WHY I STILL WRITE

As long as I can remember, I’ve been a writer. In third grade, sometimes my friends and I would ask to go out to the hall during story time after recess. Instead of hearing other people’s stories, we wanted to write our own. We wrote these stories in my Garfield notebook. They were about our school mascot, E the Eagle. We imagined he went inside the Internet and met a hologram named Holly the Hologram. I don’t remember much beyond that, but it shows me how long storytelling has been a part of my life.

Even before that, one of my best friends and I would pass back and forth a paper yellow folder filled with pages and pages of handwritten stories about a talking dog named Ripper. On white computer paper, we made up the adventures of Ripper the talking dog and his two teenage female companions. We imagined we would play them in the movie version.

I wish I still had those pages, even if just to see what our wild little imaginations could dream up. It’s crazy how much we lose our imaginations as we get older. I always protested. I said it would never happen to me. I chose a creative field, therefore, I should get to keep mine. Right?

Wrong.

I never dreamed how wrong I could be. I wouldn’t say I don’t have an imagination; we all do to some degree. But it is nothing like that of a child. We use phrases like “thinking outside the box.” Kids — they aren’t thinking about how to think outside the box. They are already five steps ahead, using the box as a portal to another universe. One filled with adventures that are now beyond our wildest dreams. They’re innocent, but also naive to the world. And for once, that’s a good thing. They don’t have the biases — we like to call wisdom — of living. They haven’t learned logic or reason. And to me, that is a beautiful thing.

I can’t explain why I started writing. The words pour out of me. The floodgates opened the moment my number two pencil touched the page for the first time. I get little flashbacks to my earliest memories of writing — like how I got the word “of” wrong on a spelling test in first grade. I remember the red dash next to the “ov.” I remember the story I wrote about journeying through Candyland in third grade. And I remember writing my AP Comp essay my junior year about how I wanted to help people through my words — giving myself the pen name Dr. Wordsmith.

The most valuable thing I’ve learned through writing is how important is for me to keep writing. It’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of life. We’re going and going and going — until don’t know where we’re going anymore. Writing grounds me. It heals me. Like I said, I hope that my words can be healing for other people, too.

I’ve had people message me telling me how much they related to something I wrote. Others tell me that they actually laughed out loud or had to share my words with someone else. To me, that’s the best feeling in the entire world.

Even if it’s just a line that resonates with someone, I feel like I’ve done my job. But more than that, it reaffirms why I still write.

8 THINGS I LEARNED FROM MOVING ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Moving away from home was by far the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not talking about college. My entire college career was nothing in comparison to this. But living in the next state over is nothing like packing everything you own into your car and road tripping across the country.

I wouldn't go as far as to say that I regret the move, but I recognize now more than ever that I am a Midwesterner through and through. And I now know that there is nothing wrong with that. I used to want nothing more than to move out of the Midwest. I wanted to try something new -- experience something bigger.

But then I decided to move to Florida. Here's what I learned from that experience:

1. If you're thinking about picking up and moving across the country, make sure you know what you're getting into. 
It's often impossible to fully understand what you're getting yourself into. You can't predict the mishaps in life that throw things off course. But when you're making a move like this, there's generally a larger purpose behind it. You don't just randomly uproot your life for no reason. So whether it's a job, a person or a new experience, make sure that you understand the worst case scenario before you make the move. Is this job really what you want to do? What if it doesn't work out with the person? Can you find that experience anywhere else?

2. You will get to know yourself better.
You will never spend as much time with anyone else as you do with yourself. And you learn that even more when you move across the country by yourself (especially when you work overnights and weekends).

3. You have a blank slate, but be yourself. 
No one knows you here. They don't know your family or how you wore purple eyeliner all through the 8th grade (true story). So you get a fresh start. But that doesn't mean you should try to be someone else. Be yourself. After a while, you can't help it anyway, so why try to put on an act for anyone?

4. You learn to build your own network.
Oh, the joy of making friends. Wasn't it easier when you were just in the same class/dorm with people? You had built-in friends. As an adult, you have to actively work to build connections and friendships. But it's worth it.

5. You grow as a person. 
Going through one of the most trying periods in life will definitely help you grow as a person. It challenged me in ways that I never dreamed possible. For example, I have so much respect for the people who commit decades of their lives to working overnights and definitely don't get enough credit for it. Unless you've worked overnights for a prolonged period of time, you really don't know what it's like. And I will forever have that extra appreciation for the people still doing it.

6. You learn more about what you want (and what you absolutely don't want).
It made me think about what was most important in life and most important to me. This experience taught me more about what I want going forward then school ever could. And for that, I am forever grateful I had this experience.

7.  You figure out who is most important to you. 
The people who are there when everything feels like it's falling apart. The people who actively check in to see how you are doing. And the people who support you -- sometimes by encouraging you to push past the bad stuff. Those are the people who matter.

8. You question what your purpose is. 
When you make a long-distance move it pushes you to think about what you are truly called to do. And the weirdest part is that this particular move taught me how much my purpose is back home right now.

So in case, you couldn't already tell, I made it back home. Safe and sound. I can't help but think the reason for my move to Florida was to bring me back home. I know it sounds funny, but I think if I had found a job anywhere else, I might have stuck it out, and I would never be where I am now. And I know I ended up where I am meant to be at this moment.

The people I met, the experiences I had, the time I spent in Florida, I truly believe it was meant to be.

WHY I AM CHOOSING HAPPINESS

For most of my life, I've lived according to what I think other people expect me to do. Try hard in school, work towards something greater, always on -- never stopping to think about what's best for me. Even when I'm deciding what I want most in life, part of me has always thought about it will affect everyone around me.

Recently, I had a big decision to make. And when it came down to it, everyone told me: do what your gut is telling you. Choose happiness.

Life in the Lost and Found Bin is about my discovering who I am and what I really want. And while I know myself much better than when I created this blog, I think I still have a lot to learn. I have always had dreams, but I have always questioned them.

It's not that I've questioned whether or not I really want my dreams to come true. Rather, I have been clouded in self-doubt about whether or not I had the power to really make them come true. And let's be real: most people don't make their dreams come true. For some, maybe they don't have what it takes. Maybe it is about knowing the right people and having the right opportunities. But for others, I think it's about life getting in the way. The unexpected happens and sometimes you have to reevaluate what is most important to you. And I think part of maturing is realizing that sometimes your "dreams" aren't going to be your first priority. And that's okay.

So, for now, I am choosing happiness. I only recently discovered that was an option -- one that I could choose. Maybe I'm not Lena Dunham or Donald Glover, living out my dreams at 23. But everybody's path is different.

I am willing to work hard. I am willing to give my dreams everything I've got. But I'm going to do it my way. I'm okay with it taking a little longer.

That's why I am choosing happiness.

Are you choosing happiness? 

SEND TO: MINNESOTA, RE: OUR BREAKUP

Draft: Feb. 12 3:35 p.m. 

Dear Minnesota,

There's something I've been wanting to talk to you about for a while. It's something that's hard for me to admit. So please, just hear me out.

Breaks are dumb. But our break has made me realize, taking a break doesn't mean a relationship is irreparable. In fact, I believe our love can be stronger than ever.

I know it's cliche -- the whole "not knowing what you have until you've lost it." But it's true. I chose to move away during an incredibly confusing time in my life.

I was young, dumb and in love with the idea of experiencing something extraordinary. And I thought to do that, I needed to move away.

Now, I'm left missing the way you made me feel. Being with you made me a better person. I have no doubt that I am who I am because of you. The harsh cold winters made me stronger and more tolerant. The change of the seasons made me remember nothing lasts forever. The cool summer breeze at night made me -- well, let's be honest, I took that for granted at the time. In Florida, there is no breeze from April-November. It's sticky and humid. Honestly, it makes me cringe thinking about the looming return of the humidity.

But mostly, I'm homesick for the people. God, how I miss the people. Don't get me wrong, I've met some nice people here. And I cherish those friendships. However, people here aren't as aggressively nice or overly apologetic. Minnesota Nice is a thing, people. 

The state we grew up in is forever a part of our identity. It helped mold us into who we are. As a kid, I questioned my parents' choice to build a life in Minnesota. I thought, why would you ever consciously choose to stay in a state that is cold 75% of the year? But I get it now. It only took me moving away to figure that out.

Minnesota, you're not perfect (ex."cold 75% of the year"). But neither am I (ex. moved away). We've made our mistakes. Our timing was off. I wanted to try new things. You were too busy hosting the Super Bowl. But the thing is none of that matters. All that matters is that I know our story isn't over yet.

I've always loved you. And I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. Please, forgive me.

P.s. please, don't forget about me while I'm gone.

WHEN WILL I STOP WAITING FOR MY LIFE TO START?

Like most of what I write, this post was inspired by a conversation I had not too long ago. We were talking about the future and where we were in our career so far. And then the conversation turned to how we were always waiting for our lives to "start," as if everything we had done up to this point didn't really count.

In high school, you can't wait to get to college and for your life to really start.

Then in college, you can't wait to graduate, because you're still in school and have so many limitations, so you feel like it hasn't really started yet.

Then all the sudden you're out of school. You're in your first job, but you're clearly not where you want to be yet because no one lands their dream job right out of school. So, you're right back at the: well when this happens, then my life will really start.

When I move to my dream city.
When I meet my person.
When I lose that weight.
When I get engaged.
When I get my dream job.
When I get that promotion.
When I get married.
When I start working for myself.
When I'm the boss.
When I buy the house.
When I pay off my debt.

You think to yourself, that's when my life will start.

But here's the thing: what was everything up until then? You've been living. I've been living.

When I talk about where I see my life going and what I want to do next, a lot of people seem to have an opinion. I've gotten a lot of advice about how to navigate my life choices -- from people who have more life experience. And while I appreciate the concern, I am the only one who has to live with my choices day after day. I get to decide when my life "starts" and where it goes from there.

Waiting for your life to start is exhausting. I've spent a lot of restless nights (and by that I mean days--because I work overnight) trying to fall asleep, only to be kept awake by haunted musings of what could have been. At some point, I have to step up and change that.

In my business, I see a lot of things that really make you think more about the world. Just this weekend we reported about a 23-year-old who lost his life in a car accident. He was 23. And I couldn't help but think what if it was me? I could have a long, healthy life ahead of me. Or I could die tomorrow. I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. But it's true. So, why aren't we all living like we're dying?

I've spent my whole life looking way too far ahead into the future. And of course, I want to prepare for the future that I hope I have. I work very hard to set myself up for a good future. But I also want to find some happiness in the present. After all, it's where we spend all of our time, isn't it?

What are you waiting for?

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

When we are little, we are often confronted with the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" We are encouraged to be creative. We are encouraged to be imaginative. We are encouraged to be daydreamers. 

But at some point, that all changes. Society wants you to be creative but in a scientific and analytical way. 

So, you've probably heard the saying "Don't quit your day job," right? It suggests that you should give up on your dreams, because you'll never make it anyway.

In Tori Kelly's song "Daydream" she says, "Don't quit your daydream." It is such a beautiful lyric, and I wish that more people felt this way.

Imagine. When you have dreams, you have to continually think of new ways to achieve your goals. No matter what your dreams are, it's likely that you spend time thinking about what it will be like when you achieve them. Dedicate time to actively imagining where you want to be and what you can do to get there.

[Related: How to Actively Pursue Your Passions]

Believe. You have to be your own biggest fan. Believe in yourself first, because people can tell whether or not you believe in yourself and that can make all the difference.

Determination. Sometimes your dreams will seem to big--even impossible. Don't let fear get in the way of the rest of your life. You shouldn't abandon your dreams because anyone tells you they are "unrealistic." But don't do something to prove anyone else wrong; do it to prove yourself right.

Love. At the end of the day, it comes down to finding something that you are passionate about. I have been told not to follow my passions. I have been told to do what will get me a job and what will make the most money. I have been told that I will never be financially secure in my industry. And to that I say, that scares me. It is terrifying every day questioning whether or not I will succeed. But then I go back to imaging what it would be like if it worked out. I go back to believing in myself and my abilities. I go back to being determined to making it happen, because I know it is what I want more than anything in this world. What I really want is to really mean it when I say, "I love what I do."

In school, we're told to pay attention. Stop daydreaming. Maybe there is a time and a place. But don't ever let anyone to tell you to give up on your daydream. You have the power to imagine what you want to do with your life, and you have the ability to make it happen.

BLOGGING WITH PURPOSE

Blogging ignites my fire. It brings me joy to press publish. It fuels my creativity and sparks my imagination. It pushes me be successful and it inspires me to be greater. Blogging is not simply typing your thoughts and presenting it to whomever comes across it on the Internet.

Blogging is reading other blogs. Blogging is taking creative pictures with the intention of editing them into posts. Blogging is being part of a creative community that supports and encourages each others growth.

Technically, I have been blogging since the Fall of 2011. But it wasn't until a year ago that I really got into it and learned how much of a blogging community is out there. Since then, I have drastically changed my approach to blogging. I try not to write only when feeling inspired. When I have the time, I actively think of ideas and browse blogs and online magazines, hoping to come up with an idea of my own. I realized that I am blogging with a purpose. I have intentions of inspiring other people creatively, and I know that there are certain things that I have to do if I want to accomplish that goal. 

Here are some of the things I think you have to do to blog with purpose:

Spend time reading other blogs. First of all, there is so much you can learn from other bloggers. People like Brittany (from The Kardia), Gina (from Gina Alyse), and Jessica (from The Blogging Brew), continually inspire me. Not only do they have great advice about blogging, but their creativity motivates me to push my creative boundaries. This part is non-negotiable. Reading other blogs will help you come up with new ideas, know what is popular in the blogosphere, and make meaningful connections with people across the world. 

Engage with other bloggers. Who knew that you could make such personal connections with people you might have never met in real life? I feel like I know some of these ladies after reading their blogs, and engaging with them on social media or via email. Just sending a friendly email to tell someone how much you enjoy their blog can go a long way. Likewise, try to regularly leave genuine comments that show you really connected with their content. 

Create a mission. This is one of the biggest parts of blogging with a purpose. Why are you blogging? What is driving you to create content to share with other people? It doesn't necessarily have to be written out, but it will definitely help if you establish it for yourself. If you want your readers to take away a certain message or feel a certain way after reading your blog, you need to keep that in mind every time you blog. You should ask yourself, "Does this post align with the goals of my blog?" 

Always have pictures. Jana from Life Could Be a Dream has a great post about how to create Pin-worthy images. As I said, Pinterest has been one the biggest drivers of traffic to my blog, so creating Pin-worthy images is really important. 

Utilize social media. Anyone in the blogosphere will tell you that if you are really dedicated to blogging, your social media will reflect that. This includes regularly tweeting, posting on a Facebook page for your blog, being on Bloglovin, updating your Instagram, and Pinning your content. Social media is a great way to interact with other bloggers and get your content out there. My Pin of "7 Things I Never Want My Little Sister to Feel" has been repinned over 800 times, liked almost 400 times, and because of that it has almost 13,000 pageviews. It is my most successful post to date, and it has been amazing to see it take off. That is the power of Pinterest. 

Know your resources. Some days I feel like I am underutilizing my blogging resources. I wish took more pictures. I wish I spent more time learning Adobe Illustrator. And I really wish I could make a blog schedule and stick to it already. I keep telling myself I am going to make a blog planner, because I think I could be a lot more successful if I did. Part of blogging with purpose is making it a part of your regular routine, so that you can grow trust with readers and foster a community. Blogging is as big of a commitment as you make it, but know that if you want your blog to grow, you have to put in the time and show your dedication. Gina Alyse has a great post on Must-Have Creative Resources of Lifestyle Bloggers! 

Remind readers of your purpose. Every once in a while I like to say, "Since my blog is about encouraging other people to pursue their passions..." One, it lets new readers know what to expect out of a lot of my posts. And two, it reminds people of what I ultimately want them to take away from reading my blog. 

Write what you would want to read. What haven't you read that you have always wondered about? It really isn't difficult to find blogs; they are everywhere! There are so many bloggers that have written about so many topics. But if you have a mission to your blog, creating content specific to your goals for your blog should be much easier. Sometimes I don't post simply because I don't have anything to write about, but there is always something that you can uniquely add to a conversation or share from a personal experience. 

How do you blog with purpose?

CURRENTLY // JUNE '15

Listening to // "I Need Your Love" by Shaggy. I heard this song on the radio the other day and instantly loved it. The lyrics are pretty simple--it says "I need your love" a million times. It's a good one, though. 

Shopping for// I have been focusing on eating more fruits and vegetables lately, so I was excited when my mom wanted to go to the Farmers Market when I got home. My little sister loves her fruits and vegetables, but I think she was most excited over the cheese samples. As soon as we got there she announced that she wanted the cheese you could eat with toothpicks. 

Watching // "Parks and Rec." I love Amy Poehler. She is one of my idols, and I have been meaning to watch it for the longest time. Hopefully I will be able to watch the whole series this summer.

Following // Shaylen Carroll on Vine. Wow her voice is great. I don't go on Vine that often, but when I do I am always so impressed. One of my favorites on Vine is "Us the Duo." I saw them for the first time last summer when they opened for Eric Hutchison during a short concert for Oake on the Water.

Working on // Learning calligraphy. I have wanted to learn this forever. I plan on spending some time practicing this summer.

Playing //  Lately I have been trying to get better at volley ball, because a lot of my friends seem to be pretty good at it. Last week my friend Jessie and I sat on the sidelines and colored, because we were too tired to play. We made signs cheering on the teams with names like "Glitz and Glamor" and "Why Do You Like Fishsticks?" It was a good time. 

Reading // "Screenwriting Tips, You Hack." I have been trying to get through this book for a while now. I really enjoy reading it, but I feel like I need to dedicate more time to actually practice the things I am reading.

Writing // I keep telling myself that I am going to practice screenwriting. My goal by the end of the summer is to be doing it a few times a week. For now, I am trying to get some posts out and practicing when I can.

Catching up on // My sleep schedule has been turned upside down by work. One day I will sleep four-five hours and the next day I will sleep for ten hours. Thankfully work is settling down, so hopefully I will be able to establish a better sleep schedule.

What have you been up to lately?

EVERYTHING CHANGES

As the seasons turn, we are reminded of the ever-evolving nature of life. Nothing stays the same--at least not for very long. It always blows me away how you can think you have everything figured out, and in an instant you can feel like you are living in a different lifetime. Lately, I have taken a lot of time to reflect on the changes in the last few months. I revisited my goals and reevaluated what was important to me. 

I tried planning. Last week I went to visit an academic adviser. When I first made the appointment I intended to talk about my plans to double major and how these plans conflicted with my desire to study abroad in college. I spent a couple hours the night before the appointment sifting through the course guide, and trying to envision what my next couple years in college would look like. Eventually I became overwhelmed. I started to realize that maybe, just maybe, I was getting a little ahead of myself. I could no longer justify my reasoning behind wanting to double major. A few months ago I decided to study TV and film, and Strategic Communications (PR, advertising, etc.). In my heart all I want is to work in TV or film production, but my head was telling me that I needed something more. I needed this super, dual degree that would allow me more flexibility (you know, in case the whole making movies thing doesn't work out). As I sat at my desk, drowning in my fears, I decided I need to talk it over with someone. I called my mom, and she reminded me of what she has told me from the beginning: she doesn't think I should double major.

So I walked into this advising appointment last Thursday, wondering what I was really there for. I already knew the answers to my questions in my heart. But verbalizing them made it real. I talked about my fears and my dreams, and what I was already doing to achieve my goals. The adviser smiled at me, and she told me that as I was talking about working in film and TV, that I was beaming, and she could tell how much it excited me. She said that college students can have this idea of needing 4 or 5 majors to be able to really market themselves, but that it wasn't what was important. When an employer looks at your resume, she said, they will be looking to see what type of degree you got, but then they will look at all of the experiences you have had and what kind of person those experiences made you.

Experiences. These are the things that shape us, and the things that push life forward. And then, I realized everything changes. It's how we react to those changes that make us who we are.

I realized that it is okay that I changed my mind. It is okay that I don't want the same things that I wanted a few months ago, or even a few days ago. At the beginning of the year, I wrote a post called, "How to Deal with Change in the New Semester." To me, it was about taking the time to recognize that life is always changing, and that while some things may hold constant, it's important to embrace the things that don't. I wanted to start the semester off with clear goals in mind, and do everything that I could to reach those goals. Little did I know, that part of this process is taking the time to reflect and make sure they are still things you that really want.

Sometimes you will encounter road blocks. Life doesn't always change for the best, and you don't always get a choice. Sometimes the changes are messy, and they can hurt. A diagnosis. An end in a relationship. A loss of a loved one. But through the pain, through the heartbreak, and through the confusion, we learn--we learn that life requires time, patience, and faith. There are different kinds of change. Some changes happen instantly, and others require patience, because you might not be able to see the ending. That's where faith comes in. At times, you might feel hopeless, because all of pressures and stresses of life can pile up and try to break you down. Your faith will be tested--time and time again. 

One of the most remarkable lessons that I have ever learned is that hardships can make you stronger. I believe that I would not be the same person I am today if I didn't encounter certain things earlier in life. Watching how other people react to the stressors in their lives, I am proud of how I have dealt with my own. I am proud of the choices I have made, and I have no regrets. I have hopes for the future, and while I fear the uncertainty, I have faith. 

Life is about learning what decisions you get to make. My mom's favorite quote is "We make plans, and God laughs." I expect everything to change. I expect to have new goals and new visions as I change from my experiences. I expect to feel more pain, and for life to bring more hardships. But more than anything, I expect to grow and learn from my experiences, and I trust whatever plans He has for me. I am in charge of how I feel and what I do, and I choose how to react. And as of last Thursday, I am Communication Arts major, who intends to follow her dreams no matter what they end up being.

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An Incomplete Timeline of my Life in the Lost and Found Bin

I decided it might be kind of fun to make a little timeline. This is an interactive timeline of my life. The posts it brings you to might not directly relate to the picture, but each one will bring you somewhere around the Bin (except for the picture of Sydney. That will bring you to the short-lived blog I attempted while I watched her this past summer).

Click on a photo, or two, or three, and get a better look inside the Life in the Lost and Found Bin. You might just find something you didn't know you were looking for. (Treat: the first one is my FIRST ever blog post. It's bad. See for yourself).