I can’t believe I moved to California six months ago today! In some ways, I still feel like a total transplant, shellshocked by my own decision to completely uproot, but in other ways, I feel very comfortable here. It varies day-by-day, and a part of me hopes that I’ll never stop thinking of Boston as my true home.

Even though I’ve only been here for half a year, I already know my way around really well, which I’m proud of. I’m blessed with a good memory, but I didn’t realize how strong it was until I learned how to drive around LA sans Waze/Maps/GPS after only a few weeks!

I’m constantly working on myself here, both inside and out. Many people consider LA to be a superficial town, and I’ll admit that I often find myself comparing myself to others. It’s hard not to want to be prettier, skinnier, wealthier, the list could go on and on. But I’m working really hard to change that thinking from criticism to motivation, negative self-hate into positive self-encouragement. Rather than trying to lose weight, I work out to be strong and fit. Rather than focusing on outer beauty, I’m feeding my mind with books and trying to be a kinder person. Most days, I’m really proud of the person I’m growing into, and I’m determined to never stop trying to grow.

Los Angeles is so beautiful in so many ways. Just yesterday, I went to the beach and then drove through the beautiful canyons to get to work. In a matter of minutes, I went from one scenic view to a completely different kind of landscape, and I feel totally in awe of how gorgeous this earth is. I love going on adventures here, and doing spontaneous things like driving up to Malibu, down to Disneyland or Joshua Tree, or just going for a weekday hike in Brentwood. I like this version of myself, open to new experiences and working through things that scare me.

I’ll be honest; sometimes it’s really hard to live here when my family lives on the other side of the country. In six months, I’ve gone home four times! I miss my parents, sister, and grandmother every single day, and I talk to them as much as I can, but it’s definitely not the same. It makes me sad to hear about what I’m missing or feel like we’re disconnected, even though I know it’s because of this choice I’ve made. The FOMO is definitely real! But I was also so proud to be able to show my mom and sister around LA when they visited in January; sharing this adventure with them makes it all of ours, not just mine, and I couldn’t do it without their love and support. (Thanks, fam)

I’m excited to see what the next few months hold. I’m looking forward to springtime and summer; even though I know the weather won’t change too drastically, there’s always a different mood, something in the atmosphere during the best seasons. I’m also turning 25 in June, which is absolutely insane. The future is scary, but also exciting, and I’m doing my best to lean towards the latter as I face my future here on the West Coast…