Well hello there, and welcome BACK. Where do we even begin?!
I guess we should briefly pick up where we left off.
The last time I wrote a blog for this page, it was 2018. The blog was called something entirely different, and it looked entirely different, which is fitting, as I myself… was someone entirely different.
Now after 4 years, a break up, moving out of home, a pandemic, several jobs, a one way ticket to the South of France where I am currently writing from, and many (many) technical difficulties related to getting this very blog up and running again, and we are ready to begin.
Since all we have here is a plethora of travel diaries from 24 year old me to show- let me tell you a little bit about myself, and why I am here.
I’m Kelly, I am 28, Australian, utterly obsessed with traveling and writing, a big fan of good food and long lunches, dogs, beaches, long warm nights and summer. I love spending time with kind and interesting people, but as I get older I find myself adoring my alone time too. I am a makeup artist by trade, but I am at a point where I am wanting something more from my career. I’m a Virgo, and I have a keen interest in health and fitness. I have days where I don’t shut up, and days where I prefer to sit back and listen. I don’t take life too seriously, but I have my days where I think I probably should. I’m single, and that’s okay with me – for now.
The reason I have started this blog – apart from the obvious love of writing – is that over the last couple of years I often found myself spilling my thoughts into a journal, and a good word dump on paper always helped me process my emotions. I thought perhaps I should take my thoughts online – because after thinking about it, I am pretty confident I am not the only 20-something who may be struggling to feel at ease, connected with their true self, and happy 100% of the time in this world.
To get right into the nitty gritty – I’m going to tell you that the last 4 weeks – which happened to be the first 4 weeks of this trip to the South of France which I will of COURSE be telling you about.
These weeks have been some of the most mentally challenging weeks of my life.
This time away from home has been so much more confronting than I could have ever expected, but at the same time it has been absolutely transforming, and imperative to me becoming who I am meant to be. The change I can feel in myself is immense. I feel like I am coming back to life.
Being away from my home comforts in Melbourne – for the first time in years – away from work, away from family and friends, away from the daily grind of life has given me nothing but time to finally be completely present with my thoughts. Thoughts that I have been ignoring for the good part of 5 years. Thoughts that I was too scared to acknowledge – because they are life altering.
As terrifying as it was to have everything bubble to the surface at once whilst traveling on the other side of the world, I decided not to run away from them when they all came crashing down. Instead of pushing them further back into my mind and into a little box like I often do, I let all of the things I have been too scared to think and feel wash over me, and I sat with them.
It’s been pretty huge. I cried a little, I felt physically and mentally exhausted, I had no energy to talk to my parents when they called from home, I even pushed my travel buddy away (see also: roommate and great friend) while I worked through it. It wasn’t pretty, and I felt so heavy, but I can now say that after 4 weeks, I have come out the other side, and it’s as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
Four weeks may not seem like a lot of time to process years of ignored emotions, and I know I’m only getting started as I work through this, but already it’s been absolutely liberating. It feels as if I am finally letting go of the old, smaller version of myself – the Kelly who wrote these old blogs, the Kelly who I loved at the time, and always will, but have outgrown and just desperately tried to hold onto for so long. I don’t know why. I needed to let her go in order to become who I am meant to be. Actually, I guess I know why – I was scared to let her go.
BUT my god it was time to say SEE YA. We are growing and glowing.
SO. With all of that being said (and now that I’m feeling on top of the fucking world after dealing with my thoughts head on.. would recommend) it’s been decided – by me – that I’m going to be bringing you along for this wild ride we call life, from here on out.
Whether it is sharing podcasts that have guided me through tough days, or talking about daily practices and routines that have helped me personally be more present and more aware of myself and my needs, or simply my musings for the day about a random topic, I’ll be putting it all right here.
I’m going to share what is really going on behind the scenes, because I think we live in a world where everyone shows the highlight reel, and often we are subconsciously brainwashed into thinking life is all ups, and no downs.
I will be sharing my travel stories and things I learn about the world along the way, as well as beauty tips and tricks I have picked up as a makeup artist and health and fitness guides I have learnt myself from years of trying to nourish my body correctly.
That’s the beauty of a blog after all – it’s all me.
I am so excited you’re here, and I can’t wait to share more from my little life, and hopefully hear from you about yours, too.
Love,
Kelly x
