My Engagement Story

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Hello internet, it's been a while...

Its been quite a whirlwind of activity these past few months. And it is for that very reason I decided to take a break from blogging. I missed it terribly, but alas, I came to realize that I needed to focus on the things going on in my real life before I resumed my life on the internet.  But now I'm back, and I thought I'd take the opportunity to start 2016 on a high note!

While there was a huge part of me that wondered if I should even share what was a very very intimate moment between my man and I, after careful pondering I decided... why the hell not? Its my blog and I'll write what I want. Besides,in my humble opinion, its too good of a story not to share, especially on Valentines Day.

That being said, there are some parts of my life that I do wish to keep private so, rather than reveal my husband-to-be's real name, he has requested that I refer to him as "Marty McFly." If that doesn't give you an indication of how awesome he is, wait till you've read this whole post.

Friday - Nov. 13, 2015

I went to work that morning expecting something good was going to happen. Not because I had any clue about what Marty McFly had planned, but because, for whatever reason Friday the 13th has historically been my  lucky day. It's the day my cat came back after he went missing for a month, it's the day I was hired by the company I work for now, its the day when Marty Mcfly and I started dating,  its the day where all good things are bound to happen.

Needless to say I was in a pretty cheerful mood.

 Then things got a bit weird. I got a text at work from Marty McFly (okay now I'm gonna giggle every time I type this name), saying that I had to do camera work for the studio where he works that night and, in addition, he needed me to pick up some things at our apartment on my way there. I was very confused. This was very short notice and wasn't aware that we were supposed to be doing any filming that night. Usually I was given a few days notice for any upcoming shoots. Still, I told him I would be there after work and I would pick up some dinner on my way there. A few minutes later I got another text saying that the shoot was "cancelled" and that I was to head straight to the apartment where a surprise was awaiting me. 

Any thoughts I might have had on what was in store for me were quickly pushed aside by my own work. By the time I got home, it was very dark and  I was too eager to start the weekend to even notice Marty Mcfly's car parked outside our building as he was supposed to be "working late." I ascended the stairway and had almost inserted the key all the way in the lock when I heard music coming from inside our apartment. 

By now, girls far more clever than I would have put all the pieces together, but my first thought was "there's a burglar in my apartment." I opened the door with my purse raised, preparing to use it as a weapon if need be, and that's when I saw it...

I was standing in our hallway which was illuminated by Christmas lights, there was a trail of purple petals on the floor, and hanging directly in front of me, was a gorgeous green dress with a note taped to it that said "Hello Beautiful! Put this dress on in the bedroom. Follow the red strings to the clues. At the end of this maze is a very handsome man with a very important question."

I stood there what must have been a full minute before the enormity of what was happening crashed over me like a tidal wave. I took the dress in stunned silence, then followed the red string from the hallway to the bedroom. I had a tiny moment when I put the dress on.I loved it so much and, knowing what was about to happen, it felt even more special. Once I composed myself, I followed the string back down the hall and into the living room where a beautiful bouquet of flowers was waiting for me. I looked to my left and saw a light coming from the dining room where I assumed Mcfly was hiding. But then I looked to see there was a note taped to the vase of flowers it read:
 "Turn Around..."

Rather than standing in the dining room, Mcfly was hiding in the darkness of the kitchen (sneaky!) He walked over to me and I was surprised to see that he was wearing a suit. My hands automatically went to my cover my mouth (cliche I know but I couldn't help it) and I started to cry. I've never cried happy tears before. NEVER. I was on such a different plane of emotions that the only thing that escaped out of my mouth were excited/nervous giggles.

Then he got down on one knee..

I wont tell you exactly what was said. Some things should only be shared between two people. I will say though that they were the most romantic words that have ever been uttered to me, and my response to those words was "Yes. Yes, of course."

 And the rest, as they say, is history. I hope you enjoyed my proposal story. It's the first of many posts I look forward to writing this year.

Happy Valentines Day!
Much Love,
Hayleigh
xoxox

(P.S. If you have any love stories of your own you'd like to share, please post them in the comments below.  They don't necessarily have to be romantic, they can be about love shared between friends, family, pets...whatever your heart desires!)

October Thoughts: Drama, The Decemberists and Dreaming

I would like to begin this post by apologizing to you, dear readers, for essentially disappearing from the blogging community. 

The past month and a half was, shall we say, eventful. So much so in fact that I neglected writing any posts, tweeting or updating my Facebook page. I just felt so Overwhelmed emotionally that I felt like I needed to take a step back from my life on the internet.Why you ask? Well, lets start with the drama...

On August 18th, I discovered that the vast majority of my school loans were in default. What came afterwards was an endless parade of phone calls to my parents, the dept of education, and my "loan servicer" whose negligence in contacting appropriately me landed me in a financial nightmare from which there seemed no escape. When I asked them repeatedly why I hadn't received so much as a scrap of mail from these people, all I was told was "it is a courtesy we reach out to you, not an obligation." As it turns out, that courtesy only extended to contacting me via my student email at my university only AFTER I had already graduated. I didn't even know you could access your student email after you were no longer enrolled in classes. Makes so much sense right? I cannot even begin to tell you how frustrating it was to maintain a conversation with these people without bursting into tears.
I was eventually able to find a solution to my dilemma, though I had decimated what must have been at least five boxes of tissues by the time I was through. It is my plan to go over student loans, loans services and document preparation companies in great detail in my next post so that it might help others to avoid finding themselves in the same mess I did.  Soooo....look forward to that!
 The other drama that unfolded was getting a flat tire, and trying to find a good place to take my car. I suppose that my experience with the loan companies was positive in the sense that, afterwards, I was so drained of emotion that I was far less likely to suffer fools. And, boy, did I run into a lot of fools. When it comes to mechanics I always turn to my father who is the quintessential jack-of-all-trades and a mechanic with over thirty years experience. But given that my parents house is now over an hours drive away, I had to seek help in unfamiliar territory. I suppose, in addition to the post about student loans, I should also do a post on dealing with shifty mechanics who are just trying to make a sale.

(Book of Mormon, before the curtain rose)

Anyway, on a more positive note, I saw "Book of Mormon" this September! The tickets were given to me by someone special and, together, we went into Boston for a night on the town. For years I had been waiting to see the real show instead of just listening to the soundtrack.The show was even better than I imagined! I laughed so hard I almost fell into the next row of seats! My favorite scene had to be when the two main protagonists meet up with their brethren in Africa and the hilarious dance number that ensues. Along with a lot of laughs the show also had a surprising amount of heart to it. I definitely recommend going if you haven't seen it already. Although, if you are easily offended, you might be better off seeing a show like The Lion King.
While "Book of Mormon" was a truly incredible experience, the real cherry on top of my summer sundae was getting to see the Decemberists in concert for the first time ever. This was my 3rd concert ever and I made the most of it. I even have the T-shirt to prove it. Given that they just released their new album "What A Terrible World, What a Beautiful World," I assumed that they would play only the songs from that album. Boy was I wrong. Because they had previously come to Boston in April of this year, they decided to switch things up a bit. Not only did they play songs from their new album, but they also played songs from all of their previous albums! They even covered a good chunk of "Hazards of Love" which is by far my favorite album. Since this was my first time seeing them in concert it was truly a wonder to see them perform the songs I had listened to countless times but had yet to see live.

(The Decemberists Concert)

So, my dear readers, I hope you are enjoying the crisp autumn air and enjoying all things pumpkin flavored. It was a wonderful summer and, up until the aforementioned loan issues arose, I would have said it was the best summer I've had in a long time. This post marks the end of my blogging hiatus. As for my vlog, well, that might take a bit of time to return to as it takes a lot of work. But please, be patient, good things come to those who wait.

Much Love,
Hayleigh

July Thoughts: Adventures and Nostalgia

Ok, I know its August but whats a girl to do?

I don't know about the rest of you, but there are some days when I crave the joy of wrapping myself in a blanket, sitting on the couch and popping in any number of my Disney favorites. Oh, and did I mention that I do all this whilst going to town on a gigantic bowl of cereal? (P.S. I'm eating a mug-full right now)

Weirdly,  I have been experiencing this childish urge a lot more frequently as of late. Perhaps its because I haven't quite gotten used to the fact that I, a woman in my mid 20's, is supposed to be a fully functioning adult with a 40 hour-a-week job?  Perhaps its because the summer heat has me retreating to the cool embrace of the air conditioning? Or, could it be something more sinister creeping up inside my brain....nostalgia.

It doesn't quite add up given that I spent the majority of my childhood playing outside. I was never that kid who spent hours upon hours seated in front of the television. And yet, lately, my sudden craving for old animated favorites hasn't subsided. Sure, over the past few years there were times every now and then when I'd pop in an old Disney/ Pixar flick just because. But lately its the only thing I want to watch, listen to, or draw.

Once I actually sat down and thought about it, I discovered the reason why.

It dawned on me when I went to "The Science Behind Pixar" exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science (check out my instagram). I saw at least three different generations of people crowding around the entrance, eager to discover what lay just beyond the purple doors. Sure, I expected the little kids to be excited, but there were also quite a few adults there that I swear were even more excited than the kids!

Why?

Because Disney/Pixar movies are one of the few things that help bridge the gap between generations. Even my grandparents remember when Snow White graced the silver screen. My parents saw Disney movies when they were younger and, when they became parents, they took me to see them in theaters. Now, even in my 20's, I make paintings  of characters from "Frozen" to bring as a gift to kids' birthday party's. 

I know that when I have my own kids, Disney films will only have become infinitely more awesome. Maybe we will all have hologram t.v's by then. Even so, those Disney people are marketing geniuses, so there is little doubt in my mind that the old Disney films will continuously updated, recreated, or even rebooted (I loved the live action Cinderella). 

My main point that I am trying to make here is that no matter how old be get, Disney will always be there as a safe haven for our inner child. Whether you are a young girl who pretends to be a mermaid whenever she goes for a swim, a boy who longs for adventure like Peter Pan, or an old man whose preferred method of travel is via thousands of balloons. At the end of the day, we will continue to carry a bit of that Disney magic with us to infinity....and beyond.

Much Love,
Hayleigh

(see what I did there?)

Casual Workplace Cosplay: Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite

 First, let me offer a little intro. When  I first got the idea to do a series of "Casual Workplace Cosplay" posts on my blog, I'll admit, I had no idea how the heck I was going to pull it off.  Most outfits from anime, comic books or even video games are often so elaborate that they can only be shown off at places like Comic-Con. How could I manage to create an outfit that was true to the source material yet still make it workplace appropriate? I was determined though...I had to get the creative juices flowing and create something that my fellow nerds would appreciate and, hopefully, wear. Why should Cosplay be limited to special events right? Why can't we show off our nerdy side and embody the characters we know and love, even when we are sitting in a cubicle?

I got a lot of great feedback from you guys as to which Cosplay I should begin with (suggestions I will most definitely be using in future posts). But for me, there was only one choice....mostly because I already had the outfit:

From Irrational Games'  award winning video game....

Elizabeth from Bioshock Infinite.

"Bring us the girl, and wipe away the debt."

 (P.S. If you want a summary of what the game is about, click here)

 I have been obsessed with this game since I saw the first saw the first screenshots. The visual design is incredible and the story even more so. The outfit I created is kind of a combination of the three Elizabeth's you meet in the video game (hint: the game involves a bit time travel) . I wanted to stick with the color scheme of blue and white and keep the basic structure of white top, blue skirt, black boots. I also added a little jacket which reminded me of the one she wears throughout most of the game (although with shorter sleeves).

Here is the finished product.

 I have actually had all of these pieces in my wardrobe for quite a while. Initially, I entertained the idea of going out and buying new items, but I thought the ones I already had were perfect. They have a contemporary, timeless feel to them. Plus, what's the point of spending excess money when I already have what I need?

 

Looking at different pictures of Elizabeth I noticed that, although her clothes change during the course of the game, they all have a very tailored look to them. This was perfect for creating a cosplay that is workplace friendly.

The setting for these pictures was the tower at Quabbin Resevoir in Massachusetts. In the game, you first encounter Elizabeth in a tower in the floating city of Columbia. Needless to say, this was the perfect place to shoot! :)

Sorry for all the wrinkles, I suck at ironing...

For those of you that have played the game, I'm sure you know that Elizabeth's main outfit is a white corset and a long blue skirt. Since a corset is definitely not workplace appropriate, I opted instead for this white sleeveless button up. It went very well with the blue midi skirt I had.

When it came to the shoes, I went  with a very simple black ankle high boots.

As for accessories,  I went with this rather unique medallion which is actually a quarter that's been laser-cut. It was perfect as it had that same vintage Americana feel that is so prominent in the game itself. It also reminded me of Songbird, the clockwork creature that guards Elizabeth in the tower.

Sooo windy! But I had to do one shot outside at least :)

I hope you enjoyed this first installment of my "Casual Workplace Cosplay" series! More to come soon enough :) Please feel free to shoot me some suggestions in the comments!

Photography by Scott Kurland

Jacket// (Similar)
Top: Target //(Similar) (Similar) (Similar)
Skirt: Comme Toi //(Similar) (Similar) (Similar)
Shoes: Forever21// (Similar) (Similar) (Similar)
Necklace: Handmade// (Similar)

Much Love,
Hayleigh

June Thoughts: Love Wins...

 

Forgive me for waiting to write this post 'till the start of July. I had a lot of family and friend related events to attend and, as this month came to a close, I entertained the idea of skipping this post altogether. Though as I was driving home from work today it began to downpour. Looking out from my car I saw a beautiful rainbow.....a lovely reminder of what came to pass this month. Needless to say I took it as a sign that I should make the effort to type out my thoughts for the month of June.

Anyway, the theme for this post... is love.

Who says love is only for February right?

We experience so many different types of love throughout our lives. The love we have for family comes first and stays with us throughout our lives. Then there's the love we have for friends we make. As we become more aware of the world around us, our concept of love expands beyond the people we encounter. The love we have for material objects, (such as our favorite toy) comes next, followed shortly by the love for certain activities like sports, painting, playing video games, or even blogging ;).

Then of course, there's.... that love. You know the love I'm talking about. Its the love you experience when that special person holds your hand, and all at once your heart feels heavy, like its rooted to the ground.... yet it also feels so light it could be carried away with the faintest breeze. If I had to pick which of the types of love changes the most over the years in terms of its strength and its endurance, it would be this one. This type of love is not for the faint of heart as it gives you strength, yet it leaves you simultaneously vulnerable. And, most importantly, its a type of love that everyone deserves, no matter who you are.

This month, America opened itself to love, and it brought me great joy to see the many celebratory tweets, pictures, videos and even flags. I am so grateful for the fact that, when I have children of my own, they will have the good fortune to be born in a country where the law of the land gives them the right to marry whomever they choose (beyond the borders of Massachusetts now). When I speak to them of the fight or marriage equality, it will be a fight that happened in the past and it will not be one they have to wait for with bated breath. It took us a while to get to this point, but I am glad my generation had privilege to witness such great change. 

Why?

 Because from this singular event, my generation has proof that the love we experience over the course of our lives inspires us to do great things.

It pushes us to pursue the things we want out of life, through the activities that have grown to become our passion. In our pursuit of other things, we also learn that the inner force that drives us can also fuel our fight for those we love.

It teaches us to share in the material things we love, whether that thing is the toy dinosaur that you've had since kindergarten, a home where all the worldly possessions you have acquired reside, or even the sharing of symbols such as rings.  Through sharing we learn the value of the material and immaterial. Through sharing we learn humility, we learn collaboration, and we learn sacrifice.

It allows us to grow through our relationship with others. Through friendship, we learn acceptance, loyalty, joy, compassion and, if its right, friendship can also blossom into romance. 

It grants us the happiness that comes with being a part of a family and starting one of your own if you so choose. Through family we learn that love is unconditional and enduring. Through family, we learn that love knows no race, ethnicity, or gender. 

Love is strange, unpredictable, and wonderful. And most importantly...

 It always wins. 

Much Love...Always,

Hayleigh

Dinos and Damsels: Exploring the Claire Controversy

Of all the things currently floating  around the ether of the internet, one thing in particular has  captured my attention. Its a movie that has a ton of dinosaurs... as well as critics, bearing their teeth.

Of course, I'm talking about Jurassic World.
 Fair warning, this may come off as a bit of a rant.

I saw this movie three times in theaters (including IMAX) and was, overall, very pleased (otherwise why go for a second and third viewing right?). It had plenty of references to the films predecessor (the very first Jurassic Park, not those other crappy sequels), the scenes involving dinosaurs both old and new were visually stunning, and the story, while predictable, was done pretty damn well.
That brings me to the characters of the story, or rather, one in particular....Claire. Claire, who serves as the park's Operations Manager. Claire, the woman who many consider to be the protagonist of the movie. Claire, whose icy, career-driven demeanor and high heels garnered a lot of rage from critics and fans alike, most notably Joss Whedon (if you don't know who that is, what are you even doing on my here?) who stated that Claire's role in the movie echoed 70's era sexism. Joss tweeted:
 "She’s a stiff, he’s a life-force—really? Still?”
I had to admit, there were many scenes in this film involving Claire that reminded me of Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom as Chris Pratt secured his role as the rough- around-the-edges action hero. Appropriate, as it was also directed by Speilberg and Pratt will soon star as the whip cracking archeologist/adventurer.  Pratt's Character, Owen, must brave the dangers of the 65 million year old wilderness, all with the bickering damsel in tow who ultimately falls for him (a.k.a Claire played by Bryce Dallas Howard).
But, is the movie Jurassic World really as sexist as critics are saying? Is the character of Claire really worth such disdain?

To answer that, I'm going to break it down here and address the specific criticisms people have in relation to the films sexist attitude.

1. The caricature of a modern career woman.
In the film, Claire is portrayed as a workaholic whose maternal compass doesn't exactly point north. When her nephews arrive on Ilsa Nublar, she all but ignores them (at least until she learns that Indominus Rex might be using their bones to pick its teeth). There is even one scene where Claire has a conversation with her sister and they exchange banter about when...if...when Claire will have children of her own. I all but groaned during the entirety of that conversation as it vaguely implied that Claire is incomplete without a brood of her own to take care of. Amazing job be damned woman! How dare you maintain a career you are proud of! This isn't to say that motherhood isn't a career unto itself. It is. But was this conversation between sisters even necessary? Did it add anything to the film? Put simply, the answer to both questions, is no. And while Claire might have initially opted out of spending quality time with her nephews, its not like she tried to feed them to the Mosasaurus either. A woman's status isn't dependent upon whether or not she has a family of her own, nor is it whether she has a career. Having one does not simply negate the other.

To be fair, while I do believe that writer and director, Colin Trevorrow could have given Claire's character a bit more depth, I personally think Claire's demeanor is not so much a caricature of the modern career woman as it is a caricature of what the park itself has become. If you really think about it, in this movie Claire takes the place of John Hammond, the man responsible for the park's existence. If you are not convinced, take a look at John and Claire's outfits when they are first introduced:
Ta Da!

 They are both wearing all white. White is also the color of naivety, a trait both Claire and Hammond share.

Both Claire and Hammond also express a desire for the park to expand, but in vastly different ways. Despite his age, Hammond's character is very childlike when it comes to his beloved park. Although he created the park from the ground up, his excitement is that of someone who is seeing it all for the first time (just look at him in the picture above). His main priority is the joy Jurassic Park will bring to the world, hence the whole "spare no expense" mantra.
Claire on the other hand, looks at everything like she's seeing numbers. Where someone sees a dinosaur she sees a dollar sign. Claire is the embodiment of  what Jurassic Park has become over the past decades; a theme park whose main goal is to create bigger and better attractions (within a viable profit margin). As Claire herself states in the film "kids now look at a stegosaurus like its an elephant." All of the joy and wonder of dinosaurs that was captured in the first movie has fallen prey to what became the death of the original dinosaurs: time (well, that and a meteor six miles wide but that doesn't really suit the poetic meaning I'm going for here.)

Anyway, back to the whole sexist thing...

2. The Outfit//Running in Heels
Besides the symbolic color of Claire's outfit, many people on the internet seem to take issue with the ensemble itself as well as the fact that this character spends the majority of her time running in heels. What do I have to say to that ladies and gentlemen?
Big F*@ing Deal....
Was it practical for Claire to don a skirt and high heels while traipsing through the prehistoric jungle? No! But guess what...Why should it be practical? Unlike Dr. Ellie Sattler (see pic below), from the first film, Claire isn't a Paleobotanist. Why would we expect to see her in a hiking boots and shorts when she has a cushy office job. Her outfit of a skirt, high heels and a flowy blouse suits her environment, just as Dr. Sattler's outfit suited her's. That being said, I did find the fact that Claire's skirt gets ripped up her left thigh a bit ridiculous, that was totally an excuse to show a bit of skin.

3. Her "Romance" with Chris Pratt's character Owen. 
I do agree with Joss Whedon regarding the overall dichotomy of Claire and Owens relationship. It is exactly as he says, shes a control freak, hes a rebel. I know opposites attract, but still, to say these two are lacking in chemistry is putting it gently. The only thing that we, the audience have to go on as to what sparked their initial attraction is that it is revealed early in the movie that the two went out on a date in the past....one that did not go well.
I know that the writers used the differences between these two characters to infuse a bit of comedy in the movie. Personally though, I would have found it more interesting if their "one date" past was replaced with more of a shared history, one where the two had a deeper relationship that simply lost its spark and they had to find it again. That would have been more compelling story as far as the romantic part of this movie was concerned.
I will say, neither one does all the heavy lifting in this movie. The two do save each other an equal number of times. I suppose that accounts for Chris Pratts final line in the movie "We should stick together, for survival." Still though, that line and this romance seemed very outdated. I don't care if the two are frolicking amidst the dinosaurs, it takes place in the 21st century for crying out loud!

4. Embracing ones "Femininity".
This kind of elaborates on what I already stated in point number 1. I've seen a lot of articles/tweets stating that Claire's whole journey throughout the  movie culminate into her learning how to be more "motherly" and therefore more "feminine." I don't think this is necessarily true or, at the very least, wasn't intentional on the part of the writers. As I said before, the minute Claire becomes aware that her nephews are in danger, she springs into action. She may be a bit of a perfectionist, but she certainly isn't heartless. Also, side note... implying that a woman who doesn't have children isn't feminine is extremely insulting. Likewise, looking after children doesn't necessarily make a woman "motherly" it just makes her a good human being. I could go on and on regarding this point....but  for the sake of being succinct I'd rather not.

Overall, If somebody asked me directly if I thought this movie was sexist...I would offer them a casual shoulder shrug and a hesitant "sort of". It would be far too easy to see Claire's character in black and white, especially since not all the women in this movie fit a single mold. For instance, Vivian, played by Lauren Lapkus had many facets to her character, even though her time on screen is extremely short. Shes very bright, interesting, warm and professional (even with a dino-hybrid on the loose). (Spoilers!) When her coworker tries to play hero and kiss her, she stops him and tells him point blank that she has a boyfriend whom she didn't care to mention as she wanted to keep her private life private. With such a strong, positive female role model like Vivian around, it begs the question...why the hell isn't she in charge?!




But I want to know your thoughts dear readers. What did you think of Jurassic World? What did you think of the women in this film? Does it's portrayal of women fall short when compared to other films such as Mad Max: Fury Road? Tell me below in the comments!

Much Love,
Hayleigh

May Thoughts: Graduation and Being Kind to Yourself

(Source)

It's hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that just one year ago yesterday, May 17th,  I was walking in my college graduation ceremony; my head filled with aspirations as well as fear. At the time, I honestly had no idea what I, or my life, would be like a year from that point.
 Lets recap, shall we? 
Over the past year I have moved a total of three times, left two jobs, and had countless meltdowns along the way. The first 6 to 8 months after graduation felt like an endless April, where mayhem and mishaps rained upon me like I was sitting under a permanent thundercloud. I had a wonderful support system to guide me through it, but I still wondered if there would every come a day when the storm would clear.
Thankfully, that day finally came... slowly, but it eventually arrived.
 I learned very quickly after college that its good to have a life infused with a certain amount of unpredictability. A little variety is what makes life fun. However, I also learned that "unpredictability" loses it's luster very quickly when you have no solid foundation on which to stand. Ultimately, I succeeded in my fight to achieve my independence.Hurray! In hindsight though, I realize that I was a bit harsh with myself along the way...something I have come to regret. My decisions were my own, but nevertheless I agonized over the smallest things. The hardest thing was dealing with the fact that even the best laid plans can slide through your fingertips like sand.  

No one can prepare you for what life will be like after college; granted, they say the same thing about having a child for the first time. I find that to be an incredible coincidence, especially considering that once you graduate college, its up to you to, essentially, "raise yourself." Sure, your parents can help you with certain things, but ultimately it's YOUR job to make sure you pay your college loans on time, to make sure you take your car in for routine maintenance, to wake yourself up before you sleep through your alarm in the morning, and to get yourself to your job interview on time.

I know that last paragraph came off as lecture-y. I don't mean for it to be. After all, in case you didn't notice from the picture at the beginning of this post, the overall message is not to push yourself to perfection.That is impossible to achieve and don't bother even trying. Its just not going to happen. Also, after college I wasted countless hours comparing my success (or lackthereof) to others in my age group. Don't bother doing that either. It wont do you any good. The one thing I want you, dear reader, to take from this post is that, once you find yourself in the process of "adulting' as they say, there will be times when you need to give yourself a swift kick in the butt and there will be many more times where you need to be gentle with yourself.  Be gentle with yourself for not doing the dishes right away and opting for takeout a bit too much, be gentle with yourself for letting the laundry pile up in that corner while you focus on adjusting your resume for the hundredth time, Be gentle with yourself for not always landing that job interview, be gentle with yourself when you see on social media how well your other classmates are doing, be gentle with yourself when you lie awake at night and cry because it all gets to be a little too much...

But mostly dear reader, remember, don't stop trying, because part of being gentle with yourself is holding on to the fact that your happiness is important and its worth fighting for.

Much Love,
Hayleigh