This blog is rooted in a desire to be authentically vulnerable, honest and encouraging. The hope is for its words and stories to remind you that, no matter what you're facing, you're not alone.
“Your position has been eliminated". I first heard those words 7 years ago and I most recently heard them again several weeks ago. I’ve written before about the difficulties of my layoff at 23 years old and while I’m in a different place now at 30, I have felt a lot of the same raw... Continue Reading →
In 2021, I had over 25 friends move out of the city of Chicago. Roommates. Small group leaders and members. Friends of 5+ years. Friends who made up my sense of community. Friends who made Chicago home. Some moved to various states across the country, and some even across the world. Most of these friends... Continue Reading →
Exactly six years ago today, on Monday, April 18, 2016… I walked into an office and was laid off from my first job out of college. Due to changes in clients and the resulting financial impacts on the company, several employees were affected. “Your position has been eliminated,” the head of HR said. You can... Continue Reading →
After Bob Saget passed away in January, I started watching Full House from the very beginning to watch the series chronologically. In one of the early episodes, Danny turns 30. At this point in his life, Danny was widowed, had a stable career, had a car, (likely) owned a home in San Francisco, and…had three... Continue Reading →
Today, it feels surreal to announce that I am officially a published author! This is the hardest thing I have ever done, and I could not be more excited (and let’s be real, a bit terrified) to share it with the world. What began as an idea for a book about post-grad life when I... Continue Reading →
By the time I graduated high school, I attended a total of six schools (nine if you count three different preschools). I only moved houses once in my childhood but my school experience was far from the stable K-12. In middle and high school, I spent my summers on service trips with an organization that... Continue Reading →
For most of my life, I've watched romance happen for others while remaining on the sidelines. In the past five years alone, I've been invited to over 40 weddings. Many of those same friends are having their first, second or third babies. While I love supporting and showing up for my friends' life moments (read... Continue Reading →
I humbly confess that I was fairly apathetic to the international news about COVID-19 at first. Ironically enough, I initially became aware in early February because I was planning a trip in April to visit a good friend who's currently living in Hong Kong. My friend, a teacher, told me about school closings and what... Continue Reading →
(Note: if you missed part 1, I encourage you to read it as I shared how I afforded 16 weddings in one year. I hope it sparks ideas for how you can be more budget-conscious and creative when traveling, especially for weddings.) In Part 2, I’m going to be a bit more vulnerable and share... Continue Reading →
Yes, that’s right. Sixteen. When 2019 first began, I knew it was going to be a big year for weddings. As more friends got engaged and the save the dates arrived in the mail, the number rose to double digits. It wasn’t long before people began to notice. Friends messaged me on Instagram and commented... Continue Reading →
The Beauty In Our Brokenness 