growing roots in LA.
Have any of you moved from the comfort of your home town to a brand new city? It's hard and exciting, scary and exhilarating all at the same time, right? A melting pot of emotions in full effect. The unknown creates such drive and adventure, but at the same time, bursts of homesickness creep in. Before my move two years ago to beautiful Los Angeles, I had only experienced short term city swaps from Dallas to the Big Apple. Knowing I would be there for a few months created this ambition to experience all I could before I would arrive back home. Now, I am in for a new situation - coming to grips with the reality that Los Angeles might be home for life.
So how do you begin?PRIORITY #1: FRIENDSHIPSCorrect me if I am wrong, but the people that closely surround you develops the comfort of home. Yes, the local coffee shop or the running trail adds to the familiarity, but community at large is what settles you in. I must brag for a minute on my sweet man; Jason has been the most patient and grace-filled husband who has pushed me to grow in comfort with his already created California community (12 years and counting), and has been the one I run to to be reminded of how to make new friends. But, seriously! {enter laughing emoji}.Side note: as you know, it takes intention and vulnerability to develop new close relationships! If we are honest, it can be utterly intimidating and exhausting. My piece of advice: stop expecting friendships to immediately be the same as your life-long ones at home, don't lose hope, and enjoy the process! Allow yourself to be vulnerable + allow yourself to go outside of your comfort zone. That's what builds the depth and fights against loneliness.
I was talking to a friend today who moved to LA at the same time I did about two years ago, and we were confirming that it takes TIME to feel at home in a new city. The two of us have walked this journey together, of one day despising the traffic-filled canyons to the next day obsessing over the beach towns and stunning hiking trails in the neighborhood. The conclusion: we have learned to be patient with ourselves, realize the beauty around us and great progress we are making (even if it feels slower than we expected).
PRIORITY #2: FIND YOUR SPACESLet's be honest. It takes time to create a new home - to find and decorate a living space, to discover a new Pilates studio and juice shop, or your go-to breakfast cafe. Although they take research and test-tries, when you connect with a place, it's such a victory!
Moving can be such a hard, yet beautiful thing. Focus on the positives of the accelerated growth it brings and keep yourself open to change. Be grateful for the opportunity that takes you outside of your familiarity and adds more depth and strength to your life. P.S. It's okay to still have those missing home blues, too! The streets you grew up on will be home forever.
OUTFIT DETAILS //
splendid dress (c/o)| tom's sunnies (similar) (c/o) | superga sneaks (non-platforms, here)