I apologize for the radio silence over here throughout the past few weeks – I’ve been dealing with some big changes in my personal life and had mistakenly thought that I could just dive back into blogging in the new year but I wasn’t quite ready yet. Today’s post is a bit of an overdue New Year’s note; it’s one I’ve written in my head countless times over the past month and am finally ready to publish. Thank you for listening and supporting, now and always.

Shortly before making the big move from New Jersey to Chicago, I had a robin tattooed on the left side of my ribcage. It was a symbol of hope and readiness for new beginnings, as each year the return of the robin marks the beginning of spring. That little robin seemed to bring me good luck as later that year I had the opportunity to make a huge change and move to Chicago, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

2017 has started off with a different kind of new beginning, a new chapter that I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on and processing over the past few weeks. After a rocky few months, B and I officially decided to go our separate ways in the new year. It was a decision of many tears and heartbreak and while we are still sorting out plenty of details, we are moving forward.

After four years I’m left feeling a bit lost and confused about what’s next and have been using my little robin as a symbol of what’s ahead in this new year that isn’t quite shaping up as I had planned. In moments of overwhelm, I’m taking time to pause and think about the new beginning that’s ahead instead of letting the past and somber future bury me. Choosing to see the light, even in the darkest of times, isn’t always easy… but I’m doing my best to embrace the change while not forgetting the love and adventure of my relationship with B.

A new year. A new chapter. A new beginning.