It's been a month and 20 days since I left my cozy life in OKC and moved to a city that, for the most part, I didn't know anyone. Update? Roommates - good, Job - good, moving to a new city - no regrets. I think in the past year, which includes my parents moving to KY, my last semester of college, job interviewing, saying goodbye to friends who are like family, becoming financially independent and moving to a city that I really don't know anyone, I have had some great times, some great challenges and I have learned more about myself and the values that I choose to hold close to me.
1. Be open to others.
I have always been outgoing, and willing to introduce myself to just about anyone. However, I realized from this move that the reason I was so open to others was because I knew my place in OK. I had my group of friends that I had had for several years. That wasn't changing. So of course I was okay with meeting anyone who was new. If they happened not to like me, or we didn't hit it off then it wasn't a big deal, because I still had so many people surrounding me that I knew I wasn't going to feel lonely. Within my first few days on my own here in FL, I quickly learned that I was going to have to be okay with putting myself out there way more than I ever had. How can I expect to make friends if I don't maybe be a little vulnerable and open to new people?
2. Routines are great, but allow yourself to break them.
Wake up, go to jazzercise, make scrambled eggs while watching the Today Show, go to chapel, go to lunch in the caf, go to class, go to work, run/kickbox or zumba, go to church or a Gamma Rho activity, do something social with friends, make some tea and fall asleep watching Friends. That was my schedule my last semester of college, and I loved it. Like I said, I was so extremely comftorable and confident with where I stood at OC, which isn't a bad thing, but it has made some days a little more challenging for me here in FL. College is over, which is hitting me harder and harder every day. When I am done with work I don't have a social event waiting for me to go attend. So making plans isn't a set routine anymore. The good thing is, I am slowly but surely getting to know more of the people I work with, so I have been able to make plans with new friends more and more. It is a little weird at first. These aren't people that already know me and have known me for the past four years. I kind of forgot what hanging out with new people is like, but it's really fun. Learning how everyone has ended up in this stage of life is one of my favorite things to do. Mostly because it helps me to feel less alone. We are all just people trying to make a life for ourselves after college has ended. Learning the amazing, unpredictable similarities between my story and some one else's is God's way of telling me, "See, this is good. You're going to be fine."
3. Exercise can be hard, but even 20 minutes will elevate your mood.
Let's be real, I have gained a four or five pounds in the past two months. It's pretty frustrating. The time leading up to coming here I was the smallest I've ever been. Coming off of loosing 35 pounds will make you extremely hard on yourself when you skip a work out, or disregard healthy eating. But in the past few weeks, I've been working on not being so hard on myself. Just because I am not working out three or four times a day anymore doesn't mean I'm lazy, it means I'm normal. Now this is not an excuse to throw my healthy life style out the window, but it helps me to not obsess about food or exercise. When I get off work, I am not running to the gym right away. Now I allow myself to eat at least one meal a day that is a little more calorie packed than I am used to, when I am enjoying a night with other people. I have found that a quick 10 minute ab workout paired with a 20 minute cardio session a day will still help me feel in control of my body. I also have recently started doing nightly 20 minute yoga sessions right before bed, and let me tell you I have really fallen in love with yoga, and that's coming from the girl that has hated it for the past four years. It is just a good way to clear my mind, work on my core and allow myself to really go through the day and think about where and when God showed through my personality and ways I can improve for the next day.
4. Know your income level
Oh money, why do you have to be so cruel? The program I'm currently doing is great at giving experiences, but not so great at giving out money. I am training myself to always take out enough money from every pay check to make sure I can pay my bills and gas money at the end of the month. Included in that amount is a small portion to save. Once I pull out that money, the rest is for experiences. The good thing is that I get paid once a week. I have had a few moments that make me a little nervous, especially when I think about beginning to pay off my student loans in October. But I also don't want to let the thought of money control me. It's a balancing beam. Money gets us through the world, but it isn't the world. I'm sure my parents are reading this part and getting terrified for me.
5. Count your blessings
It sounds silly. When I say that all I can think about is a cute elderly church lady leading the kids class in a round of, "Count your blessings, (clap, clap, clap) Unto Jesus, (clap, clap, clap), cause he cares for you!" But honestly, some days I don't handle this move with much enthusiasm. Sometimes I get home and lay on my bed and wonder what the point of this was or wonder where this will lead my life in the next ten years. Some days I miss the familiarity of my college friends. I can't tell you how much it helps me to really think about all the blessings I have. I am young, single and taking my first steps of independence in a state full of sun (we'll just pretend for now that it doesn't rain every day for at least 30 minutes). When I think about that, I know just how lucky I am and how happy I am to be breaking the mold and doing this crazy adventure on my own. I honestly have absolutely no idea where this will lead my life in the next ten years. Maybe I will still be working for Disney, and wearing the coveted plaid uniform (guest relations), or maybe I'll be working for a different company or in a entirely different state. Maybe I'll be making dinner for my three kids or experiencing a different culture outside of the US. I really don't know, but moving here proves that I am open to whatever comes next.
For now, I am really loving my job and meeting all the excited families that have spent the past year planning their very first trip to Disney. Yes, I have encountered some guests that I am less than enthused to have encountered, but the guests that pull me aside and thank me or tell me how grateful they are to be at Disney with their loved ones make me love what I do. I have shed a few embarrassing tears after witnessing families laugh together and make lasting memories.
A lot of you have asked when I am coming back to OK, or how long I will be in Disney. Here is the answer: I moved to Florida. I am here indefinitely. As of now, I am not sure what I would go back to OK for. I would love to come and visit when time and money allows it, but I am really letting God open and close the doors he wants for me to show me where and when to go somewhere. Oklahoma will always be a home to me, but I know I am not the type of person to go back there come January and spend the rest of my life there.
I know I am in a different stage of life than the majority of my college friends, but I hope you are taking this summer, post college, to learn even more about yourself than you ever have. It is truly a challenging, but rewarding experience.
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