Yes, I’m still here.

Yes, ARTicles of Clothing blog is still here.

Yes, these words are coming to you from New York City – my New York City apartment to be exact. Words I still can’t believe I’m saying – my New York City apartment.

I’m still somewhat speechless – in awe of this city. I still can’t believe I actually live here.

For those of you who know me, you know that New York City has been my dream for over a decade. I first came to the city with my parents on February 5, 2002. While most other 15-year-olds were crushing on 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses, I was crushing on NYC. It was love at first sight. And on the plane ride home, on February 11, 2002, I leaned over to my mom and said, “I’m going to live there one day.” It has taken me 12 years to realize my 15-year-old declaration, but now I can finally say: I live in New York City.

The journey as been long, and the past three weeks have felt the longest. Within the span of a week, I traveled to six cities: Madison > Nashville > Athens > Roswell > DC > NYC. And during that time, time was scarce. The simple luxury of time that we so often take for granted was extremely limited. Time was dictated by necessity – no time for social media or, sadly, my beloved blog. It was a humbling reminder that life goes on outside the Internet. Yes, I’m a blogger, but I’m a real person too.

Sometimes life gets in the way, and you just have to let go. You can only do so much in a day – yes, you have the same amount of hours in a day as Beyonce, but Beyonce has an entourage of managers, assistants, and other employees. My blog and my freelance business are made up of one single solitary person: me.

Doing it all in addition to moving across the country requires prioritization, and frankly missing out. I typically live my life with the belief that I can do it all, but sometimes doing it all is not physically possible. The past three weeks have required me to embrace a powerful word: no. I had to turn down two partnerships for this blog because I just simply couldn’t devote the time and energy to produce the caliber of work I pride myself in. I couldn’t take on one more thing. I couldn’t even afford to second guess or regret these choices. I had to be decisive, move on, and focus my energy elsewhere.

But now I’m finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is the new normal. We’re settling into our new home, and my energies are refocusing on work, this blog, and exploring New York City. I’m thrilled to be back and living out my dream in this amazing place. Last, but not least, thank you for your patience, encouragement, and for joining me on this journey. Cheers, readers!

P.S. All images are from my Pinterest page – like what you see? Follow along with me!