Spring has Sprung

Coat: Kenneth Cole; Dress: Zara; Sunglasses: Chanel; Necklace: Forever21; Bracelet (Left): Paul Hewitt; Bracelet (Right): Pandora; Photography by Nikki Price 

Dress: Zara; Sunglasses: Chanel; Necklace: Forever21; Pandora; Photography by Nikki Price

Dress: Zara; Sunglasses: Chanel; Necklace: Forever21; Bracelet (Left): Paul Hewitt; Bracelet (Right): Pandora; Sneakers: Adida; Purse: Furla; Photography by Nikki Price

Dress: Zara; Sunglasses: Chanel; Necklace: Forever21; Photography by Nikki Price

What a better time to write than when you're experiencing a lot of change in your life? Doesn't matter how big or how small the change is, or how positive or how negative. Since I was a little girl I always liked to document my changes--whether it was a new school, a new crush (and I had many!), new bochinche (gossip) going on in school, I liked to transfer my thoughts onto paper. Today I look back at all of my writing and the impact is simply uplifting. I learn about how the changes in my life, whether good or bad, helped me grow into the person I am today. 

Today I spoke to a colleague about some of the changes going on in my life. The type of changes we don't like to publicize... the negative ones. "What's going on? Tell me wassup" he said. Like a sneeze you can't control, I blurted everything out. I even told him about being kicked out my house when I graduated college. "Damn," was all he could say. A smile on his face was all I could see. "I can't help but smile." "You can't help but smile?!" I retorted. He thinks my situation is so painful and he feels so bad that he can't help but smile. "Damn," I thought. He surprised me when he said the following:

"I'm smiling because we're put into these situations for a reason. Because they build us, they make us who we are. I'm grateful. I'm looking at you now and you don't look phased. You don't look bothered. You're not letting it bring you down. Who's in charge of the outcome? YOU! So I smile, because you're exactly where you need to be. You're strong."

Dress: Zara; Sunglasses: Chanel; Necklace: Forever21; Bracelet (Left): Paul Hewitt; Bracelet (Right): Pandora; Purse: Furla; Photography by Nikki Price

So today, in honor of my strength, in honor of all of our strength, in this beautiful transition from winter to spring, I encourage you to seek the good in your life, and to spread it endlessly. It's time to put away those heavy coats and slip on the cute dresses. It's time to be untraditional and throw on those sneakers and whip out those curly bangs. It's time to feel yourself under the sun and be bad & boujee with your new sunglasses when the sun is making out with (or simply kissing) your skin.

For me, in this new season and in what feels like the start of a new chapter in my life, I want to vehemently embrace the two things that have brought me so much joy this year: my marriage and my acceptance into Teachers College, Columbia University. 

The most lovely place this new chapter has taken me to is Cuba, where I met the man who stole my heart and I decided to marry right away! When I met him last year there was an immediate connection. It wasn't until the third time I visited Cuba, when we spontaneously decided to meet in Havana, that we had our first kiss outside of Havana airport. In that moment we knew right away that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. Our time together has been an adventure, one of love, passion,  and growth. I can't wait to continue sharing it with you all in blog posts to come!

The most intellectual place that this new chapter of my life is taking me to (in just a few months) is graduate school! I remember studying for the GRE for a total of 5 days before taking the actual exam. I was sick as ever... I had to beg the administrators to let me take Halls in with me (they acquiesced). I submitted my application literally a few days after. Just two weeks after I received my acceptance!! Unbelievable, right?! I never imagined the day I would receive an acceptance to graduate school. I don't think it was ever really in my plans. I don't think teaching, as a career, was ever really in my plans either. But here I am, doing what I love and doing what feels right, and getting paid to do so. Now that is truly the secret to happiness. I'm only 24 though! So how to maintain that happiness, however, is my quest.  

So while behind the scenes there are changes in our lives that aren't always positive, changes we don't care or wish to publicize, I encourage choosing to look at the good, the lovely and the great. Somewhere behind every dark and rainy cloud the sun is there, shining as bright as you are meant to shine. And sooner or later, that sun will be ALL over you. 

Spring has sprung! What changes are you embracing??

Comment below!! 

-MR