Where I Have Been and Where I Am Going

Hi all! Long time, no see - I know. It has been almost exactly one year since my last post, which feels crazy. But considering the amount of things that have happened since the last time I wrote here, I'm not that surprised. I'm trying to get back into posting again, although it's going to be a gradual process for sure. I have a lot of ideas running through my head and this is the first time I've felt ready to sit down and try to write again.

I do feel somewhat obligated to explain why I took such a long break. I can't say much about it at this time, but I had an accident that turned into one of the hardest things I've ever had to deal with - and am still dealing with to this very day, almost a year later. I've never dealt with such extreme agony and physical pain before, but looking back on it now, I don't think I would be where I am today if it wasn't for that horrific incident. Don't worry - I will not post any graphic photos of it on here.

Luckily, not everything that has happened in the past year has been bad. I left a job that I hated, got a much better one that started on the first day of the New Year - which felt like a new start for everything. This has been a year of doing more little things I've always wanted to do, trying new things, going out of my comfort zone, moving ahead and being bold. More importantly, I've done a lot of things to take care of myself. 

After years of not wanting to, I finally found a therapist that I trust and like. Most of the reason I even went was thanks to the lovely My Favorite Murder Podcast. No, seriously - these badass women are huge advocates for self-care and therapy, and they plug it on their podcast as much as possible. After arguing with myself over this time and time again, I finally set up an appointment and started going twice a month. Therapy works differently for everyone, and different types of therapy work for different people. The bottom line is this: it's okay to not be okay, always. It shouldn't be a "shameful" thing to admit that you are going to or want to go to therapy - it should be as normal as saying you had a physical at the doctor. I try not to get too personal on here, but going to therapy has made me feel very strongly about this subject. 

Keeping track of the small, good, and new things I've done this year has helped me to keep a positive perspective on everything - even when things aren't great. I have a little section in my planner on the monthly pages where I keep track of all the new things I've done - big or small - like finally trying lotus root, piecing together a home gym, or getting a taste for Fernet. It seems silly, but it's nice to keep track of all of these tiny achievements.

So what else is new here? I'm still obsessed with cooking and cocktails, that obviously hasn't changed! I have been doing a lot more cocktails/mixology/home bartending this year. We might go out to a bar once a month now, if even that. We have spent a lot of time and money to build up our bar - which now roughly consists of 35-36 bottles. One of the things I'd like to post is about how you can do this too! It sounds overwhelming and expensive, but in the long run, it really isn't. My diet hasn't changed much - but this is the first time I've started to watch my macros (protein, carbs, fat) for fitness purposes.

For those of you who are reading this - thanks for hanging in there with me! My goal is to start writing a lot more, and I'd like to start posting about different subjects. So keep an eye out for posts on food, cocktails, fitness, and more. If there's anything you'd like to see on here - drop a comment below! Thanks again to all of you and stay tuned.