Hi, friends! Oh, it is so good to be back here after more than a month away. When my break from blogging started, there were a good 2-3 weeks where I felt so relieved to be on a break. I was so happy to go about my life without thinking about writing posts or managing my editorial calendar. That relief scared me, even though the whole reason I took the break was because I was having blogging burnout. But it made me wonder, “Am I done? Is it time to pack up the blog?” (<– A scary thought when I just paid nearly $500 to Hostgator for another three years of blog hosting service!)
Thankfully, as August started to wind down, I started to feel excited about coming back to my blog. I missed this space and missed the connection of other people. The break from blogging was so necessary, and I am so happy to be back.
There was quite a lot that happened in August. So let’s discuss.
A breakup
At the end of July, I broke up with my girlfriend. It was something that had been marinating in my head for a bit of time, and I knew it was time to end things. It’s hard to end things when there isn’t anything specific to point to; it was just a feeling in my gut that I had to listen to. She wasn’t my person, and I had to come to terms with that. I am glad I did, but not glad I had to hurt someone in the process. I spent much of August processing the breakup and returning to my life of singledom. The dating apps have been added back to my phone, but I haven’t done much with them just yet.
A change in plans
After spending so much time and energy planning to move at the end of October, I have decided to postpone my move until next year. The main reason for this is finances. First, I received my lease renewal last week and learned that my rent will not be increasing at all. I expected it to increase, as it went up by nearly $300 last year (and $100 the year before), so this was a very pleasant surprise. Second, the rent prices for two-bedroom apartments are out of control. I’ve been keeping a close eye on the prices for the handful of complexes I toured and liked, and the one at the top of my list is now averaging around $2,100 for a two-bedroom apartment. (When I originally toured the complex in late spring, the prices were $200 lower.) There is another complex that’s averaging around $1,800 for a two-bedroom apartment, but those apartments aren’t as nice, so I’m partial to the other option. But I’m not partial to spending $400-$700 more on rent. Another reason I’m postponing the move is because, when I planned this move at the end of last year, I was expecting to receive a fairly substantial raise, which did not materialize and it means that adding a much higher rental price to my budget will make things very, very tight. Financially, it makes more sense to stay put for another year.
I’m both relieved that I’m not moving because moving is exhausting and expensive, and sad because I was looking forward to being in a new, bigger space (that wasn’t on a crazy-busy road). I’m trying to cope with the change by thinking about how I can make my apartment even better suited for my needs and recognizing that now I can fully move forward with LASIK. Without an expensive move + higher rent price to worry about, I can finally make this surgery happen. YAY!
A float in the river
I marked a really fun goal off my 2023 list in August – tubing at Rainbow Springs! My mom, my stepdad, and I took the two-hour trip north to spend some time lazily floating in the river, and we had such a great time. It was a very hot day but the river was delightfully cold. (I believe it is always a brisk 72 degrees, which felt amazing on a day when my weather app alerted me about an “extreme heat advisory.”) We learned a lot during this trip, though, like the fact that we need to bring something that we can use to tie our floats together so we don’t get separated from one another. (We eventually clipped my crossbody bag through the loops of our floats to stay together!) We will definitely be back!
A dietician appointment
I am thrilled to report that I found a dietician, and I love her! She is exactly what I was hoping to find in a dietician. During our initial meeting, she talked extensively about her disdain for diet culture and at one point told me that she had no desire to know what I weighed, as weight is not really what matters when it comes to eating healthily. She also didn’t make me feel like a terrible person for drinking soda or having so many sweets in a day. She was such a breath of fresh air, and really made me feel like I could finally make this healthy living journey a reality. It didn’t have to be scary or hard or insurmountable. I can make small changes and if I have a day where I fall into my old unhealthy patterns, that’s okay. In fact, it will happen and there’s no need to beat myself up about it.
At the end of the appointment, she gave me a very loose nutrition plan of how she would like me to eat throughout the day. What really blew my mind was when she told me she wanted me to try to eat a piece of fruit before my morning workout. I always work out first thing when I wake up, and often feel sluggish and blah. I figured that was due to being tired and, honestly, being fat. But actually, it’s because I haven’t eaten in many, many hours and my body needs a quick jolt to get going. Mind-blowing! (I haven’t really tested this theory because, um, I’ve kind of fallen off the workout wagon, but I imagine it will help once I get back into my routine.)
One of the things I’ve been really working on is eating more fruits and veggies (after I finished walking her through a typical day of eating, she remarked, “So, I’m not seeing any fruits and veggies on here.” Lolz) as well as snacking more often. I have hypoglycemia and it especially rears its head in the morning/afternoon if I don’t eat every few hours. So now I’m eating breakfast around 7:30, having a snack (string cheese + a package of cashews/almonds/dried pineapple) around 10:00-10:30, having lunch around noon, and then having another snack in the afternoon (celery + PB has been my go-to, but I may change this to Greek yogurt and fruit).
Other good things
Recording season 6 of our podcast with Bri (our trailer released today!) • a lady date with Bri to watch the Red, White, and Royal Blue movie (so darn cute!) • seeing a friggin DOLPHIN in the canal across the street to my mom’s house • doing the most fun escape room with book club • The Big Nailed It Baking Challenge • catching up with my favorite Georgia family when they were in town • a fun game night with work friends • an excellent mid-year review with my VP
Welcome back to the Blogosphere! I think it’s a good thing to take “blogging PTO” when you need it. For myself, when I take a bit of time off at first it’s great and then after a few weeks I start getting the itch to write again and I know it’s time to come back.
Yes it’s tough when you have that feeling in your gut that you need to end a relationship. But it gets you closer to that day when you’ll be in a relationship and not have that nagging “uh is this the right place to be?” feeling. And woo hoo no rent increase! That’s a win.
Blogging PTO! I love that term. Sometimes, we just need a break from our hobbies, even hobbies we desperately love. I am really glad I took some time off, and it’s been so nice to see how much I was missed! <3
I so rarely make it to blogs when they first publish, but oh, I am glad to see you back, and I just wanted to come by to say that.
But I also wanted to say that it must have been hard breaking up with your girlfriend. 🙁 I wondered, to be honest, as she had not shown up in your IG feed for a long time. It sounds like it was the right decision, but even “right decisions” can be hard to process. Thinking of you as you continue to work through this, my friend. <3
And YAYAYAY on the dietician! Perhaps she could clone herself? 🙂 I love her suggestions for you and hope that you find them helpful, as well. Outside perspectives can help a lot in shifting habits and ways of doing things.
Can't wait to see more posts from you. 🙂 (Also. WHOA on the rent and financial hit of moving… sounds like the right choice is definitely staying put for now.)
It was such a delight to see your comment, Anne!
It was a hard decision, but I also felt so much peace about it. And I have enjoyed having more time to myself over the last month – that’s something I really miss when I’m in a relationship!
I really lucked out with finding a great dietician! Although I’m wondering if more and more dieticians are like this, since diet culture is just not the thing to be touting anymore. She was such a breath of fresh air and I’m looking forward to working closely with her.
Rent is SO expensive. It’s ridiculous.
Wow, a lot has happened since you’ve been away! I’m sorry about the breakup- it’s really hard to be the one to end it! It takes a lot of strength, so good for you. Now you’re both free to find the actual right person.
It’s a bummer about the apartment- but I’m kind of glad you’re not moving- moving is SO stressful! LIke you said, you can focus on making your existing apartment as nice as possible, for now.
Your dietician sounds amazing so far. I’ll be interested to hear how the fruit before workouts goes, when you get back to it. It’s a controversial subject- some people always eat before working out, but I usually don’t. I’m just not hungry first thing in the morning. But I’ve found for long runs, it does help to eat something first, and fruit is a great option because it digests easily. It might really give you a boost of energy.
I’m glad you’re back!
Thanks, friend. It was the right decision, and I hope it leads us both to finding the right people for us. <3
I don't usually wake up hungry but I do have insane blood sugar spikes in the morning if I don't eat when I should, so I hope the fruit-before-workout method will be helpful for me! It can't hurt, at least!
It's good to be back here! I missed this space so much.
I’m so happy to see you back! I cannot wrap my head around rent prices…$2100 is not far off from my mortgage on a 4 bedroom 2400 sqft house with an acre of land. Something has GOT to change in this country. My sister is a teacher and works THREE side jobs and still can only afford a studio apartment. I’m sorry you have to postpone your plans but also YAY for being able to move forward with Lasik! Moving is so incredibly stressful…as much as I love to unpack and start fresh, it’s something I hope to never do ever again.
I’m so glad you shared about your positive experience with the dietician. What a breath of fresh air to have someone who is not focused on the scale! I’m excited to follow along on your journey. I’m curious if you notice a difference with your workouts after adding in some fruit beforehand. I have moved my workouts to midday because I’m just not hungry first thing in the morning but also feel sluggish on an empty stomach.
I’m sorry to hear about your breakup, but also proud of you for putting your needs first as I know that is hard to do when it involves potentially hurting another person. One thing I’ve always admired about you is how you stay true to yourself and what you know you need & want. I hope you continue to feel at peace as you process the decision and shift in your life.
SO happy to see you back, friend!
Thank you so much, Emilie! Rent prices are truly out of control. And it continues to be a travesty at how low-paid teachers are. Your sister should be able to afford a nice apartment on just her salary! Ugh. That makes me so mad on her behalf!
The breakup was hard, but necessary. It was a decision I toiled over, but ultimately, I kept coming to the same conclusion that she wasn’t my person and we had gone as far in our relationship as we were meant to. <3
Welcome back 🙂
It feels really good to be back!
I was thrilled to see a new post from you! I know you said it was just for August and you have been commenting, but I always worry that people will just stop posting!
Oof. It does sound like August was a hard month, though. I’m sorry to hear about your breakup. It is such a hard thing to do in any circumstances. I’m also sorry to hear that rents are so insane that you feel forced to stay in a place where you’re not 100% happy. Fingers crossed that this time next year things have calmed down more.
It feels so good to be back! I really missed it, even if I did spend a good 2-3 weeks just feeling relieved I didn’t have to blog. I’m glad I got my blogging mojo back near the end of the month, though!
Yeah, I’m a little disappointed that I’m not moving because I still really desire a bigger space and a room for an office, but it’s hard to justify paying $700 more in rent. Hopefully next year!
I was delighted to see your post. Though we don’t ‘know’ each other, I’m a huge fan of your work. Your honesty and willingness to share are lovely; cute animal pics don’t hurt either!
Sorry to hear about the turmoil. That’s rough. FWIW, I had lasik and couldn’t believe how much it changed my life. (I would have been dinosaur meat for sure before – I couldn’t see much past my nose.)
Looking forward to seeing how that and your lifestyle changes go!
This is such a lovely comment, thank you so much! It’s really nice to hear that so many people missed my blogging and are excited for me to be back.
I have heard that same sentiment regarding LASIK from everyone I’ve talked to about it! I am so excited to finally make it happen soon!
OMG WELCOME BACK STEPHANY I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!!
I cannot believe how much I missed your posts, and I thought of you a lot. So I hope it is not “it” for you, and that a blog break was all you needed to be refreshed and back to it. That said, I do get it. I have taken breaks every now and then and it’s always renewed my appreciation for the community. (read: please don’t go, Stephanyyyyyy)
Anyway, glad you’re back but sorry about the breakup. It’s always hard but when you know it’s not right, why prolong it. Sounds like you did the right thing.
Ooooh the dietician sounds absolutely perfect and such a great fit for you! Also dried pineapple is the bomb.
I have never regretted my LASIK, and my son has been very happy with his – wow, the procedure is so much easier now! I think it will be great for you too. Too bad about the apartment, but there are definite upsides to staying put *she says after a harrowing move*
So glad you’re back!
Nicole! Your comment completely made my day (my week?). It is so gratifying to know I was missed. I am definitely here to stay, do not worry! Now that I’m back in the swing of things with writing, I don’t know how I managed to stay away for a whole month!
LASIK and the recovery period seems pretty straightforward and simple now! I’m excited to finally get it done and say goodbye to glasses (well, for distance; I’m sure I’ll need reading glasses at some point but I can deal with that!)
Yay, I’m glad you’re back! And definitely glad you’re not planning to leave this space for good, as I would miss your updates. I’m forever trying to get back into blogging, but I feel like no one is reading mine, and it bums me out…
Sounds like you had a lot going on in August. I’m sorry to hear about your breakup but hope you’re feeling all right about things and ready to get back out there soon/eventually to try again. And $2,100 for an apartment?!?! DAMN, PRICES HAVE GONE UP EVERYWHERE. That’s SO expensive! It must be a bit of a relief to be staying put for the time being, even if you’d hoped to go someplace new. Can’t beat a stable rent.
I’m sorry that you feel that nobody is reading your blog! I am! But I do know that feeling of working hard on something and not seeing much come of it. <3
Rent prices are INSANE. They have gone up so much, and I'm only paying $1,415 for a very spacious one-bedroom, which is so much less than I can find anywhere else, so it just doesn't make sense to move! Wah.
Welcome back! I have missed your posts and hearing about your reading! You had a BIG month! I am so sorry to hear about the break up but it sounds like you are very much at peace with your decision. Break ups are hard no matter what side of the break up you are on.
I am so glad your dietician meeting went so well! She sounds amazing!!
The apartment thing is frustrating housing has gotten ridiculously expensive. I am glad your rent isn’t increasing though! That is a good sign but oof. Rent prices really need to come down.
Thanks, Lisa! It feels so good to be back. I’ve missed talking about my reading, too! Ha.
I am fully at peace with the breakup and ready for what comes next for me! It was a hard decision to make, but I also knew it was totally the right one, too.
Welcome back! I am so proud of you for taking a break, and glad that the feeling of wanting to be present here came back – we missed you! <3
What a month. So many big changes! It's so mature and responsible and adult that you realized the relationship was not working out for you and didn't let it linger. Again, I am proud of you.
Bummer about the apartment but yay that it means Lasik can work now.
I so want to come tubing with you next time. That is on my bucket list too 😉
I'm excited about the nutritionist! I love her already! Also, I eat something before my morning workouts and it really helps me, so I am excited to hear how it helps you too!
The tubing adventure was a ton of fun! I can’t believe I had never done it before, but I’m ready to go back already. The water feels so refreshing and it was such a peaceful, relaxing time for us.
Yay to being able to move forward with Lasik, even though it sucks that it means postponing your hopeful move. Sorry to hear about the breakup, but it sounds like you are very at peace with it and it’s very much the right thing. The float down the river looks so fun! When we lived in Kamloops I floated the river a few times with a few different friends and it was always super fun!
I am so excited to move forward with LASIK! That is definitely helping me with the disappointment of not being able to move this year. (Also, can I tell you how FRIGGIN EXCITED I was when I saw your comment and then that you are blogging again? SO MUCH!)
It sounds like breaking up was the right thing to do, but it’s never easy. Sending you peace on that.
I think I would have made the same decision regarding moving. That is a lot to spend on rent, and the added bonus of your current place not raising the rent is great.
I’m so glad to hear about the dietician! Hoping for great results for you.
Rent has become out of control these days, and it’s not getting any easier. I’m really glad my rent isn’t being raised this year so at least I can have another year of cheap rent. Saves me a LOT of money in the long run!
Welcome back!! Happy to see a post from you. Floating on a river looked so relaxing… Very sorry about the breakup, like Lisa said above, breakups are heard regardless what side you are on. Moving (no matter how positive) is shocking to my system so I understand how it could be peaceful not to move. AND: the housing prices???!!!
As every day that passes, I am more and more happy about my decision not to move! It would have been fun to be in a bigger space, but ugh, moving is such a pain and I’m glad I can put it off for another year at least.
I’ve been thinking about you, Stephany, and was about to reach out to you about your blog but then remembered that you were taking a hiatus and I still saw you update on IG, so I knew you were going to be back… and here you are, with tons of news!
I am sorry about the breakup, but if that felt right in your heart, then it was the right thing to do. I am glad you’re at peace with it.
And smart choice about the apartment. $2,100 – damn, that is a lot, but I think we’d easily have to pay the same if we wanted a two bedroom (which I really, really want because I need an office/guestroom!)… while I feel our rent is expensive, I think we’re actually getting a deal now that everything has been going up. Having a good relationship with our landlords helps (even if they’re not always the most attentive when it comes to repairs/upgrades).
Super-excited to hear about your dietician appointment and how things are going for you! Welcome back!
I hear you on wanting a bigger place! I really want a second room to use as an office, as I don’t like having my desk out in the living room. But that’s just the way it has to be – the cost savings are definitely worth it.
It feels so good to be back blogging again!
So good to read your post again – even though I am again just trying to catch up. It is a never ending thing on the list but a “task” I love and need time for.
I am sorry for the break-up but I guess you had a reason and while it is maybe sad it feels better. At least that is what I read there. Whatever comes next best of luck.
Also very sorry for postponing your move. Renting prices re currently insane. The increase is anything but ok. So while it is a responsible grownup decision I imagine it still feels. bit sad. Looking forward fulfilling a dream and then taking a step back is tough. But who knows what it is good for.