The Prelude: Here’s 5 Things You Should Know About Me

Hey hey! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m so glad I’m here lol. I’ve been thinking about starting a blog for a while now, but… life, fear, doubt… you get the gist. I decided to take the leap of faith after some super encouraging conversations with friends and family. There are so many people out here sharing their passions with the world and using their lessons and experiences to help other people, and I thought, if they can do it, why couldn’t I?

So, here we are. We’re getting personal in the first post–I want to tell you my story and give you some insight into who I am. I’ll introduce myself with 5 things you should know about me:

1. I’m a writer.

Aside from the people who have known me for years, this is probably one of my lesser known hobbies, although I consider it to be a big part of who I am. When I was younger, I probably read like 3 to 5 books a week–no exaggeration. There was a library right down the block from my house and honey, I was home. Of course, this led to my wanting to create stories as intriguing and well-crafted as the ones I wrapped myself in every day. I started writing short stories that won me awards and took plenty of creative writing courses, one that resulted in a published novel (check it out here). As I got older, my focus shifted from short stories to poetry. Now, I’m combining my love for writing with my desire to connect with and help others–enter, from the city, with love.

2. I’m working on my social anxiety.

When I tell the people I’m close with that I’m socially awkward, I usually either get a laugh or a “girl, bye” in response. When I reach the point where I’m comfortable with you, I am literally a clown lol. I can be vibrant, fun, and silly. But 95% of the time, I’m also ruminating about my relationships and social interactions. I’m contemplating if I said the right things in my conversations, wondering what the people in my life think of me. I analyze my friendships, trying to figure out if the other person finds value in it. I am the absolute worst at checking in with loved ones, simply ’cause I feel like I don’t know what to say.

My social battery drains quickly; alone time is at the top of my self-care list. Going to new places, like a restaurant or a grocery store that I’m unfamiliar with, gives me anxiety to the point where I’ll literally sit in the car for 15 minutes mentally preparing myself to go in.

Now, I haven’t been professionally diagnosed with social anxiety. But this affects me every single day, and I actually recently started seeing a new therapist (go healing!). And that’s a huge step for me, because it is extremely hard for me to open up to people. Baby steps.

3. I’ve struggled with problematic skin since the sixth grade.

Y’all, don’t get me started on the shit my skin and I have been through! My acne started with puberty, then decided to hang around for the long haul. I’ve tried pretty much every product on the market besides Accutane. I even gave up and just let my face do what it wanted at one point because I was so tired. After a chemical peel series gone wrong this past summer that left me with the worst skin I’ve ever had, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I did, and still do, tons of skincare research. I figured out the underlying issues that kept my skin from healing properly, built an entirely new AM and PM routine, and nursed my skin back to health.

There is honestly so much that goes into healthy skin, and a lot of people just don’t realize it or aren’t sure how to navigate building a solid routine. People ask me skincare questions all the time, which is why I decided to start blogging about it. By no means am I an expert, nor do I have all the answers. I still get it wrong sometimes. But if sharing my story and what I’ve learned helps someone else even just a little bit, then I’m all for it. Read more about my skin journey and see before and after pictures in this post.

4. I’m passionate about mental health and wellness.

In the nursing world, people usually either love or hate Psych. When I say that I’m going back to school to become a Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, the responses range from fascinated to hesitant to petrified. I hear a lot of, “But, why?” and “…are you sure?” and “Omg, I could never.” People suffer in silence every day because of the stigma surrounding mental health; lack of knowledge and resources makes it hard for those who need help to get it. Let’s not even get started on the amount of people who suffer with a mental disorder and don’t even realize it, because they’ve become so desensitized to their trauma. We’ll also save the discussion about the lack of desperately needed minority providers in the field.

I’m a huge holistic health advocate, and we need to normalize talking about mental health. Self-care is cute (and very necessary), but it’s not always about face masks and bubble baths. We have to start doing the dirty work of self-care. We have to start showing up for ourselves.

5. I’m still learning how to bet on myself.

Social media makes everybody look so… put together. In a generation that has access to everyone else’s achievements at our fingertips, it can be hard to separate yourself and focus solely on your own path. Self-doubt has always been an issue for me. There are tons of opportunities that I’ve let slip by, because I was too afraid to take the leap. Finishing out 2019 and going into the new year, I’m making it a point to start betting on myself. 2020 feels… monumental for me. Beneath the fear and doubt, a storm is brewing. I’m a huge believer in manifesting yours goals, speaking them into existence. The energy you offer is the energy that you’re returned. Deep down, I know what I’m capable of, and I see it for myself–but I’m still mastering the art of being afraid to fall, but jumping anyway.

I want to end this post by encouraging you, whoever you are, to take the leap. For me, that was from the city, with love. I sat on it for such a long time, thinking about all the bomb content I could share with you guys, but putting it off because I was afraid to fail. Afraid that nobody would read the posts, or that people wouldn’t find it relevant. I’m learning that when you mix passion with purpose and you walk in that shit, everything else will align where it’s meant to. You gotta believe in yourself if you want to be believable to others. So, whether it’s a business, or a blog, or a job, or school, just do it. You got it, lovebug! We got it.

How are you gonna start betting on yourself in 2020? Let me know below in the comments!