Transitions: Are They Our Friend or Our Foe?

It was so nice of Melissa to ask me to guest blog this week. I was thinking about topics to do and the first one I came up with is…drum roll, please…

Transitions.

Some people don’t seem to have any trouble with transitions. They just flit seamlessly from one activity or life stage to another. Me? Not so much!
I got to thinking about this yesterday when Janelle and I were stopping by McDonald’s to get her a decaf and me a lemonade (warning: don’t get in the afternoon beverage habit because it can get pricey!). Anyway, after the cashier gave us our order, I was taken back to my daily morning decaf on the way to work. It was a lovely morning ritual, stopping by McDonald’s and taking my decaf out to the back of the school to drink it as I greeted the students at 7:15 in the morning. I am happy to be on summer vacation, but that smell of the decaf made me long for those fun school days of yore (OK, of just two days ago, but you get my point!). And, it’s not like I retired or something; I’ll be back at it in no time.

So, I started to think about other transitions in my life and realized I have always been this way. Going to college required an entire semester for me to adjust. I shed tears on my wedding day, not just of happiness, but of nostalgia for my old life. As the kids got older, I would fret about what I would do when they got out of this stage or that stage. Nevermind that it always worked out. I just couldn’t help myself and got nostalgic.

So, one topic for me to examine this summer is my newly discovered aversion to transitions. After all, isn’t each ending a new beginning?


Are transitions hard for you? What life transitions do you remember the most? Which ones made the biggest impact on you?

Behind The Blog: Living Life The Write Way

Last week, I posted my interview with Karis Rogerson, the amazing writer and blogger behind Living Life The Write Way — how cool is that name? Perfect, right? Well, today, I’m so excited to share a peek into Karis’s world and writing life. She’s got such wonderful tips to share, and I’d love to just sit down with her in a coffee shop and chat about blogging all afternoon. Plus, she was raised in my dream country! Take it away, Karis…

Quick facts:

Name: Karis Elizabeth Rogerson


Birthday: May 10th, 1993


Where are you from: I was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but raised in Italy. My parents work with a small evangelical church there and we moved around the country a bit. I did most of my schooling in public schools, although from 10-12th grade, I was at boarding school in Germany.


3 words that describe me: Let’s see…sassy, sarcastic, scared


Occupation: Student and freelance writer


Blog: Living Life The Write Way


When did you start your blog: I began the blog three years ago, as a sophomore in college. I wrote sporadically and would go months without posting, but now I’m back up and running and posting twice a week — profiles on Wednesday and thoughts on writing on Saturday.

What inspired you to start a blog?
It was perhaps less inspiration and more being told it was something I should do for my career. I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was in probably the second grade and studied journalism in undergrad as a way to get there and make money while my books were marinating in my brain 🙂 So I started the blog as a way to showcase my writing, have fun and grow my online persona.


What do you love the most about blogging/writing? Does anything about it stress you out?
The best thing about blogging is when a post does well. It’s stressful, though, because sometimes I’ll write a great post and it’ll fall flat; other times, I’ll write what I think is mediocre and it just does really well. So there’s a lot of mental rearranging, figuring out what works where and what people want to read. The profiles have been successful! They average about twice as many views as the regular posts, and they’re so much fun to write.

If you had to describe your blog in one sentence, what would you say?
Ruminations on living a life of writing.

What has blogging/writing taught you?
Everything. Writing is my soul, I say. It does something to me, soothes me, gives me a jolt of adrenaline, heals me, in a way I haven’t experienced through anything else. I’ve done some video editing for school and as fun as it is, it doesn’t have the effect on my heart and soul that writing does. Writing is my greatest joy. What has it taught me? It’s taught me openness and vulnerability; it’s given me the ability to share and express my empathy in ways others seem to understand. Writing is…magic.

What advice do you have for new bloggers/writing?
Just put yourself out there. It’s hard, and it’s slow-going at first, but if you remain consistent and stay open and put yourself into it, you’ll be successful in the end.

Where do you see yourself and your blog in 5 years?
The dream: as a published author and successful journalist with thousands of followers, still writing my profiles and ruminating on writing. The reality? Well, I like to think in terms of dreams until reality slaps me in the face and makes me reconsider my dreams.

What has surprised you the most about blogging?
People! I’m what I like to call an optimistic pessimist, the pessimistic part being that I don’t trust people and expect them to hate me. Some of them have — but most haven’t, and that’s been a joy to experience.


Thanks so much, Karis! Be sure to check out her blog and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram! Would you and your blog like to be featured in a future Behind The Blog post? I’d love to have you, so email me at mellow1422@aol.com — looking forward to hearing from you, friends! xoxo

Behind The Blog: Becoming Mrs. LaRue

One of my favorite things about blogging is the amazing sense of community among fellow bloggers. I love reading blogs and getting to know other writers who share the same passions I do, which is why I’m SO excited to bring you another installment in our Behind The Blog series. I’ve known Jessi for a few years now (she just celebrated her three-month wedding anniversary!) and you might remember her from The Musings of a Wannabe Star. Well, she’s back in a big way with Becoming Mrs. LaRue, where she’s blogging about all things music and newlywed life. Let’s go behind the scenes and catch up with Jessi, shall we…?

Quick facts:
Name: Jessi LaRue
Occupation: Proofreader
Blog: Becoming Mrs. LaRue
When did you start your blog: March 2015
3 words to describe your blog: Life, Love, Music

What inspired you to start a blog? What’s the meaning behind the name?
I actually first started blogging way back in 2009 after my newspaper adviser/mentor Melissa Blake (yes, this Melissa!) encouraged me to blog. She said it’d be a good way to build a name within the blogging community and keep my writing fresh. She couldn’t have been more right.

As for the name, I recently got married and with marriage came some changes: obviously a new last name, but also a new chapter of my life. I think “Becoming Mrs. LaRue” encapsulates it all. I’m becoming a wife, a partner, an adult and more. I think I’ll always be transforming and discovering myself as a person, so I think the blog title will still suit my story, even long after the newlywed glow has faded.

You’re in an interesting position in that you blogged for a few years, took a break and then started a new blog. What made you decide to start over completely instead of pick up where your old blog left off?
I took a few years off from blogging when I was in college and holding down multiple jobs. I left that blog because I didn’t think it was right to only give part of myself to that project. I knew my quality would go down if I tried to juggle too much, and I didn’t want to do that. Instead, I took a break. Once I was done with college and settled into life with a full-time job, I took blogging back on as my hobby, and I’m so glad I did it that way. I know what I want out of my blog now, and I do it with extreme care and pride.

I moved to a new blog because I felt that I had changed a lot in a few years. At my old blog, I wrote about dating, failed relationships, teenage drama and more. The blog title “The Musings of a Wannabe Star” reflected my wishes to be famous or well-known. Since then, my priorities have changed, and I wanted my blog to reflect that.

Were you nervous about “starting over” again? Was it what you expected?
My first blog post on my current blog was actually about how nervous I was to come back to blogging. I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it as much, or that no one would read my blog. I was wrong. In all seriousness, it’s like riding a bike! Sure, my blog doesn’t have nearly as many readers as my last blog, but I have had some old readers stumble across my new blog, which has made me happier than having 10,000 followers. Their support means so much to me.

What are some things you knew this time around that you wish you’d have known when you started your first blog?
Everything! I think the biggest thing is quality over quantity. I’d rather wait a few days in between posts rather than tossing up meaningless content just to say “I blog on a schedule.” I’ve also learned how important it is to have an online presence; I get a lot of traffic from my Twitter and Facebook posts, so that helps a lot.

What do you love the most about blogging? Does anything about it stress you out?
I’m a writer. I love that blogging gives me the ability to get my story out to people. I also love the community aspect of blogging; meeting other bloggers online, talking with them in the comments or on Twitter…blogging is all about honing your art and meeting other people who love it just like you do. There’s nothing else like it. If I’m stressed about blogging, it’s because I can’t come up with something to blog about. I probably ask myself “what should I blog about?” ten times a week!

What advice do you have for new bloggers?
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Get creative! I just started dabbling in photography, and although my photos may make me cringe years down the line, right now it’s good practice and another fun outlet on my blog. If you’re interested in something, try it out. If it doesn’t work out, scrap it and try something new! That’s what blogging is all about. You have the ability to get creative and do things your way.

What has surprised you the most about blogging?
I think the blogging community has surprised me the most. Bloggers are a great group of people; they’re incredibly creative, supportive and helpful. Find a few with similar interests and you’ll have people to share ideas, stories and insights with. It’s so cool!

Guest Post: “Being Disabled Gives You a Different Perspective On Things”

I’m so excited to share reader Emily’s story with you today, friends! She’s one amazing lady — independent, determined and friendly. Plus, she shares my love of Taylor Swift, so you know she’s awesome! Take it away, Emily…

Growing up disabled can make you feel different than any other kid. You always knew you were different, but you still tried to fit in anyway. It is hard to understand when you feel like you can’t do everything like they can. It can really be odd watching everyone playing and everything and you’re reading on the sidelines. It was really weird, but I guess that’s one of the reasons I’m a huge bookworm. It is really difficult when people think you are lucky despite all of the struggles you have been through. When you’re disabled, there’s this need and want to be normal like everyone else which doesn’t always work because you can’t be.

I have learned a lot of lessons as someone growing up disabled. One would be that people are not as nice as they seem. Due to my disability, I was bullied a lot in school. It really affected me, but taught me that not everyone is as nice as they seem. Another thing I have learned is to have a sense of humor about your disability. If you don’t, you can never find any good stories about aspects of your disability. Being disabled is definitely an adventure and gives you a different perspective on things. I have learned to, in the words of Taylor Swift, “shake it off.”

–My name is Emily Band and I’m a college student. I enjoy reading, baked goods and reality TV. I also love animals and shopping. Check out my blog and follow me on Twitter!

Advice for Planning Your First Trip as a Couple

There’s nothing like the feeling of new love. You’ve found someone you hope to spend the rest of your life with, and each day seems blissfully better than the last. You’re at the point where you want to start creating memories together and so you decide you want to go on a trip together and explore a new destination. After all, what could be better than spending the day in the arms of the one you love as you embark on territory unknown to you both? However, if this is your first trip as a couple, there are some things you’re going to want to keep in mind so that you both enjoy yourselves.

Simple is Key
You’re leaving your comfort zone and traveling with the one you love. There are going to be a lot of things they learn about you now that they didn’t know before. Certain habits or daily rituals that you have are going to come to light and it’s going to be important that you can roll with the punches. The first time around, you want to keep the destination simplistic. Taking a cross country road trip your first time around might be a bit more than you bargained for. Something simple like a weekend getaway to a beach or a cozy bed and breakfast may be a great first trip idea.

Plan Together
Talk about the trip together so that you can make sure that you’re both on the same page. There’s nothing worse than planning a trip that you believe will be nothing but cuddling up in a hotel room while he wants to hit the night clubs. You want to make sure that wherever you decide to go, there’s something that both of you will enjoy. For instance, if you’re into getting spa treatments and laying on the beach while he’s into golfing and water sports, then you might consider choosing a destination that has all of these factors in one.

You can get ideas on travel, nightlife and entertainment by searching online. Resorts can often be an effective solution as they give you several activities to try out, all in one destination. CraveOnline gives an interesting review about the Mission Inn Resort in Orlando, FL., which includes activities such as spa treatments and golf courses along with other activities that will appeal to both of you. The idea is to make sure that you both are able to enjoy yourself as you get to know each other a little better.

Don’t Go Overboard on the Planning
No one likes a control freak, so when I say plan out your trip, I don’t mean plan out every detail from start to finish. If you show up for your trip with a printout and itinerary of what you’re going to do blow by blow, chances are he’s going to look at you a little differently. Remember, you want to roll with the punches and go with the flow. So while you might have a few things planned out that you both would enjoy, allow the rest of the trip to be fun and spontaneous.

Don’t Forget to Set the Budget
Naturally, you’ll both be fronting the bill for the trip. So you don’t want to plan a trip that is way outside of your comfort zone. Sit down together and go over what the budget will be, who will pay for what or how things will be divided. If there is a large difference in finances between the two of you (meaning one person makes considerable amount more than the other), discern how you can afford the trip without having to make anyone feel bad. Maybe he pays for the actual booking of the tickets and hotel room and you pay for the cost of dinner and entertainment. Ironing this out now saves you from arguing during what is supposed to be a romantic next step in your relationship.

Be Flexible and Have Fun
No matter how much planning you do, there is always the possibility that things won’t go according to plan. That doesn’t mean you can’t let your hair down and simply enjoy the ride. Don’t be the party pooper, Debby downer or negative Nancy while on vacation. Remember, this is when he will see you in a different light. Being flexible and spontaneous are very attractive features to have and so, should life throw you lemons, add some sugar and water and make lemonade.

Romantic getaways can be a great way for you and your significant other to take things to the next level. Keep all the above tips in mind as you plan for your getaway. Talk about the budget, have some idea of where you’re going to go and what you’re going to do, pack your bags and most importantly, don’t sweat the small stuff. As you learn to be around each other more, you will see each other in ways you never thought possible. So relax, enjoy and allow your significant other to see the best side of you.


–Sara Stringer is a freelance writer who most enjoys blogging about lifestyle, relationships and life as a woman. In her spare time, she enjoys soaking up the sunshine with her husband and two kids. Consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this article.


[Photos via We Heart It]