I have not blogged in what seems like forever. As I clicked "New Post," I was reminded of the last two drafts of posts I have attempted to make. They are titled "Chronicles of {Unemployed} Caitlin" and "Revisiting My Roots." I have gone from moving onto the real world to losing an election, moving to Texas, and experiencing unemployment to living in my dream city (which also happens to be half a mile from where my Grandfather grew up and two miles from where my Grandmother grew up) and working a new and different job.
I decided it is finally time for me to get back to blogging. Not only do I enjoy sharing about my life with those whom I love, but blogging also helps me to process who I am, where I am, and what I am doing with my life!
Living My Best Life: History
I learned about this commonly used hashtag #LivingMyBestLife and this phrase while talking to a friend of mine from college. We had been out of touch for a while and decided to chat on the phone during her commute home from her AmeriCorps job thousands of miles from where I am. Even though we had been out of touch, our conversation felt like home. I felt like no time had passed while also thinking "wow, I have to make sure that I do not fall out of touch with people in my life who are THIS important to me!" Not only was I reminded that relationships are vital to my life and that relationships need tender loving care, but that as friends and as humans in general, we need people with whom we are in relationship. We need people to remind us what living our best life means. We need people that we can call in the best of worst of times. My conversation with my friend reminded me that I need her in my life. Not only do I need her, but I need her friendship and our relationship and the gentle reminder that we are just humans who need each other and can work on living our lives together...living them the best we can.
Living My Best Life: The Journey
These days, living my best life means realizing that life is not perfect. I thought that the real world was going to be a spectacular and close to perfect place. I have learned that the real world is not at all perfect. I love my life, but working is tiring and sometimes the real world presents real life problems and I am now an adult who solves my own problems (well, after a phone call to Mom and Papa usually!). How can life be perfect when I am imperfect and I am working and living among imperfect people? Living my best life means taking each day in stride and remembering to be patient. I am living the "good life!" My life is easy, eventful, and fun. But even when it is easy, I find myself wandering into places of misunderstanding and frustration. Living my best life means recognizing that I am living a great life; I am beyond lucky and privileged, and it is okay to be frustrated and upset so long as I find a way to be positive and move forward. Of course, letting things go is not my area of expertise. So, I am still in the beginning stages of learning how to live my best life in terms of patience and moving on and forward after being frustrated! I am the only one in charge of what my best life looks like. So, cheers to being totally in control of my happiness and my best life!
Living My Best Life: New Best Practices
I have been working on ways that I can practice self-care and create good habits with my new life in Arlington. I will share some for y'all to see. Let me know if you have any other ideas!
- Working out every day (I joined a gym last week and I go to Fete Dance Fitness classes each week!)
- Meal prepping (I have gone from being the worst cook ever to being quite a chef! Of course, I am the only one eating my food so it is just my opinion!)
- Calendarizing (as my job calls it) my life
- Attending Sisterhood of Progressive Christians meetings
- Finding a church home (which I believe I have found)
- Engaging in a church home through a young adult group and activities outside of just going to worship services
- Volunteering (I am still working on this one, as transportation is somewhat of an issue on weekends in Arlington). But, I am beginning to volunteer with an organization that plays soccer with kids who have disabilities as well as signing up to register voters a couple of times a month.
- Reading the Bible every day (Rev. Mario has challenged me to this one)
- Babysitting because I love knowing families but also because it is nice to have some extra spending money!
- Becoming involved in the local library and specifically in their Spanish conversation classes (this is a goal and not something I am currently doing).
- Learning how to protest and stand up for what is right and fighting injustice. After all, I am in the capital city...it is time for me to get to work! (I am also just figuring out how to best do this).
Living My Best Life: Real World Realizations
As I mentioned before, the real world is great but it is also difficult! Being a real, grown-up is sometimes hard! But, my life is nothing compared to millions of people's lives in the United States and across the world whose real lives are constant battles filled with realities that I cannot even imagine. I am privileged to have the resources to choose to live my best life; my best life filled with church, brunch, trips to museums, and traveling to new places. We all have the choice to choose our happiness. But, we do not all have the same resources. And some of us have close to no resources. As I work to live my best life and to take care of myself, I cannot help but to think about my friends who face injustice every day or of citizens of countries who are in civil war or of all those who suffer. But, I do not know what to do about it and that is what I am beginning to focus on as I settle in in my new home. Please help me and join me in not just thinking these thoughts but in finding "action items" to help to fully understand and work to solve or at least combat some of the problems of the world.
Living My Best Life: Moving Forward
I have decided to live my best life. You have the opportunity to decide whether or not to live your best life. Our brothers and sisters living in the worst conditions of the world decide whether or not to live their best lives. So, join me: let's live our best lives. Let's work to be in relationship with one another because we all need positive relationships. Let's give our relationships the tender loving care that they need. Let's work on building relationships with those with whom we disagree. Let's be in relationship with those who need our love the most. Let's fight for what is right and stand up for injustice. #LivingMyBestLife #LivingOurBestLives
Living My Best Life: Photos Edition
DC life is great because so many people visit! I loved seeing my cousins here!
Mama came to town. She worked on my apartment all day while I went to work!
Papa and Uncle Jeff drove 21 hours in a huge truck just for me!
Brunch at The Liberty Tavern
Monte Carlo Night Gala...I worked for 12 hours that day!
My Charlotte family came to visit!
Easter Sunday Brunch with young adults from NY Avenue Presbyterian Church
Aunt Betsy came to town for a weekend!
