La Vie Est Faite de Petits Bonheurs

I want to begin with why I am writing this blog. It’s not for anyone else, it’s for myself. I’m a 20-something undergraduate who, until two weeks ago, was convinced I knew who I was. Sound familiar?

I’m just like all of you. No different.

I've spent my whole life building up this idea of what I wanted, chasing dreams of Connecticut Christmases and vacations in the Alps. I love traditions, classics, and sticking to what I know. I don’t follow trends or deviate from my usual styles. I like monograms, when they are tastefully placed. I’m a fanatic stationary collector, lover of handwritten notes and sentimental messages, fond collector of classic literature, and self-declared wine taster. As a freshman in college, I dreamed of owning my own apartment and coming home to a dog and tea served in Kate Spade mugs. The simple life, the blissful life. 
La vie est faite de petits bonheurs, right?

Wrong.

As I sat in bed one evening drinking a glass of wine, it all hit me.

I had NO idea if what I wanted was truly what I wanted, or what I thought I wanted. I had spent the past year questioning everything. I felt like two completely different people: The type-A who wanted to excel in everything, who found joy in every moment, and who dreamed of nothing more than finishing my undergrad years and living in a flat in DC. Then, the other half of me that wanted to experience: to go, to live, to wander. 

I wanted to take “the path less traveled”. The world is so vast and time is the most valuable thing we possess. 

Was I trading everything in? 
The amazing people I could meet, each with a unique story. 
Was I dreaming too small? 
Would I be putting my future on the back-burner to find out?

I’m overly-organized and I love to plan, it’s my biggest weakness. The thought of trading in what I saw as my “future” terrified me. I didn't know where to begin. I needed to finish college, I couldn't be a fifth year senior, and I had to be one of the most successful people of my age group or else it wouldn't be enough for me.

Someone once said always do the things that scare you the most. I have no clue who said it, but it resonated with me. I still couldn't fathom the idea of quitting my amazing “big girl” job, giving up the summer internship opportunity of a lifetime, and saying goodbye to the familiar to plunge into a world of unknown. 

It was scary. It was new. It threw me out of my comfort zone…. So I did it. 
I quit my job, I registered for online classes, and I bought a one-way ticket to Italy.

For the next 9 months, I will be blogging about my life, thoughts, experiences, style advice, travel tips, and moments of inspiration. After that, who knows?
 Maybe people aren't so different after all… No matter what country we live in.
Beauty is learning to appreciate the dissonance of life.

This is the story of a 20-something Kate Middleton wannabe with high aspirations of big city dreams, who has decided to chase her wanderlust. 

The best part?

I have no idea how it’s going to play out.

Ciao,
M

PS: These moments were all captured on my trip to Sweden. I love the colorful flags, and the effervescence of people going about their business. It made me truly realize all of the beauty we miss out on in the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day lives.

PSS: If you cant be true to anyone else, be true to yourself. Even if it means doing the thing that scares you the most.