For about a year now, it has been my only job (or one of them), but once I finish school, it will be my full-time 9-5 thing. Well, maybe not 9-5 precisely, but you get my point. Pursuing this, just a hobby four years ago, has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. I said no to many opportunities to chase what I love and to develop my skills. I made decisions that some thought were silly, but that I know are right.
It’s kinda’ funny - I still wait until HH is brought up in conversation by someone else before I talk about it. My professors ask me what I’m doing after I graduate (don’t talk about that), and I skip right to my café plans for some reason. On the other hand, classmates, friends, and friends of friends, tell me they follow HH and instantly my hands cover my face. I poke one eye out of my hand shield and thank them sincerely, of course. Handling attention is not my strength. Embarrassed or ashamed are not the right words because I am proud of what I’ve done and passionate about what I create. I’m just… shy? I’m working on it, though, because I know that talking about what I do is a crucial component of owning my own business.
BOUNDARIES
Victoria and Meg from Nourishing Minds Nutrition discussed this on their podcast (episode 59). I listened while strolling through my neighborhood one morning and subconsciously sped up my pace to get me home quicker so that I could jot down all the personal, social, and work-related boundaries popping into my head. This is somewhat new territory for me (former people-pleaser, I guess you could say), so I’m still exploring and feeling my way around. The only clear-cut boundaries I’ve set thus far include limited social media time throughout the day and after/before specific hours, closing my email inbox when I’m not intentionally using my time for emails, and two recipes or blog posts a week.
These boundaries are here to care for and serve me so that I can be the best version of myself to care for and serve others. That’s my goal here. In case you didn’t know, this blog is not just for food. Hence, the lack of food in this post. Hence again, my tagline: “it’s more than food”.
Thanks for reading! What are your thoughts on these three things? Leave a comment below!