A Week In LA : Traveling Solo!

This past week, I decided to take a trip solo to the city of Los Angeles. I firmly believe that not only is traveling good for your soul, especially when you’re alone, but also that if you truly want to test out a potential new home, you have to experience it alone.

I decided to rent a full studio apartment on AirBnB, so I could see what living in the city as a local could be like. I’ve been eyeing the state for years now, so I decided to do something about it.

One rough asset was not having a car, which I would obviously have if I moved there. And anyone who’s ever been to LA is fully aware that traffic couldn’t be worse! But my love for the state is surreal, and I am dreaming of making this goal a reality.

Here is a small photo diary of the things I saw, and what I did!

Small side note: I didn’t take as many photos as I normally would, because I wanted to truly enjoy the moment. And that I did! I want to make a point of doing so more often.

Besides walking around downtown and the city, which I’ve done on trips beforehand, I took off and explored different places, like Malibu, Calabasas, and took a train to San Diego!

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First item on my list was driving to Malibu. So that’s exactly what I did.

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Next up, I took a day trip and explored the beautiful and sunny San Diego.

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Back in LA for the rest of the week, I covered Runyon Park and saw some stunning views.

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Of course, I had to catch a beach sunset before the week was over.

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And who wouldn’t want to end the trip with the staple food of LA?

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Needless to say, the week was great! Definitely happy to have had time to recharge and amp up for the work week.

Be sure to follow my Instagram, @bellaslife22,  for more pictures of what I’m up to!

~Bella

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Life Is Too Short//Sunday Coffee Chat

I’m a firm believer that there are certain phrases to live by, and “life is too short” is one of them.

It’s a very simple saying. It can be sad, or incredibly motivating, depending on how you look at it. I think we need to keep this in mind at all times, and remind ourselves of it constantly.

We need to remember to revisit ourselves and reevaluate what we’re doing, and exactly why we’re doing it. Why we have the lifestyle we do, the job we do, the hobbies we do, the friends we surround ourselves with. Is it good for you? Or are you merely just being robotic?

Find the things you love, and do them often. Because seriously, life is too damn short. Balance is key, yes, but while you are able to do so, take those smaller risks. Book more trips, quit the crappy job you’re doing and figure it out.

I was recently sitting down with a friend of mine, who is incredibly unhappy with their work and living situation. I offered a plethora of options, including job advice which could then lead to finding an independent place to call home. Every idea I came up with got shot down. “I can’t do that because of this, this and that.”

I thought about it after and realized that some people won’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and will continue to voluntarily be unhappy.

I know I certainly don’t want to be someone in that position. I want to make a conscience effort to at least try and make my goals come to life, even if its hard. Nothing is meant to be easy, which is why it will feel so rewarding in the end.

Taking time to revisit your current situation, and what is working and what isn’t will keep you fresh and rejuvenated, and also ensure you’re doing everything you want!

Alright, coffee chat over. I definitely need another cup though….

Happy Sunday everyone! Get rest, and enjoy the day.

~Bella

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How To: Be a Girl Boss.

Calling all ladies! This post is for you.

Firstly, what is a girl boss? Let’s break it down.

A girl boss is someone who has goals, big or small, and has a vision to get from point A to point B. You take charge of your own life, instead of letting time and fate do all the work for you. You hold responsibility for your own future, you take risks to get there and you might fail along the way. You stay productive, motivated, and you don’t let the days go by just thinking “Oh, I’ll just do it tomorrow.” You get a natural high off of accomplishing things and filling your soul by loving what you do. You’re not going to settle for just any job, or having a robotic lifestyle, because you know you want more than that. You’re going against the societal norms and finding alternative ways to live your best life.

That is just a small idea of what a girl boss can be.

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We love it too! Now that you’ve got the idea, it’s time to get to work. If you’re feeling particularly down in the dumps, unmotivated, or skeptical of the chances that you can actually achieve the goals you want in life, such as getting into that dream school, getting out of that rough 9-5, or moving to that city you’ve always wanted to. Keep reading.

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Time to break it down even more.

I’m going to go over some real realities about being a girl boss. Some things you may not want to hear, but have to face if you’re ready to take the necessary steps.

1. You might not succeed, that doesn’t mean you give up.

Let’s say your girl boss dream is to start up a business. Maybe you’re opening up an Etsy store, or starting a blog post. Maybe you’re taking a loan out to open up a spin studio. Whatever it may be! It’s not going to be easy. There’s going to be multiple road blocks that you’ll have to overcome. But girl bosses don’t give up! If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. It’s not wrong, is it! Keep yourself on track, and realize that if it doesn’t go as planned right away, just go with the flow and find a new way to get there. You’ll be happy you did!

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2. “Don’t compare your hustle to their highlight reel.”

One of the downfalls of social media, is the competition aspect. Posting the best parts about your day, your trip, or whatever else it may be just to seem like you have your life together. If you see other’s on social media trying to win the race, while you try and keep yourself motivated, it’ll only slow you down. If someone is posting a pic of their desk, super Pinterest-y and laid out perfectly, I guarantee you right outside of that frame there was a cluttered mess. Because the reality of the matter, is that behind the scenes is always a whole different story. Don’t let it change your perspective or damage your motivation.

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3. Gather a squad of fellow girl bosses.

This is one that will really keep you on track. Having a core group of powerful motivated ladies, all striving for similar goals will make this lifestyle feel even better, because you’ll have support. You’ll have fellow gals who know why you’re working twice as hard, and working later than others to make sure you accomplish what is needed. They will keep you on your toes and even give you idea’s on how to get over some obstacles that might have come your way, because at one point they had the same obstacles. Find your circle, and get in formation.

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4. Dress for success.

You always want to look and feel your absolute best. Especially if you’ve got meetings set up for whatever your girl boss goals may be. Interviews, meetings, scheduling of any kind. You gotta walk in that room like it’s yours! And uphold that confidence the entire duration of whatever you may be doing! However you feel your best self, identify and go with it. Confidence always shines through the most when we feel like the best version of who we are.

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5. There’s a difference between being organized and being a girl boss.

There is definitely a difference. No matter how many planners, highlighters, pens, notebooks, and hours sat inside of Starbucks, that doesn’t mean you’re being productive. Fooling yourself into seeming like you’re a girl boss is different than actually executing a plan. If you’re doing all those things, and also making lists of achievable goals while making those goals happen, then my friend, you’ve reached girl boss status!

I highly encourage anyone to give this a shot, and become their own boss. It’s totally doable and you’ll feel so empowered once you start listening to yourself instead of others!

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Tina is right! Let’s do this.

Good luck girl bosses!

~Bella

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My New Tattoo.

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About two weeks ago, I decided to splurge for my birthday, 23 whole years (wow…), and get my second tattoo. Most likely my final tattoo because I surprisingly went bolder than I anticipated, and took up a good half portion of my back with this new ink, as you can see in the photograph.

I like the idea of tattoos as reminders, and representations of who you are. I like having them apart of my body because they need to be a significant part of who I am. On my right arm, I have the quote “She Believed She Could So She Did.” This quote carry’s a lot of meaning from my childhood, as I grew up, and more importantly now, in my young adult life.

My most recent ink means even more to me. I have a strong passion for travel, which escalated profusely when I studied abroad in college, and visited close to 9 different cities.

Since then my travel bug has been strong, and I always need to have a trip booked, or have one in the works. I’m truly training myself to learn, as a new 23 year old, the meaning of material items versus experiences. I am the happiest when I’m on an adventure, and this tattoo is a reminder of that.

The phrase do more of what makes you happy really stands tall, because if you’re not happy, what are you doing?

Think about it. 

If you live in the tristate area, and are looking to have a quality tattoo done, I highly recommend checking out Art Machine Productions in Fishtown, Philadelphia. Great artists, amazing quality, and a lifetime of art.

~Bella.

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