Pizza and Positivity

2018 was an insane year for me. I can separate the year into 3 major parts. January-May: spent my last semester of college student teaching in Chelsea and babysitting all over the city June-August: spent my summer nannying in the upper west side September-now: started my career as a teacher in East Harlem Some of my favorite memories this year were  Finally visiting my sister in Boston March for our lives  Getting a job  Graduation Summer hiking  Families belong together march  A solo weekend in Rhode Island My 23rd birthday spent with best friends  A weekend in Delaware with family Drake concert  Moving to Harlem Winter break in Tampa  FOOD... so much good food eaten this year  Honestly, I feel really good about 2019. I am most looking forward to Traveling.... I hope to take at least 5 trips next year (at least two being out of the country) Surviving my first year of teaching... I know these next 6 month...

Post graduation : I have a place to live. I have a job. I have a general idea of the people and things in my life and what I want.  A few months later : you thought!!  To say everything has changed would be quite dramatic but a lot has changed. I moved grades and classrooms. I moved into a new apartment. I’ve been through a roller coaster of emotions and feelings lately. The people in my life all seem to be going through changes too.  Those who I try my hardest to talk to regularly know how crazy my life is and the level of stress I am usually under. Despite it all though, I am honestly happy. Plans don’t always see through. Change is not always bad. What life has in store for you may be even better, when you open yourself up to it.  Most days I feel like I’m in survival mode, just trying to make it through each day. I’m truly winging it. Learning and growing as I go. Accepting what I must and taking control of what I can. I pull out the positives an...

     It’s crazy how much life has changed since I started this blog. I am about a month into my first year of teaching. When I’m not working or doing work, I’m desperately trying to catch up on sleep. I expected nothing less from my first year of teaching. I am currently on the metro north heading back home from visiting a good friend. BOYYY did I need that. Leaving feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Good friends definitely have that effect. Her dog (also a good friend) and colorful trees also helped. I want nothing but to do my best in everything but balance is so important.      I remind myself every morning and night how thankful I am to be where I am right now in life. It’s still so surreal to be graduated, living on my own and working. Adulting sucks but man, I’m so blessed. Despite it all, I am so happy. I have so much to look forward to in the next year. Above all, I have so much learning and growth to look forward to.      ...

I am fully aware that I am a highly empathetic person. I easily absorb the feelings of others. I feel everything. All the time. Deeply. I usually think this is a positive thing but, boy does it feel like a negative thing sometimes.  It is mentally and physically draining It can be extremely depressing it can be lonely It can feel like the weight of the world is on me It can cause conflict with my own feelings It makes me seem "emotional" It intensifies my own emotions  overthinking ugly crying  It leaves me feeling helpless and useless that I can not help everyone or ease everyone's feelings  there is no on or off switch  can be hard to manage at times  On the other hand, empathy is the root of compassion and lord knows this world needs more compassion. Empathy also ... helps me to always look at both sides/all perspectives and to push others to do the same  causes less selfishness has made me a better friend  has connected ...

I have been wanting to write a post on self love for a while but I have struggled to adequately and accurately express the complexity of self love, or at least my view of it. Here is my best try. What exactly does it mean to love yourself ? How do you attain self love? How do you exercise self love? How to you retain self love? Why must you love yourself ? Self love isn’t as simple as just treating yourself or thinking highly of yourself, but those are very much a part of it. Here are all the parts that I believe make up self love.  Acceptance   Accepting yourself exactly the way you are. Accepting your past, your present. Accepting your journey, your story. Acceptance does not mean you remain stagnant but that you are at peace with yourself. Love yourself enough to not compare yourself to others. You are unique. You are important. You have purpose. You are not better than or less than. You are beautifully you.  Love Loving the crap out of yourself. Your m...

When most people think of a bucket list, they think of a list of all the crazy things someone wants to do before they die. There are indeed, a lot of crazy things I would like to do before I die, so I thought I’d share that part of my bucket list. Those close to me know I am always down for anything and that I live for an adrenaline rush…which is interesting because most of the people in my life are the opposite….so I will probably be completing most of these activities solo lol. Not all these activities are crazy, some are just things I haven’t had the opportunity to do yet. None of these activities are attached to a location. I figured that would only make them harder to complete and I have a whole section for travel and places I want to visit. ·          Skydive ·          Bungee Jump ·          Hang glide ·        ...

Sunday Night Thoughts  Seeing those I love unhappy hurts more than my own unhappiness.  I am slowly learning that sometimes the only way to help someone is just to be there; to let them know you are there, to show them that you are there.  Ones power lies in their ability to choose what to give power to. Tell those you love that you love them often.  Tell yourself that you love you often.  The world is beautiful. People are beautiful. You are beautiful. Forever be looking for the beauty. Forever be sharing that beauty with others.  It is important to have a list of things that help to reset you. “Please squeeze the shit out of your one life.” A quote from GaryVee, a man whom I’m happy to have found and begun following, that really resonated with me. To be fearless isn’t the goal. To not let your fears stop you is the goal.  Reminder to myself : What is meant to be, will be.  I have been disappointed with a majority of new music this s...

End of Day Reflection        A list of things to think about rather than a checklist     The not so little things  I woke up this morning I had a roof over my head I had a phone to open and use I had food to eat and water to drink I had hot water to shower in I had clothes to wear I had a car to drive I had feet/legs to walk I had a job to go to I saw friends/loved ones I talked with friends/loved ones I had moments that brought genuine smiles and laughter I SAW something beautiful I HEARD something beautiful I learned something new I accomplished something I needed/ wanted to do I did something fun I did something new I had an awesome conversation I helped someone Someone helped me I made someone feel good Someone made me feel good I felt well/healthy I have something to look forward to tomorrow  .... and on and on  Even on the worst days, life is good ....

So I just got home from work and I am so ready for bed but I had to sit down and type something, anything. Therefore, this post may be short. I am so glad I put myself out there and created a blog but I feel like I am failing a bit as I hoped to post more frequently and I am still unsure exactly what I want my blog to be. But I guess I'm content to just be writing at the moment. My summer has been extremely busy so far which is largely positive. I’ve been having a lot of fun and have had the opportunity to link up with lots of wonderful people. This girl is TIRED though. But life is short, right!? (Those close to me are probably so tired of me saying this all the time but it’s true!!) So in my defense, this has put blog posts on the bottom of my to do list. Time is flying, as it usually does. I truly can not believe it is July 10th!?? Freaking out about this but going to continue to ignore that my summer will be over before I know it.  On the way home I was texting with some f...

PIZZAAAAAAA QUOTESSSSSSS ....these are a few of my favorite things (as I have already shared) May this post make you feel warm, fuzzy and hungry hehe *all following pizza has been consumed by me and is highly recommended* Mister 01 : Miami, FL "When you can't find the sunshine, be the sunshine" Rocky's Pizzeria : New York, NY "Fear tricks us into living a boring life" Giuseppe's : Plattsburgh, NY (my favorite pizza in Plattsburgh) "Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure" Angelo's Coal Oven Pizzeria : New York, NY "Loving yourself is not vanity, it is sanity" Artichoke Pizza : New York, NY (worth the hype y'all) "If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit" Motorino : New York, NY " Normality is a paved road. It's comfortable to walk on but no flowers grow on it." La Pizzaio : Quebec City, C...