Current Transitions

Transition- the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another. 

Our life is constantly evolving and we are faced with different sorts of transitions. Some seem forced and others just come voluntarily with time. From graduating college, to getting married or even moving across the world, we are faced with the obstacle of adjustment. I believe that every transition needs to be considered and dealt with carefully. 

The Build Up

A little more than a month ago, me and my boyfriend took the next step in our relationship, and got a place together. When I first moved back to FL from Cali I knew there were a few transitions I needed to fully overcome before we did that. The first hurdle I needed to jump over was the transition in my relationship. It was so exciting to finally be living in the same state, let alone the same city and on the same street. We needed to get back into the groove of things. What really helped was the cross country road trip we embarked on to move all my precious cargo back!  It gave us that time to reconnect before jumping back into the reality that was in Florida. After that, I knew starting school again was the next transition. After taking a year off, you realize it is a lot harder to just start again being in a different mindset. Once I started the semester, I was finally taking classes that had to do with Multimedia Journalism, so school didn't seem as bad as it was when I left. Income was my next concern and looking for a new job became another transition. The light at the end of the long tunnel of job hunting finally came after 2 and half months of being unemployed. It seemed that everything was finally feeling normal. The hunt for our new home became the next priority. It was super important for me not to just rush this transition because we both needed to be ready mentally and financially. I didn't want to sacrifice anything due to being impatient.  I wanted us to find a place we loved coming to every night and a place we wanted to call home. Finally after an exhausting search for the perfect place, we found our home!  Through financial calculations we decided April would be the best time to schedule a move in date. 

My Current Transition 

Furniture shopping aggression really tells you something about a person. He probably should have ran then but luckily he sticked around for move in date. It has been a little over a month and I'm glad to report we haven't killed each other yet. It has actually been a really exciting time for us. People constantly told me that even though I spent the night at his house every night prior to our cohabitation, it would be different once we lived together. Those people were correct, you really do get to know every little thing about one another. I think that the first month may be the hardest for couples to adjust to. During this time we had to mesh our habits and regularities into something that would be comfortable for both of us. It's really been all about the three C's; Communication, Compromise, and Compassion. I am really looking forward to fully enjoying this transition most and not rushing anything beyond it. 

My dearest apologies for my neglection of my blog. Now that I'm settled in, I promise to post a lot more! 

Lots of love, 

G 

Be Thankful.

Life has a funny way of working itself out. It is so important to appreciate the people in our lives and the opportunities we are given. I believe that everything happens for a reason. That somewhere up there, there is a plan for all of us. In every new experience and every new person I meet, I try to recognize how lucky I am.  I look at my life sometimes and there are so many things I should cherish but sometimes, I forget. Although we all are in different stages of our lives,  it is so important tell the people you love how much they mean to you. Everything can change at any moment and the less time we spend cherishing our blessings, the more time we mourn their loss.  Recently I wrote a list of what I'm thankful for, although it is only a small collection of things that come to mind, I would like to share it with you. Make one of your own and see how much you have to be thankful for.

I'm Thankful for...

my Family
the ability to Love
Knowledge
Health
Ori Darmon
strong friendships
my amazing sisters: SK, OB
Food
Dasani Water Bottles
south Florida sunshine
my faith
theotherbf readers
California
education
Courage
Strength
Israel
Music
best friends(A.V, S.B, N.V, O.L, T.O)
supportive parents
the most spectacular niece ever, SLK
Yelp
freedom of speech
Steve Jobs
somewhere to call home
Freedom

XX - G

FEAR/LESS

Truth is, our fears control us. The greatest barrier between us and the goals we set for ourselves is always fear. Without question there has been a point in our lives were we had a chance to strive forward but fear rudely interrupted. Unfourtnately fear comes in all shapes and sizes, colors and forms. We have two choices here when it comes to this, embrace it or let it overbear Us. For me change has always been a fear, and it varied from a small scale to a very vast scale. Recently I realized it wasn't the change I feared it was what came after I was worried about. I became so wrapped up in the idea at times that I would have to convince myself it wasn't constantly happening all around me. It was one day I saw the kind of person I was becoming and the things I was learning  after the changes were happening and it was clear to me this was nothing I should let hold me back. Change became a beautiful thing. 

For others, fear of being alone has always been a problematic phobia. When this plague hits it is disastrous. Your inner you is not embracing the loneliness. It is shedding an unattractive light on something that should constantly be appreciated. Being alone doesn't only mean not having a signaficant other, it's about not having an idea of oneself. 

It is understandable that some things are easier said than done, but only once done can one say. For young women today leaving their comfortable environment has drastically effected their choices. The only way for this fear to be faced let alone overcomed is only by trial and error. 

Some fears have stemmed from a greater root, but should never hold you back from the greatest form of yourself. As they say you only live once, but once is all you need if you do it right. Let go of those fears, and fear less. 

-xX G

Dream BIG

Do you know the only thing that keeps us from greatness is ourselves. Our fears and insecurities can have a huge impact on the goals we set for ourselves. I have recently realized that we put limitations on the things we can achieve because sometimes we don't have confidence in ourselves to pull through. I have a few people in my life who really inspire me. These people have drive and are eager to reach their dreams! 

    A few weeks ago I had a friend visiting from NYC and as we were talking about our future she tells me, "Im going to take over the world Germaine". Just by the strength in her words alone I believed her. She had the idea, the experience, the knowledge, and the goal to get there.

    About 4 years ago when I first started at FAU I met this amazing individual, we were both business majors on the path to pursuing accounting. Until this day I have no idea why we chose that as our career path, we are such creative people who would not be able to sit behind a desk from 9-5. So one day during our freshman year I was bitten by inspiration. After one conversation with my boyfriends sister I decided there were some things I really loved to do and accounting wasn't one of them. Money was no longer my main motive. As I explained to my friend my new found outlook on life she got inspired too. We went that month and really tried to figure out what was best for us individually and it happened to be the same thing. Acting and entertainment(and twilight, of course) were a couple of our passions. By that time I had already set up a date for when I was going to start my journey to California, but in the mean time I decided to change my major to multimedia journalism. After my sophomore year I moved to LA and I still kept in touch with my friend. She was doing a few internships at a time and had a huge internship coming up with a major magazine in NYC. It was so rewarding for me to see that she found her calling and was doing big things! As I resumed school this Fall we started talking about all of our experiences that past year and where we were headed. I could tell that her horizons have just expanded and to me that is everything. 

Do what inspires you. Whether it's going to college directly after high school or taking some time off, it is important to do something you really love. These years are our prime. Its all about taking chances and doing things that can help us enrich our future. The world is at your finger tips it's your choice if you want to grab it.

Love Always
XX G 

Stepping Stones

There are no blueprints in relationships. Each relationship is made up of it's very own unique and intricate characteristics; therefore the next step in every relationship all depends on the preference of the couple. In today's society people tend to put timelines or ticking time bombs on important steps such as; saying ILY, meeting the parents, moving in together, getting engaged, and even getting married. Well hey Society, I have a message for you, the only people who should have an input on these important milestones or big steps are the couple themselves. Many couples feel pressured into things they aren't ready for and it all ends in tragedy. Some people just don't want to get married and that's okay, everyone has different ideas of what being in a committed relationship means. Different strokes for different folks. 


Long Distance
Long distance isn't the next step, it is where the road breaks into two and you need to decide what direction your relationship is going. In life, things always change or spring upon us and we have to do what is best for us. After 4 and half years of dating me and my boyfriend were faced with the big decision. I was moving to Los Angeles and we had to make a choice. According to society, "Long distance relationships never work", but I'm glad to announce that in a month and half we are celebrating our 6 year anniversary. Although there is no sugar coating this situation, because truthfully it sucks. For anyone who is facing this decision I believe there is only one question to answer: Do you see this person in your distant future? For me, it was always absolutely yes. We have something I knew was so different then anything I've ever seen or heard of. Trust was always one of our strongest bonds, which helped play the most important role in our success. 

The Facts

• There are times when you feel so disconnected with your other half in away you never thought could exist. 
• It is easier if you know the duration of your separation because you know that this will eventually end. 
• The last few months are the toughest because both individuals become frustrated and feel like the time they will see each other again has been stretched far too thin. 
• If you don't make an effort things will not get better.
• Trust is the only thing you can depend on, if it's not there it is going to be a treturous ride.
• Don't let distance keep things less interesting. 
• If you feel like you have grown too far apart, you probably have. 

Never be afraid of the changes in relationships, they can be beautiful things. Do what you want to do because at the end of the day you are the only one dealing with consequences. 

Sending everyone love 

-XX G 

The Come Back

Hey there! It's been quite some time huh? 

Well, I'm back and after the past year I've had, I've got plenty of writing material; So no worries, I'm not going anywhere. After one of the most glorious experiences in my life, spending the last year living in Los Angeles, there is a lot I've learned. A lot of things have changed. The way I view myself, others and life itself have veered into different directions then where they use to lead. 

Me 

Before I moved to LA I was constantly surrounded by my boyfriend, friends, or family. The only time I really had by myself was probably the commute to school twice a week. So you can understand when I first moved to the west coast, I felt quite alone. Well I can absolutely convey that the more your with yourself, the more you learn who you really are. I became to appreciate my loneliness, because sometimes you must endure.  Having that time with yourself is probably one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Yea it's awesome being around people, don't get me wrong, but that relationship you build with yourself and your thoughts can be pretty powerful. My therapy for anything was hiking. It was such an amazing outlet for me to reflect on myself, a sort of meditation, that I truly do miss!

Others 

I'll tell you the person I am today has been greatly altered by the amazing people I've interacted with recently.I had this bad habit beforehand judging people before I got to actually know them(guilty). Well to my pleasant surprise I really began to appreciate people more for having different views on life or helping me see things differently. Sometimes when you surround yourself with people so similar to you, your also inhibiting yourself from growth. It's such a beautiful thing to hear where other people came from and the stories they have lived. A little before moving I was really worried I wouldn't find genuine people, but the friendships I've made have definitely proven otherwise. These incredible individuals have forever changed my life and touched my heart.

Life: this weird, beautiful, interesting, chaotic, and scary adventure we are all on. Some days are great, some are hard, but all are a blessing.

Xx- G 

Torn Between

What do you do when your family and the one your in a relationship with don't get along? The ideal for any relationship is that everyone loves one another, but what about the relationships where it isn't like that? I am strictly talking about immediate families and your other half. Probably one of the hardest obstacles to overcome in a relationship is being torn between your family and your lover. 

To me one of the most important characteristics in a guy is how he treats my family. If he does not treat them with respect they deserve, there is a serious problem. If you notice at some point that the respect between your boyfriend/husband/lover has vanished toward your family you must act quickly because it is going to be a treacherous road ahead if not dealt with immediately. You should feel comfortable around all of the people you love and it can be quite hard to do if there's some bad blood in between the two parties. When it comes to parents it is obviously a given on how a man should act towards them but this also applies to siblings as well. You can't choose your family, they are who they are and he either needs to accept them or you are bound to have problems in the future.

Now what if his family isn't respectful or accepting towards you, what's a girl to do? Well first off you need to speak to him about it directly and not ever create an argument with the family. Things can get a lot worse with words that you can never take back. When your feeling that there is a problem evolving you need to not push it aside and hope it gets better with time, because chances are it won't. Not feeling comfortable around the people who are so close to your significant other could cause problems within the relationship. They can have a tremendous effect on his decisions. Try to connect with at least one person in his family. I know it seems stupid to have to prove yourself to someone but sometimes you just have to show people who you really are. Once they have a judgment on you it's almost like a permanent stain that you cant get off of your fav shirt, you can just make it lighter. 

Family matters are never easy to deal with especially when they primarily involve you or your partner. Nothing is harder than being stuck in the middle.

-XX T