Life Lessons from Jack Johnson

Many things make me happy - shoes, dinner parties, post-its, scented candles, home decor, jacked up trucks and holding a gun. But as of late, the one solitary thing that gives me the greatest joy is the Jack Johnson station on Pandora.

I used to let television rape my brain every night from approximately 10:30-midnight. Now I curl up in my favorite chair, light a deliciously scented candle and turn on the music. The mix of music that streams through my speakers ranges from Jack Johnson and Donovan Frankenreiter to Coldplay and Bob Marley. I know, the ultimate relaxation mix - perfect for a little self-reflection.

Over the course of the last four or five months I've really come into my own and become comfortable with who I am. I've made hard decisions like cutting off all communication with my abusive ex-boyfriend and picking out new curtains for my living room. I've pushed my limits mentally and physically by working multiple internships while going to graduate school full-time, although currently I'm only working one full-time job (reference previous post).

For better or worse, these past few months have been about me.

The hardest part about recovering from an abusive relationship is realizing who you are outside of that person. I had to come to terms with the fact that two things are now true. One, I have significantly higher standards for the type of person I allow in my life, and two, I no longer let myself settle for less than perfect.

For all you buff, single, emotionally-available hunks reading this blog, have no fear, I don't mean traditional perfection (i.e. flawless). I just mean someone that fits my personality and vice versa.

I've come a long way, much further than many people would realize I needed to come. And to celebrate this occasion, I plan to enjoy my new job, my incredibly satisfying relationship with Jack Johnson and this large teaspoon of cough syrup, which will hopefully rid me of this ridiculous cold.