RachaelB.

Hiii friends wanted to pop on and share whats been on my heart and mind the last couple of months,, I know I have been MIA(LIFE haha), but it feels so good to come to this space and share with all you amazing humans….

On happiness:

Its finally pretty weather here in TEXAS( I mean… 70 degrees? …. its a dream haha). The past couple of months have been super crazy! Still getting used to living downtown, adjusting to being a new nurse/ night shift life, and balancing my relationships! I know  bloggers, writers, influencers are always saying “social media is just a highlight reel, there is lots more going on behind the scenes…” and this couldn’t be more true. I love sharing the amazing moments in my life, because I truly am such a blessed human. I have so much to be thankful for, and so many people that lift me up and inspire me to keep moving forward. At the same time, I am just like everyone else… I have my bad days, my low weeks, my mental/physical breakdowns….Life just isn’t easy, this is reality. It’s also OKAY not to feel or be happy all the time; that is part of what makes the good times so sweet. There is so much pressure to be happy. It’s honestly overwhelming sometimes. I don’t know about you, but it can be exhausting attempting to be happy all the time because you feel like you should be, or the world tells you something is wrong with you if you’re not. Not everyday is going to be sunshine. Not everyday is going to be epic and exciting… and NEWS FLASH, that okay. Having a low day? be kind to yourself. Go for a walk, listen to your favorite song on repeat, say a prayer, give a compliment to someone, have a warm cup of coffee or tea… for all my guy readers out there;) go to the golf range, or for a run, or call someone who means the world to you.

Some of my best days recently, have been the ones that not much really happens, but I get to spend time doing small acts of kindness( for others, or for myself).

In many ways, the concept of happiness is something I have struggled with the past few years of my life. Defining it, recognizing it, feeling it. CHOOSING IT. So I always like to reflect on it, and share where I am at in my journey in hopes that it will resonate with others who also struggle. Happiness is always right around the corner, you just have to realize you deserve it.

On social media:

I think social media can be such a positive if you choose to look at it the right way. I have read the countless articles about how destructive it can be, always wanting things you don’t have, or comparing yourself to someone else. Thinking about it, these are human emotions and they are normal. Its okay to want big dreams, to aspire to great adventure… just realize YOU are the author of your own book, whose timeline will be different from every other person in the world.  For me, I had to really take a step back and tell myself, ” Rachael, this is your life, today is another beautiful day, and tomorrow can be whatever you want it to be.” Maybe today I am sitting in my apartment writing, tomorrow night Ill go back to work with my babies, but who knows what will happen in the next week, the next month, or 4 months from now!

HOW COOL IS THAT. Sure, you might not necessarily be right where you hope to be right now, but its coming.. Keep moving forward, choosing joy, and being grateful for the day at hand. We each have our own path, which I know without a doubt, has been paved by whoever you might look to as your higher power.( mine being my amazing savior and bestie, Jesus <3).  –> so THAT’S my 411 on social media friends.

On Work:

WORK…. ohhhh gosh, I have been constantly learning on the job, making mistakes, feeling dumb, and of course acting a bit crazy, constantly second guessing myself and overthinking. —  being a graduate nurse is stinking hard guys( not sugar coating, just being honest about my experience), and there isn’t one night shift that I leave feeling completely satisfied with the work I did. There is always something I wish I could have done better, an convo with a parent I wish went smoother, a procedure I wish I could have done with more confidence… theres always something. In saying all this, I have found so many cool things about myself. The fact that in spite of my fears, I get up and go to work anyways. Despite my doubts, I trust my instincts anyways. Despite never feeling satisfied, I feel grateful for the journey and the opportunity anyways.

I have also had so much support from my coworkers; I couldn’t do what I do without them. There have been so many instances of my podmates, helping me draw labs, feeding one of my babies, bringing me supplies, helping me with procedures, that I couldn’t begin to mention all of them. My fellow colleagues are truly the amazing nurses you always hope to work with. I never feel alone at work; its always been a safe place for me, where i feel comfortable to ask questions. To my soon to be new nurses out there looking for jobs, get you a work environment like mine.( you will be so much less stressed… in an already very high stress job lol).

Last but not least… On LOVE,, 

L-O-V-E. Swoon. Where to begin. So, being in love is hard… haha. I know you werent expecting me to open with that, but it freaking is. It has been so so sweet being in the same place as my boyfriend. We did long distance for so long, so this change was long awaited. So how has it been going?….

Work schedules not always matching up, feeling exhausted from long weeks, deciding who will drive to whose apartment that night, keeping things fun… the list goes on.

As amazing as our relationship is, there are for sure bumps in the road, fights about dumb things, and miscommunications that happen. Alec and I are just human. We are figuring things out just like every other couple. The cool thing is that I have known Alec since he was 15( its our 8 years on NOV 21 ahhh, side note lol). I have seen him mature and grow, I know when hes upset without him saying,  and I can basically talk to him with my eyes from across the room. If I could put in to words how freaking in love with this man I am it would probably end up being a novel. He really is the light of my life. Regardless of the challenges we face, Alec comes to me with an open heart, and usually a dozen roses…which he’s been doing since the day we met. We always talk, and end with a hug if the argument was a bad one. Choosing to pursue one another everyday for the rest of our lives has been the grounding factor of our relationship. Always reminding each other of that brings us back to the foundation of US every single time( no matter what we fight about or what hardship we are going through). This means doing the little things, keeping things exciting, and never letting the romance die.

Go on dates, make sacrifices, flirt, and above all, respect the person who is on the other side of the table looking back at you. This person is there because they care a great deal for you. .. and most likely whatever hardships you are going through, that person would rather be there doing that with you than with some other person.

Thanks for reading, and I hope wherever you are, you are having a beautiful day.

Much much love,

R