LAST WEEK OF SPRING

Believe it or not, this is the LAST week of Spring! Summer is just 2 days away, and we finally have some good weather in the forecast! The Pacific Northwest is a beautiful place to live all-year-round, but it's even better when the sun's out. There's something magical about a sunny day in the PNW that makes everyone happier. I think we appreciate them more because we have a lot of gray days around here. I am SO excited for summer ️

I've had an extremely busy and action-packed week in Tacoma. Tons of meetings, Week 2 of our Agent Training Program, volunteering at the Tacoma Rescue Mission, virtual birthday parties, CrossFit, and several long walks. One of my main goals for this week was/is to be completely present with whatever I'm doing. I'm doing my best to limit distractions and focus 100% of my attention on what's right in front of me. This is not easy for me, but I notice that when I'm intentional about this, all of my interactions are SO much more rewarding.

I filmed the Vlog above this Monday. When people think of Mondays, you'll usually hear them groan and complain. I genuinely feel bad for anyone out there who hates Mondays. We spend a HUGE part of our life working, and if you're doing something that you dread, look for something else! I know that this is WAY easier said than done, but I just feel so grateful to work in a career that I love and am excited about. I truly wish everyone could find that same feeling.

CELEBRATE EVERY VICTORY

Sometimes when we focus on our big goals, it's easy to think that we'll be happy and be able to celebrate WHEN we hit those goals. I think it's important to also celebrate every victory and every win along the way - no matter how small it might seem. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds, be proud of yourself and celebrate when you've lost 5 pounds. If your goal is to save $10,000 in a year, celebrate your first $500 saved. Treat yourself to a latte, pat yourself on the back, and share the victory with a friend. Celebrating all the little wins keeps us motivated, builds our confidence, and helps us enjoy the journey of life.

OYSTER DOME HIKE

This past Saturday, a group of my friends drove up near Bellingham to hike Oyster Dome. When we got to the top, it was super foggy, which is always a bummer on hikes. We waited for it to clear up for 30 minutes, and right as we were about to leave the top, the beautiful view started to peak through the clouds. If you're looking for a good hike, Oyster Dome was awesome!

ECUADOR

In 2016, I lived in Ecuador for 3 months. I stayed with a host family who spoke zero English, which was a HUGE leap outside of my comfort zone. I had an incredible study abroad group, and we traveled around the country every single weekend. Ecuador is such a beautiful country with so many areas that are undeveloped. Most of the countries I’ve traveled to have felt “Americanized” and touristy, but not Ecuador. We visited hot springs, hiked to the top of a 15,696-foot volcano, went zip lining, bungee-jumped off a bridge, went water rafting, kayaked in the most beautiful lake I’ve ever seen, parasailed, hung out with monkeys, road horses, went on a crazy boat ride through the Amazon, and volunteered every week at an organization that served underprivileged children.

If you ever get the chance to go to Ecuador, please let me know! I have so many recommendations (and I may even tag along)

Here are some of my blog posts from my time there:
- Quito, Ecuador
- Hiking to the top of a 15,695 foot volcano
- Baños, Ecuador