So Much Can Change In a Year...

Finally, I had some time this evening to sit down and blog. Sorry I have been MIA the past month. Life has been non-stop with the holidays, traveling and working from home. But I could not let the year come to an end without reflecting back and sharing one last blog entry with you all before we embark on 2016!


This year by far has been one to remember. So many changes & so many things that all fell into perfect place...

I settled into a new city and still can't believe that I get to call New York home. I never imagined being so happy here and feeling so comfortable in such a short amount of time. It still feels exhilarating every day that I get to spend here.

I quit a job that I once dreamed of having. It in turn made me realize that you always have a choice to walk away from something if you are not happy. And it also made me take a chance on myself. I had no plan B and although it terrified me, I knew that my happiness was worth the risk. Even through other's doubts and questions of my next move, I realized that sometimes in life you are allowed to not have a plan. You do not owe anything to anyone. But you do owe yourself, everything!

I closed the door to my past for the last time. The classic story of too little to late. He would say "I'm sorry" and ask for me to come back and all I could do was say "I can't". Even though I know I will never love anyone as much as I loved him. I know I could never allow myself to go back. I used to not be that strong and would have done anything to let him back in my life but this time was different because well, I was different. 

I removed toxic people from my life, met new friends and even reconnected with old ones. I definitely believe everyone holds a purpose in your life no matter how long or short lived. However, life is so much better when you have the right people to share it with. And I am lucky to have such amazing family & friends in my life. I would not be the person I am without them. 

Most of all I learned to trust the journey. And by far the best lesson of 2015! You may not be exactly where you think you should be but trust me you are exactly where you are supposed to be. It's the moments that we often forget to enjoy because we are so focused on what comes next. So, as we welcome 2016 and a NEW YEAR ahead, my hope is for you to enjoy the moments along the way. The rest will fall into place. 


CHEERS to 2016! And thank you for following my journey!


XO,  Rae

Brooklyn Bridge

    View of Manhattan

    Found some LOVE Locks on the bridge ❤️

A few weeks ago I finally took a trip down to the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.  I have been wanting to walk the Brooklyn Bridge since my very first trip to New York a few years ago. Now that I live in the city, it only seems fitting to go.  My roommates Will and Danny along with some friends visiting from out of town all decided to make a day of it and head to the Brooklyn Bridge.

As we got closer to the Brooklyn Bridge from the Manhattan side, you first walk along side the highway and soon start to see the infamous arches of the bridge. As you get toward the middle you start to see views of both Manhattan and Brooklyn. It's the most amazing views. For me it was a bit emotional. It was the day after my last day at my job and standing there on the bridge was surreal. It reminded me that in life you can be in between two points and you have the choice as to which one you decide to embark upon. I definitely had some moments of pure happiness as well walking the bridge. To be there with Will, my best friend of over 10+ years, was amazing to experience it together. And a day that I will never forget. 

For anyone visiting or living in New York, the Brooklyn Bridge is a must see! 

XO, Rae 

Self Check!

Sometimes you just have to look in the mirror, pull yourself together, tell yourself to stop being fearful of the unknown and remind yourself that you are capable of amazing things! LITERALLY had to have that conversation with myself today.

Since I recently resigned from my job and am currently taking a hiatus from the 9-5 world, lately I have been feeling displaced. I'm a planner by nature and I thrive on working and feeling accomplished. So now that I am venturing out to do my own projects. The days are less organized and I have been feeling less accomplished. Fear is also partly to be blamed. It's the fear of not knowing what lies ahead. And I know there will be many hiccups along the way. That's part of the risk of the journey.  But hey everyone has to start from somewhere and I'm pretty sure I'm not the first to have these feelings. For so long I have been so focused on my career that I forgot to focus on what makes me truly happy. I hope to accomplish much success with this blog and my handbag designs one day. Giving life to these two things is what gets me excited everyday. So I plan to do everything I can to make it a reality for myself. Sometimes in life you have to push yourself harder. Nothing worth having comes easy. 

XO, Rae

Personal Growth

Living in New York has made me realize a few things about myself. I am way more comfortable outside of my comfort zone than I have ever been before. New York exposes you to so much more in every day life. You are constantly surrounded by people. It's true, your personal space is completely invaded most of the time. From crowded streets, subway stations and even grocery stores.  But the great thing is that you have a lot more chances in meeting some amazing people. Everyday is like a new experience filled with new opportunities.

I have also learned to embrace change head on. Change used to be something that made me feel anxious and I often avoided it. I had a lot of change in my childhood and I think that made me fearful of change in my adult life. (I'll go into more of that later) I have settled into the City and adapted to my new life pretty well in the past 8 months. Moving in general can be overwhelming but moving to New York adds a whole new level. Smaller space, roommates, no car, public transportation, longer work hours....the list goes on! All of which now seem "normal" to me. I love living here in the City and for once I welcome the change that comes with it.

Fear of failure is also something I am learning to let go of. I no longer want to say "What If?" I want to live the life I imagine for myself and put my fears aside. It can be scary to chase dreams but having regrets are scarier. I would rather say that I tried and failed than have never tried at all. I'm learning that the journey is more important than the end result. I've created this Blog to document my journey in NYC and in hopes that women can relate to the honesty of embracing your thirties. In addition I am writing a book based on relationships, friendships and lessons learned. My goal is to one day publish my book. 

I guess you can say New York has changed me. Or maybe it's that I've allowed myself to be more open to this experience. Either way, I'm grateful for the growth.


XO, Rae

Moving to New York....

Moving to New York has been by far the best decision I have ever made. Well...I say that now, maybe I should wait til I have lived here for at least a year, lol. Moving here was not always part of my plan but life changes sometimes and here I am.
Up until 7 months ago, I was living in Atlanta, Ga..I had a great job, amazing friends and a nice apartment right outside of the city. So what changed?! Well...I changed. Two and half years ago, before turning 30, I began to see my life differently unlike before. I was a few years out of a long term relationship that was on again off again for longer than I like to admit to.


When I was with my ex, I was so sure of my life, my career and wanting to be married and have kids. I had always thought that I would be married and have kids before 30. I think most women feel the pressure of this for all sorts of reasons. But turning 30 was a game changer for me. I stopped worrying about where I was in life and started to focus on where I was going in life. For me, I was so worried about trying to have this list of accomplishments by the time I turned 30 and then realized that my life was just starting. I let go of my preconceived ideas and I let myself be. I actually came to New York to visit my best friend Will (who I live with now) and celebrate my 30th Birthday.


I had no idea then that almost 2 years later I would be moving here to NY. Will had been trying to get me to move to NY for a few years. I would nicely say to him "maybe" but really knowing in the back of my mind that I had no intentions of moving. (He knew that as well but he still tried to convince me). At that time I was still content with my life in Atlanta and was ready to see what 30 had to offer. I would visit NY a few more times after my 30th Birthday, falling more in love with NY each time. And then upon another big change in my life, I soon realized that maybe New York wasn't a bad idea after all.


My Grandfather passed last year May 24th, 2014. A day that I will never forget. He was an amazing man. He traveled the world, had a very successful career and made a name for himself. He was known by a rare nickname and was the life of the party. Shortly before his passing, I had told him about the possibility of me moving to NY. He was surprisingly very excited for me. He traveled to NY often throughout his life and had nothing but great things to say and stories to tell about his trips here. I was still unsure myself if I would actually go through with it but when he passed, I knew I had to do it. Not just for him, but for me. His passing changed my life in more ways than one. But mostly he had always instilled in me to never have regrets in life. He lived life so passionately and I wanted to do the same. So fast forward to October 2014, I packed up an SUV with my Mom and my best friend Will along side me and I moved to New York. It was 19 hours traveled up the east coast and at 3am October 10th, 2014, I officially became a New Yorker.