Author: Kelly

I Took a Week Off & Here is What I Did

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New month, new changes, right? We’re half way into the fifth month of 2019, and have I got some news for you! I switched jobs!

It’s been a whirlwind of a time. 2018 was the second hardest year of my life, but 2019 has been the craziest. I don’t know if it’s something about turning 25 and hitting my quarter life crisis, but I’ve just started realizing what I find trivial and what I deem important to my happiness. However, that is a post for another time.

Today, I want to focus on my week off – the first time I’ve really taken a break in the past 6 years. I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to really take care of myself, but I guess the older I get, the more I try to find time for myself knowing that I am happiest when I am still.

So here’s a recap of what I did during my week off, and I hope it inspires you to treat yourself when you get the chance.

Saturday, April 27

Thomas and I had a friend’s kid’s birthday party that Thomas was catering, so I went to support him and celebrate a 1-year-old’s birthday. I later went to the Aveda Hair Institute and got my hair done semi-professionally for the first time EVER. I had an awesome stylist named Ayana who transformed by hair with some foilyage. I am obsessed with my hair now! I have wanted some dimension in it for forever, so I am so happy to have gotten my hair done for a fraction of the price with the Aveda Hair Institute.

Sunday, April 28

After a very chill Sunday morning (my favorite type of morning), Thomas and I headed up to Athens to pick up some blueberry bushes from his friends. We ended up going to a delicious Peruvian restaurant where I had Lomo Saltado. Can I just say that I fell in love with that dish? I ended up googling a recipe for that the next day. I’ll update The Kelly Charm if I ever end up making it.

Monday, April 29

I went shopping for home goods – couch pillows, storage baskets, dish soap holders, etc. I can’t tell you how nice it was to go shopping in the middle of the day. There were no lines. All the aisles were empty. And most importantly, I didn’t have anything else to do, so I was shopping completely unrushed.

Then Thomas and I went to an Intro to Product Management class with General Assembly that was super informative. I got a lot out of it and realized that at my next job, I will basically be working as a product manager.

Tuesday, April 30

On Tuesday, I went back to TJ Maxx and bought earrings for the first time in 6 years. The last time I wore earrings was in 2013 for my sister’s wedding which gave me a nasty infection because my ears are so sensitive. But I decided that I would invest in some quality tiny studs that wouldn’t make too big of an impact, but they sure did make me feel pretty.

Wednesday, May 1

Ah, the first day of May! On my calendar, I have marked the first of every month as my “house check-up” day, so  I just take a moment to see what things I need to tend to (i.e. toilets, laundry, floors, counter tops, etc.) Although it’s just housework and not necessarily focused on “self care,” it doesn’t bring me joy to have a clean and organized house.

Thursday, May 2

Thursdays are my favorite days of the week, so I made sure to work on my fitness by hitting the gym! I spent two hours in there and made sure to focus on cardio and strength training. I am no fitness guru, so I won’t even try to recommend any fitness ideas. Personally, I enjoy warming up with some cardio, then focusing on different muscle groups by using machines for my legs, arms, back, and abs.

Friday, May 3

On Friday, I made sure to connect with a friend. I had spent the whole week working on me and my abode, but it’s also important to connect with people who are a positive influence in your life. I met up with a friend who was also starting a new job and grabbed lunch.

Saturday & Sunday, May 4-5

In the last few days of my week off, I spent the rest of that time with family. I helped by sister watch her kids and soaked up all the time I could with my niece and nephew. They grow up so fast, so I was glad to be present for a little period of time.

So that was my week off. I spent a lot of time taking care of myself and learning to enjoy having downtime. I have spent the majority of my life always trying to be busy and do more/be more, but I was able to take a break and realize that I needed to focus on all the little things that make me happy.

It’s never easy to take time out of your day to treat yourself, so I won’t even preach about doing that. It’s hard. I have never been good at taking care of myself because I tend to prioritize other things and people above my needs. But I will say that I realize how important it is now. And I hope that if you’re reading this, you become more conscious of what your body is telling you and look for moments in the day where you can prioritize yourself.

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Let’s Get to Quilting!

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Happy March! I recently embarked on a journey to make my own t-shirt quilt after I got the best gift of all time… a sewing machine! I had been wanting one for a while now so I could patch up some of my clothes instead of buying new stuff (money saving tip right there). But I quickly found out there are so many awesome projects you can do with a sewing machine! Continue reading →

7 Things I Learned After Moving Out

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Man covered in cardboard boxes - moving concept

It’s been almost 3 months since I moved out of my parents’ house. After college, I moved back home to save money while I searched for a job. In a year and a half, I completed an internship, worked a job from hell, then ended up in my current role at the best company ever! Needless to say, it’s been one hell of a year and a half, but I’m still feeling the effects of the transition from college to adulthood – especially with the whole move.

Now that my life is a little more stable and I am finally settling in to my new place, I am slowly starting to realize how impactful my decision to move was. From a long and trying period of figuring out logistics to the short period of adjustment in a new city, I have learned so much about myself… or as Kylie Jenner would say, “I am realizing stuff.”

Here are the 7 things I have learned since moving to my new apartment: Continue reading →

Miss You, G.

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Nearly nine months ago on Christmas Eve, my grandmother passed away, just a few days shy of her 95th birthday. If you have been a long-time reader, you know how much of a superwoman she was.

I remember her giving all the kids piggy back rides around the house, whipping up our favorite meals without complaining, and teaching us how to add and subtract using chopsticks. My childhood was so loving because of my grandmother, who made sure I woke up in time to catch the school bus every morning and who was the one to tuck me in at night. She chased monsters out of my room, cleaned the wounds when I fell, and bent over backwards to make everyone’s lives as easy as possible.

She was the glue that kept the family together and the foundation upon which we built this amazing life in the United States. Without her sacrifices, this life that my family and I live right now would not be possible. My parents would not have been able to work three jobs, take care of two kids, afford a house and save up to send the kids to college. She was truly an amazing woman, and I admire her for her strength and dedication to always do what needed to be done for the sake of our family.

Even though so much time has gone by, I still feel like the hardest part about her passing was that I never told her thank you enough, and I never told her I love you enough. I grew up and got wrapped up in my own world, and I didn’t have the clarity of mind to realize that my time with her would end so quickly. All those times that I could have spent with her but didn’t will always be my biggest regret.

So for anyone who needs a reminder to always be present with the people you love, this is your reminder. You don’t have to be sappy to tell someone you love them. Just be there, in the moment, without any distractions. It could mean the world to them.

Me + G - Highschool

CHHS Homecoming 2011

G, I love you, and I miss you dearly.

DIY Plant Stand Makeover

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Since last year, I have accumulated 14 plant babies. It all started with my HORT 2000 class at UGA taught by the sweet David Berle in Spring 2016. Mid way through the semester, one of our assignments was to identify, repot and maintain an indoor plant until the end of the semester. I got a banana croton, which I did not know until Lowe’s replied to my tweet (thanks for saving my grade, Lowe’s).

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Back & Better

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Oh, how good it feels to be back! Since August, I’ve had a lot of changes in my life – both good and bad. I’ll have to catch you up soon with a series of new blog posts. But until then…

Check out the resolutions I made for myself in the new year. Please hold me accountable! Usually I go with something simple like “be a better person” or “work out more.” This year, I took a different approach that is a bit better suited for my mindset.

I like to compartmentalize my life just to stay organized, so I figured that compartmentalizing my resolutions would be more beneficial to me. Check out how I broke it down below.

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Thank You, Athens

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The summer before college, I kept hearing one thing: the next four years will be the best years of your life.

Now that I have graduated, I beg to differ. These past four years have been the most formative years of my life, but the years to come? Those are going to be the best.

Today, I stand as the person I always wanted to be – happy, strong and fearless. And I move forward with confidence in myself and my decisions as a daughter, sister and friend.

I say that confidently because in retrospect, I could not be the person I am today without having learned what I learned in college. I learned to love. I learned to be grateful. Most importantly, I learned to live in the moment.

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