The House I Used to Live In...

I am from Chicago, well, the Western burbs of Chicago to be exact.

A little town called Downers Grove, home of World Headquarters of a big franchise called McDonald’s.

I’ve lived in an apartment in New York. I learned a lot. Learned how to navigate the world a little better.

I’ve also lived in Las Vegas – one of my favorite places to be. It will always be a second home.

I grew up in a two – parent home. I was content. But if you were to ask me was I content I would give you some tomboy side eye.

What does content mean to you?

For me it used to be a bad word, a place I could never be, knowing I wanted and deserved more. Downers Grove was my childhood refuge but I hated living in the psychological home of “being content.”

One of the reasons for this is because I often confused content with settling.

Settling for me use to be not getting what you needed or wanted. Just BEING which was also a bad word. Not moving in any right direction to be better but just…being. Just being a homebody.

When I moved to North Kenwood I left the familiarity of Downers Grove, the rat race of the Big Apple, and the comfort of Las Vegas.

I realized something. I’ve changed.

As I entered my 40’s and realized the universe laughed at my plans, I started to open up my eyes to those two words – I’ve changed. As Love Cork Screw grows and I live day to day with more to accomplish for me and to get to the point I am successful in my eyes, I started truly trusting the process. As I continued not being with that special someone and accomplishing the special something, I realized I didn’t open my eyes to what was right in front of me.

I don’t live in Vegas, Downers Grove, or New York anymore. I don’t live in fear or frustration anymore. I don’t live in regret or anger anymore. I live in a happy place. A place of being content – a place of never stopping and working hard but paying more attention to the universe and being open to what its doing.

I don’t live in a place of idealism or fantasy anymore. I live in a place where I’ve settled. Settled with being comfortable with who I am and being just FINE with my fine self. Also not always looking for something better to find out nothing is perfect.