one year blogiversary!

Two things:

1. All of the following photos were taken within San Francisco city limits. Wow. Humbled to live, work and play here. 

and 2. Friday the 25th was my one year blogiversary! I nearly forgot! What an amazing year it's been. Check out my first ever post here :)

Exploring the city the past few days, camera in tow, reminded me of how thankful I am to be in the place that I am. I want to share a piece of an email with you that I sent to a Grateful Lifer almost a year ago in response to her questions about career paths...I've edited it a bit out of respect for the public nature of this blog, but it's essentially a cut and paste job of my original sentiments.  I share it here because I want to emphasize to you, my amazing readers, the importance of listening to your inner guide--no matter what anyone else may think. 

"I started working for my last company a few months after graduation and was thrust into a very sexy world of consumer electronic start-ups; fancy dinners, cool perks, travel, etc etc. I moved up the ladder pretty quickly in the 3 years I was with them and when it came about time to possibly move up again I finally vocalized what I'd known pretty much from day one; I hate this job.

I am not a tech sales gal and somehow I'd ended up being one for far too long. Though I am SO grateful for the original opportunity...while I'm thankful for the experience and the lessons and the fun times...I just didn't care for so, so many other aspects. In a male dominated industry it was becoming increasingly difficult to be taken seriously as a business professional and not just a young chick with a decent ass (hey, I give credit where credit is due). I found myself being a ball of unnecessary stress all the time, practically in tears every time a new email came in. Quite simply, I had no passion for it. So I quit! I packed up the PA apartment and followed my heart back to San Francisco! I know I should've been nervous but I just wasn't. I felt liberated. I never doubted that I could make it work somehow. I was fortunate at the time to have a partner willing to make this transition with me, and while that relationship is no more, I am still eternally grateful for his support. 

Then came funemployment. I worked 2 part time jobs, only about 4 days a week, for a year (at a cute little boutique in my neighborhood and at a dentists office) and took every spare day that I had to just have fun and enjoy this amazing city. I went to beaches, parks, museums, flea markets, cafes, free outdoor concerts and movies. I read, I played, I explored. It.Was.Awesome. Financially of course it was a huge difference from the prior years; I had been making a very generous salary for my age and now I was budgeting down to the hourly penny. But it was fun. And it was soothing and important and I learned so much about the value of money vs the value of my time and happiness. I knew eventually I'd find the right path if I had patience and was living in the moment.

And THEN came Weebly. I have a mutual friend with the 3 founders of my small company and have hung out with them a few times in the past. During a random hang out it was mentioned that they may be in a position to be hiring soon and I just knew...instantly...that this was the next step for me. So I patiently waited a few more months, sending good thoughts and visualizing the potential of this job every day, and voila...I got hired! As hokie as it sounds, I truly believe I manifested this opportunity by remaining calm and believing in myself.

Here's the thing; you're obviously a smart, educated young woman and if you're anything like you were in high school, then you have a zest for life that is such an asset to any company. People will see this. We are fortunate to be of a generation of women with so much potential and opportunity...I'd hate to see any of us settling for something that is less than what our hearts truly desire. I'm sure other folks will tell you not to quit in "such a bad economy" (I know people were shocked when I left my last job), but I say f*ck it. Money will always been an issue if you let it be. If you're not happy, then you do what you need to do to change that. 

Whatever it is that makes your pulse race, go for it."

So before you go ahead and check out some of my photos below (and really, thank you so much for taking a look at them) I guess I feel it's worth mentioning that I'm here...in this beautiful, magic, alive city...because I made it happen. I believed in myself and that little voice in my heart (not the one in my head...she's crazy. kidding!) when it told me I would be safe and well in this decision. Even when everyone else thought I was nuts; when they doubted, questioned, worried. Even when the hows, whys, whens were a conjumbled mess of unknowns, I grasped tightly to my "what." and pumped it full of love and light.

It takes hard work and it takes patience.

It takes courage.

And maybe it even takes a little bit of crazy.

But mostly, it just takes faith.

A little nautical visitor popped up to say hi :)

I'm not from here, but I sure got here as soon as I could.

Where is your heart pulling you? Be gentle with yourself. Be encouraging and loving of your dreams.

Keep the faith. The Universe is on your side.

Thank you for an amazing year of sharing and growing and loving with me here, on The Grateful Life. I am stoked for many great years to come!

In Gratitude,

Trish