Small girl BLOG #5 — Alexandra Hauser

I have learned more in the first month of being 22 than I have in my lifetime. Hyperbole! But, seriously. Day after day, I have faced unanticipated hurdles. I truly think this is one of the most beautiful things of life. Constant change is amazing and also terrifying. This feels especially true in New York City, where no two days are the same; one day it’s a scorching 90 degrees and another day it pours all day. Unpredictability brings challenges and I’m into it. What better way to learn than through your own endeavors? As a lover of personal growth, I’m excited to see what the next 11 months bring. Continue reading if you’re interested in learning about what I’ve learned in the past 30 days.

Friends come and go, and that’s ok.
Growing up, I had the most amazing group of friends. I’m so thankful that for fourteen years I was able to rely on the same people every single day to get me through whatever horrors arose in high school. This also conditioned me incorrectly. Most people do not come into our lives and stay for 18+ years, as my school friends have. It’s been a hard lesson learned, but I’m starting to understand why people flow in and our of our lives. People’s priorities, circumstances, feelings, opinions, values, and so on change. When friends no longer align, the relationship no longer thrives. and THIS is ok. Take it as a sign that it’s no longer meant to be. There are so many people in this world who are just waiting to be your friend!
You actually can love going to work.
After a semester of working in a very depressing and unstimulating environment, I could not be more thankful to be interning where I am now and doing something I love. I love marketing, branding, and social media because I can let my creativity flow. I’ve never worked in the hospitality/transportation industry allowing me to grow my skillset. I’m also really vibing with the start-up culture. I wear sneakers, interact with people my age, work from a love chair, and get lunch catered every day. What more could I ask for.
I have great time management skills.
This summer, I’m a full-time intern and a part-time student. I basically spend all day on a computer working away. But because of my time management skills, I actually feel very happy and satisfied at the end of every day. I schedule everything into my calendar - from my early morning workouts to dinner with friends. I even schedule my weekends - I try to spend more time outside and drink! When I want or need to do something, I make time for it. Doing what I love makes me feel good all around. There is nothing more satisfying to me than checking boxes off my to do list. When you plan, you get things done. Productivity is key!
You can love your body and not be happy with it.
Most of my clothes no longer fits due to my four month long vacation called study abroad. I have zero regrets of anything I did while in Madrid; I lived life to the fullest and have the most and fond memories. If you would’ve asked me two years ago if I’d be okay with weight gain, the answer would’ve been absolutelyfuckingnot. Am I happy about it? No. I hate not fitting into my clothes. But I love myself enough to know that I’m doing everything in my power to return to my physical normalcy. I’m consistently exercising and maintaining a balanced diet. I’m not restricting myself of any fun and exciting adventures life throws my way. I’m living in the now. My hot bod is in the future. Love yourself at every step of the way!
It is possible to outgrow anxiety triggers.
The things that used to make me anxious no longer make me anxious. That’s pretty cool. I think I brought this up in my last post, but I truly think this is possible when you push yourself our of your comfort zone. It’s amazing what our mind and physical self is capable of doing when you let go of fear and worry. I for one am very money anxious. But with a steady income and smart spending, everything usually falls into place. This usually means noooooo shopping unless I babysit…… a lot.
Clothing, accessories, and shoes are the absolute best thing ever.
As a follow up to #5, I absolutely love fashion. I attribute a lot of my good mood and excited nature from summer clothing. I love to wear white, sandals, skirts, and dresses. There’s nothing better than looking in the mirror and feeling powerful. So, I highly advise putting on a cute outfit and getting dressed up when you aren’t feeling so great. Clothes doesn’t have to be the newest or most fashionable thing, just wear something you know you feel good in. Weirdly enough, gaining weight has challenged to me to play around with my clothes more because I literally have to scavenger hunt for something that fits (lol). I wouldn’t recommend this to everyone. Just where I’m at!