New Decade, New Country… Same Old Me

A new decade, a new country... Same old me.

Happy 2020 everybody! With not only a new year upon us but a new decade, I am excited for what is to come. And that brings me to my first post of the decade. (That sounds pretty powerful!) I have been thinking of what to post first this year, as I have a whole bunch of ideas floating around my head. In the end, this one seemed fitting. As with new years come new beginnings, fresh starts, and renewed energy. I've never been one for New Year's resolutions, however, I do believe that every day is a chance to start afresh. With that being said, I hope this decade brings you many days of beautiful new starts and endless chances for growth. And if New Year's resolutions are your thing, by all means, don't let me stop you!

The end of 2019

In December, my mom and I traveled to London to spend a chilly Christmas with my brother. It truly was magical! The lights in the city, holiday music, and the whole Christmas spirit tangible everywhere was absolutely incredible.

Every year, as the year comes to an end, I feel pretty nostalgic and emotional. Mainly because of all the things that happened throughout the year that taught me so much. All the wonderful memories made with loved ones, which I could only dream of reliving. And also, emotional with the thought of a new chapter ahead and the possibility of more cherished moments and experiences to come.

If this past year taught me anything, it showed me that everything eventually comes full circle. And literally everything happens for a reason, whether we want it to or not. So, we waved goodbye to 2019 in the best way possible: the three of us cozy on the couch, watching movies, drinking champagne, and eating delicious food. Welcoming 2020 in with full hearts and open arms.

A new decade and a new country

I am blessed to have traveled to London before, but on this trip, in particular, I saw the city through different eyes. And that is because, ladies and gentlemen, my boyfriend and I will be making the move over to London in February this year! It still feels pretty surreal sharing that thought out loud, or in this case, on the internet. Just to let you know, I did try to live in London for three months back in 2015. However, I was still very young then (not that I'm old now 😝), but I was fresh out of high school, and clearly I wasn't ready. This time I head there with the man I love and a support base already there; my brother.

Naturally, I plan on documenting the move, the journey, the experience, and simply, the adventure, on the blog. So, in months to come, I hope the travel section of laurencarmen.com is filling up nice and steadily!

I am very scared of change, and I'll be the first to admit that. I am very happy with a routine and with what I'm familiar with. 2019 gave me a small taste of change, with me living in my own apartment, in different cities to my family. Though this new decade is providing me with a much larger portion of change, and honestly, it's terrifying! But at the same time, it's extremely exciting and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity. Onwards and upwards from here, 2020!

Same old me

I mean that in the simplest sense. I know that I have undoubtedly changed over the past year, but my values and dreams remain the same. And like I mentioned, as I am not a huge advocate for New Year's resolutions, I never pressure myself into making a whole list of changes come the new year. In this new decade, living in a new country, I am still the dorky Lauren Carmen that I've always been. I may not be as immature and scared, but I am still in love with words, passionate about wanting to make a difference in the world, and a true home-body. I know that with each new day comes an opportunity to do better than the last. And when I say this, I don't even mean anything deep or philosophical. Yesterday, I may have felt lazy and insecure. But I know that today I can improve on that and take steps towards overcoming that laziness. Or even focus on positive thoughts that erase insecurities. These are small examples, but it's something I'm trying to incorporate more frequently into my life. No one needs a new year to better themselves. A new day, a new hour, a new minute will do just as well!

With all this being said, I can only imagine what good a challenging move will do to my strength and character. I know it's not going to be easy. I've already sobbed endlessly over leaving my baby Biscotti for a while until we can figure out a steady, settled lifestyle - wherever that may be - to bring her over. And I know Pedro feels the same about his doggies. (We're dog people if you didn't know)... I am excited to grow into a different version of myself. One that can handle adversity, changing environments, new people, and dare I say it, a proper 9-5 job! Whatever this new decade brings, I know that it will teach me a multitude of lessons. I can only be hopeful and exhilarated!