ABOUT ME

Hi there. Thought I’d share my “bio” in twenty compelling facts, so here goes nothing…

1. I am a 43 year old woman who is unabashedly but accidentally not conforming to society’s “plan”
2. I like a work-life balance not because I have children but because I really like my life
3. I am constantly in search of a new adventure; which may come in the form of an exotic trip, a new cuisine, or that time I tried pullups
4. My hobbies are numerous but they usually include the outdoors, eating, and reading
5. I am a forever student (literally and figuratively)
6. I’ve worked in the male-dominated industry of real estate finance for over fifteen years and I’ve been known to  have “sharp elbows”
7. Fact #6 gives me more pride than almost anything else I’ve done, outside of constructing the perfect breakfast oatmeal bars from scratch
8. I have a gluten allergy and I just don’t understand people who choose not to eat gluten, but I think perhaps they’ve never had a New York bagel or a slice of greasy pizza
9. I like giving back and particularly when it involves helping kids, and I find people who don’t help others to be repugnant and confusing
10. Similar to #8, I don’t understand people who don’t like or need coffee, or who give it up in favor of green tea…it is NOT the same, it will never be the same
11. I was a vegetarian for years and then I had bacon
12. I am not a morning person or a night person, I’m an all-day person
13. If I were stranded on a desert island, I would need an endless supply of books and mascara
14. I can’t get through a pharmacy or REI without buying far more than I could ever need in life
15. I have the best friends and family that a girl could ever want, and I’d be lost without them
16. I’ve traveled all over the world and no, I don’t have a favorite, and yes, I’ve enjoyed every single trip and no, I never have FOMO
17. I prefer Sunday morning movies because no one else is up and there is no one to shush
18. The dried fruit and nuts aisles of Whole Foods or Trader Joes are my Achilles’ heel
19. I majored in Fine Arts in college because why not?
20. Despite evidence to the contrary and a few difficult years, I will always believe in love and people

Bonus Fact: #20 is the reason I decided to start this blog. I am not an expert or a professional. I am also not looking for teammates in negativity, hate, or gloominess. I went through something over the last few years and in particular, the last few months. While I recognize that my tale is not particularly unique or special, it is entirely relatable and it is real. I don’t really need to share the entirety of my story here because the intricate details are not super important.

Here’s the breakdown: I was “left” via text message on a Monday morning after nearly five years in a relationship. My story is gripping only because it is made up of the very stuff that makes us entirely human; love, friendship, desperation, sadness, anger, and hope. I quickly recognized over the last few months that there is no post or tweet that truly captures the exceptional form of grief that comes from being lied to and abandoned.  I am a strong woman and I still had my life shattered into a million pieces. It is my strength that enabled me to work through every feeling I had to find myself again. There is no magic I have to offer. Truthfully, I slogged through every day, with a ridiculously strong desire to come out on the other side.

I wrote a book about what came before and the breakup, and given recent events, I imagine there is more to come. While I try to figure out what to do with that, I thought to start this blog to explore what I felt when my life was falling apart and what it’s like putting the pieces back together again.

I am hoping that my posts weave together to become a whole story. A story of what it means to feel unworthy and how hard, but rewarding, it is to change that narrative.  It is a story of pain and redemption, and I am hoping that it can help some people out there feel “heard” and less alone.

Thanks for stopping by!

Leah