I saw this quote today and it reaaaaaaally resonated with me.

We’re coming up on a year since I left my corporate job, and the changes that we’ve made in the last 12 months are astounding.

If you’d asked me a year ago if I thought that we’d be living in Ohio, that I wouldn’t have been at the bank any longer (well, ok, I knew that that was coming to an end), and that this is what our lives would be like now, I probably would have laughed, and thus snorted whatever liquid I happened to be drinking out of my nose.

We’d fallen into a routine in Portland, and it had become a rut we were not even aware we were in. It’s only been in the past week or so that I realized the extent of it, and oh man am I ever glad that we made all of the changes that we have.  It was a great reminder to be present, to be a part of EVERY DAY.

Great Things Don’t Come From Comfort Zones”

My cousin and her husband have moved countless times with jobs and school, and she and I have become much closer since we’ve both been living in the Midwest. (if you asked either of us five years ago if we’d imagine that we’d be Midwesterners, you’d have gotten exactly the same response).

Turns out though, as Megan said to me this summer, “It’s hard, but the things that happen when  you’re forced outside of your comfort zone…. oh man. Great things happen there”.

She couldn’t have been more right.

Jeff and I were in Portland for a few weeks over Christmas, got back to Columbus, and hit the ground running.  I looked up, and realized that we were 16 days into the new year already, and that for all that I’ve accomplished, I badly needed to practice the self care that I preach so much to other bloggers and creatives.

I needed a break, as I was headed for a massive melt down. (you know the ones, when you’ve been running a thousand miles an hour with your hair on fire and haven’t taken the time to take a breath.) Yah. That one.

Because as much fun as having a meltdown on the scale of a three year old being told that he can’t have another cookie while in the middle of the grocery store is, I thought that as I could see it coming, I’d intentionally avoid it this time.

I gave myself a few days off, to sleep, to be cozy, and to hit the reset button.

Three days later, I’m back, rejuvenated, rested, and ready to go. Get ready for a flood of blog posts full of fun recipes, great photography, and all kinds of new knowledge.

Want to work with me? Hello@cookeatexplore.com