moving

Las Vegas: The Next Chapter

May 3, 2016 By lyndsinreallife 8 Comments

It’s official: my boyfriend Tim and I are moving to Las Vegas, NV!

Photo courtesy of lasvegas.com

It probably comes as a surprise to many, as it’s very obvious how much we both love Los Angeles. I would live in LA forever if I could. However, this decision has been long-coming. Back in September (not even a full year ago), we had made the decision to move to Phoenix, AZ. We visited, found a place, I interviewed for a job, and we had a moving date set. I only told a few people, and I’m glad it was only a few- Tim and I decided not to move to AZ after all (for me, I wasn’t ready to leave LA, and Phoenix didn’t feel right at the time). However, the idea of moving had stayed in our minds for quite some time.

Fast forward to March of this year. We fell on some tough times. Tim finished school, which was a big source of income thanks to the GI Bill. While he continued working his courier job, I found it difficult to find a full-time job. LA just isn’t the place to (generally) start your career. I either didn’t have the experience or the right degree for many of the jobs I looked at. I’ve also been in the process of filing for disability (for bipolar disorder). It’s very difficult for me to work a full-time job due to the unpredictable episodes I experience. There will be times when I can’t get out of bed for a day (or longer), times when it’s very hard to shower, and times when I need to take weeks, or even months, off work. There’s also the episodes of mania, when I’m very impulsive, reckless, and dangerous.

With LA’s ever-increasing cost of living, Tim and I decided it was time for our next chapter.

The #1 thing we want to do in our lives is travel. When I’m on my deathbed, I won’t be thinking about the things I’ve owned, the tedious day-to-day life that is so accepted by so many. I’ll be thinking of the experiences I’ve had. Don’t get me wrong, many people love and thrive on that kind of work (office jobs, 9-5s, things like that), and we obviously need them for society to keep going. But I’ve known in my soul since I was in grade school that I was not meant for a life like that. There’s a quote from the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau that has stuck with me throughout the many years since I’ve read it,

Most men, even in this comparatively free country, through mere ignorance and mistake, are so occupied with the factitious cares and superfluously coarse labors of life that its finer fruits cannot be plucked by them.

What I take that to mean is that we’re so preoccupied with our day-to-day lives, that we often forget to truly live. And that’s where I’m stuck. They say to live each day like it’s your last, and if it was, would you be happy with how it was spent? I recognize that not every day is going to be amazing, but I also recognize that I’m not trying my best, and life is meant to be lived happily. While I know it’s a bit more challenging for me to feel happy often (due to bipolar disorder), I do believe pure happiness is real and I believe I can feel it more frequently if I’m living a life I love.

With all that being said, Vegas isn’t our last stop. Truthfully, it’s not even a destination. It’s a stepping stone. Vegas provides a much cheaper cost of living than LA. Tim can still work there with his courier job, I can continue to write for Locale Magazine, and we’re still within 4 hours driving distance of LA. By saving money, we’re able to have more choices. Financial struggles are such a huge cause of stress, and it’s not a way to live. It’s sad, stressful, and demeaning. I’m choosing not to live this way anymore.

By saving money, we’ll be able to travel. While I’m sure there are people who don’t support our decisions, we feel in our hearts that this is what we want to do. And it’s entirely possible! My aunt and uncle, upon retirement, sold their house, bought an RV, and now travel the continent. Yes, it’s a bit different because they’re in retirement, but they ignored the negative comments and followed their dream. They’re been traveling for at least 10 years, and I’ve never seen 2 people so happy in my life.

This quote pretty much sums up exactly how I feel, and why Tim and I are moving on:

I don’t owe anyone an explanation, but I love you all and I felt this was the easiest way to answers the questions our friends and families have. 🙂 Tim and I are really excited, and I can’t wait to share about our lives in Las Vegas with you! You best bet I’ll have posts about the parks, attractions, and awesome events happening in LV.

Thank you for reading & for your continued support!

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Personal

Life Update; August Edition

August 24, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 7 Comments

We are nearing the end of summer, and I wanted to give a “life update” for those who are curious about what I’ve been up to. It’s been a busy summer, and a really good one!

Last summer was my first one in California, and it was surprisingly not the best. I was in a depression after making such a big move (from CLE to LA), so I didn’t get to enjoy my time too much. But this summer, I did a lot of awesome stuff! Here are a few:

Worked a booth at the PLUSH Expo with Delta Labs
Completed my first 5k
Attended & covered the San Diego International Boat Show as a blogger (my first event specifically as a blogger)
Completed a virtual 5k with my little brother on Kelleys Island (Lake Erie, OH)
Visited Ohio for 2.5 weeks
Visited Chicago for the first time
Completed the Chaarg Booty Camp + became a virtual Chaarg member!
Made the decision to move back to Ohio (still debating this one..)
Got two new babysitting jobs
Attended my very first blog conference: BlogFest at IDEAworld (it was AMAZING!)
Signed up to become an FXP Fitness instructor

When I look at that list, it doesn’t seem like much. But considering all I did last summer was finish 14 seasons of Law and Order: SVU, I feel pretty good about it! I’m excited for autumn – crisp, cool air, job stability, fall clothes, traveling (hoping to take a trip up the PCH), holidays, and so on.

I’m in this weird limbo. I’m not really sure what to do about moving back to Ohio. I want to be with my family, but part of me feels that I’ve changed too much to go back. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Nelson Mandela:

“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

It’s nothing against Ohio (or the people there) at all. For me, moving across the country with no one but my boyfriend was obviously life-changing. I’ve been in LA a year and a half, and I have grown & changed so much. I had a dream last night that I was back in Ohio, going back to a job that I once had, seeing friends who were on different pages than myself. It was comforting, but I felt completely out of place. I want to settle down in San Diego, so part of me is wondering if I should even leave SoCal in the first place. Can I handle making such a big move three times in five years (or whatever it ends up being)? Clearly I have some things to think about.

I’m also trying to figure out what I want to do with my life career-wise. I am a health coach (for the past two years), blogger (obviously), and nanny/babysitter. I have a bachelor’s degree in speech therapy and audiology, but totally love the flexibility of babysitting. I’m so untraditional- 9-5 has never really been my thing. But I am 26-years-old, and should probably make a career decision, right?

Anyway, these are all things I need to figure out myself. But writing is therapy for me, so there it is!

Have you been in a position where you weren’t sure what to do with your career/life? What did you end up doing?
How was your summer?! What was your favorite moment?

As always, thanks for reading 🙂

XO, Lyndsay

Let’s connect! Twitter + Instagram are my faves 😉

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Technorati Tags: summer,2014,life,update,los angeles,LA,SoCal,California,decision,personal,limbo,career

Lifestyle Personal SoCal

I’m Taking After Lebron & Moving Back to Cleveland

July 28, 2014 By lyndsinreallife 22 Comments

Maybe Lebron and I both really miss the snow? Nahhh. I could do without the snow. BUT, the truth is, and it’s really hard to say this, but I am moving back home to Cleveland.

UPDATE: I’m no longer moving back to Cleveland. I’ve decided to stay in SoCal!

Cleveland Skyline

I’ve been living in LA for a year and a half (exactly that in August). I moved out here to be with my boyfriend, Tim, who has been my best friend for the past 21 years. I’ve built a life here. With friends, blogging, fitness groups, dogsitting, nannying, and so on. The weather is perfect. The culture is amazing. The opportunities are endless. The ocean, the mountains, the desert, the city. Without a doubt, I love this city and I have no regrets.

Santa Monica Beach

But the past year and a half, something big has been missing. I always knew it was off, but I attributed that to having bipolar disorder. Moving across the country was a big life event, which tends to be a trigger for an episode. I spent the first 8 months on my living room floor, terrified to leave my apartment. But I got better. We moved to West LA, and I built a life.

But it wasn’t until I went back home this past month that I found what I had been looking for. I didn’t even realize I was looking for it. Comfort. It started when I was feeling sad after my grandma cried, asking me to move back home. It wasn’t that exact moment, but later that night when I called up my two best girlfriends and asked to hang out. We picked up wine and pizza, and went to my friend Dre’s apartment on the lake. We got drunk. We cried. We laughed. We ate a lot. We reminisced about how life was when I still lived there, and how things felt like they hadn’t changed, even after 18 months. I had this feeling of comfort that I had been searching for. And it felt really good. And it terrified me, because I knew something had to change.

Dre, Kayla, & Me- New Years Eve 2012

Days went on, and I continued to think about moving back. I feared that it would mean I failed. That I moved to the big city and wasn’t good enough to make it. But a really good lifelong friend assured me that I hadn’t failed. I had tried it, and I made it work- but I was making the conscious decision to move back to my friends and my family (thank you Kristen). I grew SO MUCH this past year and a half. I grew more in this time than ever before. I learned who I am. I figured out that I’m partially an introvert. I learned how to make new friends in a brand new place. I learned how to drive in Los Angeles haha. I learned about different cultures and people and food. I learned independence. Which in itself is absolutely amazing. I finally learned how to be independent while in a relationship. I became the adult version of Lyndsay.

My biggest reason for moving back: my nephews. Toby is 7, Eli is 2, and my third nephew will be born in September. This goes without saying, but I absolutely LOVE my nephews! It’s a love I never knew could exist. One day, Toby and I were playing outside. He came up to me and said he was sad for no reason. Having depression, all I wanted to do was be there for him. I wanted to help him and make sure he had the support he needed, even if it was really nothing. I asked him if he would be happy if I moved back, and he got really happy and said yes. That pretty much solidified it. I talked with my mom about it, and she felt it was a good idea.

Toby & Eli

I love the thought of being back in Cleveland. I know the area, I can visit my grandparents any time I want, I can get a car, I can afford my apartment (LA is so expensive! haha), and my pup Emma can live with me again! I can get a job, save up money, get involved in the blogging community in Cleveland, build my holistic coaching business, and have all the support I need.

I asked my boyfriend Tim to move with me. I was really nervous to ask him, because even though he is from Ohio too, he has expressed his lack of desire to ever leave Southern California. After a really emotional conversation, he said he would move back with me! It actually brought us a bit closer, and this all feels really good. Depending on a job, I will most likely be moving in September. Tim has to finish this semester of school, so he will be moving in December or January (we’ve done long distance before, so it’s not really an issue).

With Tim at Huntington Beach in California

This decision did not come easily. A lot of tears happened. I love living in LA, but perfect weather and amazing opportunities don’t mean much if I’m not happy. They’re essentially useless if I don’t feel at home. If I don’t feel comfort. I would love to settle down in San Diego, which is our plan. For now, our plan is Cleveland. And we will see where things go from there.

And this is totally random, but it reminds me of the episode of How I Met Your Mother (SPOILER if you haven’t seen it) where Robin left for Argentina, and then came back.. and she had to tell “vacation Robin” that it was time to let go of her and to get back to her life. Also the episode where Marshall tells Lily he wants to get a full-time job so he can have steady income and actually have a reason to put on pants every day. And also the episode where Robin doesn’t want to move to Japan because she wants to be around everything comfortable. Yeah, I can relate to this show a lot, haha.

So this is the official “I’M MOVING” announcement! I’ve told a few people already, but there are too many people to tell individually. I’m really, really excited about this. SoCal, I’m going to miss you so much. Cleveland, I surprisingly cannot wait to see you again. Snow and all (but please, a milder winter than last winter would be GREAT, thanks!).

If you’re one of my SoCal friends: I love you, & I will definitely be back. Please keep in touch, as you’ve become such a big part of my life.

If you’re one of my CLE friends: I can’t wait to see you!! Let’s definitely meet up in the coming months.

If you don’t fit into either of those categories, then let’s become friends!

Much love to you all.