Complain Less, Live More, and Appreciate the Smallest of Silver Linings

The first time I heard the phrase "silver lining" was when I was in 4th grade when I read a book called "The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes: Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining".  I had no idea what it meant and I didn't really care.  It was one of those books that all the "cool" girls were reading so I just went along with it.  Actually to be honest I don't think I knew what a silver lining really was until recently.

I've had it all for the past 21 years and I didn't even realize it.  So here is my sob story, just kidding it's not that bad :)  I graduated from James Madison University in May and I was scheduled to start work at a small public relations and marketing agency in Old Town Alexandria, VA just three weeks after.  I had 21 days to buy a car, find roommates, find an apartment, and move.  To my own surprise, I accomplished everything, but that was the easy part. 

 

I kept myself busy over the summer months adjusting to my new home, but when I didn't pack up the car at the end of August to make the seven hour trek down to JMU was when it hit me.

The scary part is that the real world and college are in two parallel universes that don't intersect.  My life is great for the most part.  I have a job, I am completely independent from my parents, I like my job a lot and I am learning to love it, I have lost 20 pounds since I moved, I am slowly making friends, and my bank account is not in too bad of shape, but its those lonely nights when my friends that are still at school post pictures of them at an America themed party that my heart jumps into my throat and I have to swallow back tears.

Go to class, eat, do homework, go out, cure hangover, sleep.  Repeat for best results.  After four years of this routine, we walk across the stage, we turn our tassels, and the real world slaps us across the face – a full palm, stinging, watery eye, five-star slap. We try to recover, but it is a shades drawn, pounding headache, reruns of 'Friends', one hand in a bag of chips, and the other hugging an extra large fountain soda kind of never-ending, real world hangover.  Most of the time it is really hard and really scary, but its the little things that snap you out of your self-induced depression and remind you that you still have it all.

So yeah college is over and it kind of sucks, but the real world kind of rocks.  I worked my a$$ off to get where I am today and just because it isn't glamorous doesn't mean it isn't great.  

I had a busy week at work so last night was dedicated to me.  I got myself a double bottle of wine for $7.99 (what a steal!) and a wheel of Brie, I painted my nails, and then I laid in bed for the rest of the night watching old movies on Netflix.  I woke up this morning to an absolutely gorgeous day, the perfect end-of-the-summer weather. So now I sit on my back porch bundled up in a sweatshirt and sweatpants with the sun shining on my face.  I am happy.  

This is real and raw and probably going to be a little boring at times.  This is not dedicated to "Meals on a Budget", "Guide to a Fashionista Lifestyle", or "30 Days to a Better Butt".  To be honest I really don't know what I'll write about each day because life is unpredictable, but it is my inspiration to complain less, live more, and appreciate the smallest of silver linings.  So hop aboard the crazy train because this is my journey through the unchartered waters of my future.  

To jumpstart this blog, allow me to share some of the silver linings that have made this already great day a little better.

• I pulled an awesome wrought iron shelf out of the dumpster and it now stands in the corner of my room
• This Godiva Pumpkin Spice coffee that I am drinking is delicious 
• The Jackson 5 Pandora station that I am listening to is on point
• I washed my sheets this morning, they feel amazing

Maybe I will find the cure to cancer or maybe I'll just continue to lay in bed and drink cheap wine, who knows where this will go.  Should be fun.  

xo c