if i’m being real…

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I miss the good old days of blogging. The days where not everyone and their mom had one. The days where blogs were BLOGS and not informational websites or online magazines.

On a completely unrelated note, most of the time there’s a lollipop hidden somewhere in my purse.

99% of the spring/summer clothes I’ve gotten recently are white.

When I say “whatever, I don’t care” - it means I definitely 100% do care.

I eat at least a spoonful of peanut (or almond) butter a day.

I was on a date last week where a guy made me feel dumb for believing what I believe. I didn’t like that.

Speaking of the opposite sex, I think this quote via Pinterest really nailed it.

I don’t own any designer clothes. Not by New York’s standards, at least.

Going to the movies is one of my tippy top favorite things to do, but I haven’t been in months.

Did I really just say tippy top?

I’m really good at glamorizing/romanticizing things. It’s a blessing and a curse.

I’m trying to become a better listener. I think I’m already decent at it, but I want to be better.

I’m also working on being less hard on myself. So far, so good!

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Your turn! Be real with me about…something. Anything.

11 things.

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Apparently you guys enjoy the all over the place posts, so I guess I’ll keep ‘em coming!

(I like them too – they remind me of what makes blogging such a fun outlet.)

Let’s see…

1) I’ve started using Twitter again. Sort of. I’m trying to, at least. I didn’t really think anyone still used it, but it seems they do! You can follow me @alagracie, if you’d like.

2) Speaking of social media, I’ve been really fascinated about how Instagram seems to be becoming the new blog. Anyone else notice that? It makes sense, since Instagram is so much easier to post on, follow, and more interactive in a sense. Guess I had better step up my Insta-game…

Instagram

3) Over the past month or so I’ve been working on simplifying my life. I do this thing where I’m constantly overcommitting myself (sometimes to others’ projects, but mostly to my own). I definitely love working on multiple things at a time because I do tend to get bored easily, but I’m finding what my healthy balance looks like when it comes to how many projects I can actually manage at any given time.

Simplicity

4) I love watching the news, and I watch it often. Not knowing what’s going on in the world makes me feel dumb.

5) I’m in PA for a few days. I always feel a sense of guilt when I come here – like I should be “braving” the city more. But the truth is that I need to escape and go back to the simple life from time to time, and that’s been more common lately (I go through phases). But instead of feeling bad about it, I’ve learned how to embrace it and be thankful that I have jobs that allow me to do that.

6) I’m going to be the most stereotypical blogger ever right now and share the awesome bowl of oatmeal I had for breakfast yesterday. It included almond milk, cinnamon, sliced banana, walnut butter, and some mixed nuts. I forgot how cozy and comforting oatmeal is.

7) I also made this lil’ snack plate, which I thought was cute. It included strawberries, Mary’s crackers, hummus, and some coconut dark chocolate.

Snack Plate

8) I just referred to my food as cozy and cute. I’m such a girl.

9) I’m so glad that hip thrusts are the new squats, except for the fact that they’re called hip thrusts.

10) It’s almost creepy how perfect daily devotionals can be exactly what you need on given day. Maybe creepy is the wrong word but…you know what I mean.

Isaiah 41:10

11) As I proofread this post, I had to delete about 10 “reallys.” Apparently I really really REALLY like to use to the word really.

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Do you (still) use Twitter? Let me know your handle and I’ll follow you 🙂
Which word do you overuse?

thankful thursday.

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Today I’m thankful for…

^ Those things. ^

The start of my birthday week, which I wasn’t even expecting!

(My actual birthday is the 18th :))

birthday cake

Longer days, and other glorious glimpses of spring.

Becoming free from things I didn’t even know I needed freedom from.

When people like to verbally process a good meal as much as I do.

Early birthday presents manis.

gel manicure

How much I’ve grown and learned since this time last year.

The things I had to experience for that growth to happen.

Shark Tank, Buying the Bayou, and other reality TV shows that don’t completely deplete my brain cells.

Being able to remember a really great dream.

The giddiness of an upcoming weekend. Never gets old.

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What are you thankful for today?

what i hate(d) about blogging.

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This post is one that I’m surprised I haven’t written yet. It’s based on something that goes through my mind every single time I hit publish on a post, or share on my gazillion social media outlets.

(It’s funny, though. When I was done writing this post I changed the title to hate(D) because I suddenly became FREE from what I thought I hated about blogging. Don’t you love it when that happens?)

Thanks to Clare and her post from yesterday for inspiring me to share my thoughts on this. Clare addressed the issue of feeling the need to censor herself on her blog, and I couldn’t agree more. For me, though, the pressure to censor myself has less to do with my blog readers and more to do with my real life friends, acquaintances, and various relationships.

Over the years I’ve definitely gotten to the point where I’m comfortable sharing my blog with everyone I know – I tell friends about it, post it on my personal Facebook, and even refer to myself as a blogger when asked my profession. Considering how I was almost embarrassed about GML at first, I’ve come a long way when it comes to being proud and confident in being a blogger.

The difficult part now, though, is coming to terms with the fact that I’ve opened myself up to so many people’s opinions and criticisms that a normal person would just never have to face. It can be uncomfortable to realize that people (whether they’re people I know or not) can know things about me that might take months or years for someone to learn if I didn’t have this little old thing called a blog.

But you know what? That’s just something I’m going to have to deal with. I know for a fact that this platform was given to me for a reason, so I’m willing to take whatever comes along with that.

I think that what it all boils down to is that having a presence on a public forum like a blog has forced me to learn what it means to be fully and unapologetically myself.

So yes – I take pictures of my food.

I share TMI sometimes.

I wear too much makeup sometimes.

I had adventures in Tinder.

I take selfies, and I love other people’s selfies. SELFIE SELFIE SELFIE.

I don’t have a “real” job.

I’m a Christian that goes clubbing.

I overuse emojis, Pinterest quotes, and hashtags.

ac77a7f60b1fe38df48ec264bbba3261

So if you want to follow my blog, my social media, or just have me in your life – that’s what you’re gonna get. Welcome to girl meets life.

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If you’re a blogger, is this something you can relate to? If a blog reader – would love to hear your thoughts on this!

 

Some related posts:

snapshots.

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Insta-PSA.

Waiting room boredom.

All gold everything.

Speakable selfie.

(follow Speakable on Instagram!)

Aaaand silly selfies.

leopard // stripes // dreamer.

Duckface phone hijack.

Game day fun.

Only in New York do you cringe at witness hundreds of people without their pants on.

When the line at Whole Foods wraps around the entire store…Jamba Juice for “dinner” it is.

Last but not least, the new loves of my life.

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What was the highlight of your weekend?

the closure myth.

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We all have them. Those things in our lives that have gone unfinished. The things that ended abruptly or without explanation. The relationships, the opportunities, and the dreams that we once pursued but lost by the wayside. I can think of at least five in my own life as I write this.

They are the things that you do your best to not even acknowledge because the loose ends bother you too much. You don’t even attempt to seek closure with those things because, well, how would you get it? So much of what we desire closure from are based on circumstances outside of our control, so why even go there?

Recently, I’ve learned that that is a lie I had believed for far too long. There’s this myth that something has to happen TO you in order for closure to take place.

An apology from someone.
An explanation from someone.
Something happening that causes it all to suddenly “make sense.”
Something that assures you you’re better off.

Here’s the thing about closure, though. Closure isn’t about something happening TO you, it’s about something happening WITHIN you.

Right now I should probably dedicate this post to my best friend Jessi, who helped me come to this realization earlier this year. I can’t imagine how much she listened to me whine and complain about “well if just this happened I would be fine.” She gave me the tough love I needed to hear – that the closure I was so desperately seeking had nothing to do with my circumstances, other people, etc. Instead, it had everything to do with a) taking responsibility for my own life and b) working it out with God and God alone.

What I’m trying to say is this. Sure – you could go on in your life and just try to forget or be in denial about your unfinished business. Or you can use those experiences to grow as a person, strengthen your trust in God, and learn from it for the future.

With that being said, I DO think it’s important to impart closure when necessary. When the ball is in your court, give closure where closure is due. For example, if you decide to leave a job, a church, or a relationship, I believe that having integrity and making your intentions clearly known is the important and respectable thing to do.

When you don’t receive that in return, though, don’t let it make you bitter. That’s where the importance of forgiveness comes in – forgiving others and forgiving yourself. But we’ll save that for another post…

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What are your thoughts on this? In what area(s) of your life do you need closure?