How did I get here? And where am I going?

Image by Chris Piascik

I’m a frequent visitor to IFB for their great posts on blogging. This week, they posted a prompt that is really quite relevant to me right now: why did you start your blog?

Between working full-time, keeping up with my friends and family, and doing all of those boring adult things (paying bills, doing laundry, cooking dinner, etc.), I often let my blog go stagnant for weeks at a time. Lately I’ve been trying to work harder at building my blog, focusing my content, and really making it a reflection of who I am, how I got here, and where I’m going.

When I first started my blog, I was on the verge of graduating from college and had just secured a new job and apartment in New York. It was a really exciting time in my life because I felt like I had finally crossed the border into ADULTHOOD, and I was filled with nothing but hope for what was to come. I didn’t really have a clear vision of what I wanted the blog to be, but I posted occasionally about things that I did, places I went, and (of course) clothes that I liked.

Going back today to think about what my vision (or non-vision) was for my blog has been really refreshing. I’ve realized that my content here hasn’t always been a true reflection of who I am, and maybe it’s time to change that. I have looked to a lot of very successful blogs over the years and wondered why I couldn’t be more like them — to have the money for travel and pretty clothes, to live in a perfectly styled apartment that provides a beautiful backdrop for photos, or to have hours each week to test out new recipes and crafts to feature. But that’s OK, because that is just not who I am at this point in my life.

I want to be able to connect with people here who, like me, are balancing the things they want in life with reality. And more importantly, I want to be able to show people that there is a positive way to find a balance — whether it’s updating their wardrobe while staying on top of their student loan payments, or finding time to whip up something homemade and fabulous in their kitchen despite their 9-to-5. So, cheers to the future of City Coeur! Here’s hoping that I can bring back that same new-graduate hope to this blog years later!

On 25

Last week, I turned 25. Unlike in years past when I had big plans for parties or dinners with too many people to reasonably split the bill with, 25 came quietly. I spent the day with people who I genuinely enjoy, doing things that I wanted to do: a yoga class, a mani-pedi, a drink with a good friend, and a delicious dinner at one of my favorite restaurants. No loud party, no splitting the bill 14 ways.

This is a funny age — grown up and full of responsibility, but still young enough to get the occasional, “25!? You’re still a baby!” from certain people (Should I embrace the praise of my youth while I still have it, or feel a little annoyed and patronized?). I guess the good news about turning a year older is that looking back on the past year, I can barely recall the bad things that happened because there were so many good things that take precedence in my mind. Of course there were difficult times as well, but maybe part of getting older is learning to stop keeping score and start savoring both the wonderful and the not-so-wonderful moments for what they are!

Image via Flickr