Category: Reflections

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10 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Attending My First Travel Blogging Conference

Six North Carolina travel bloggers at a lake in Oconee County

“I don’t think my business cards are going to make it,” I told Michael flatly. “It looks like they’ll be here tomorrow, after I’ve already left.” It was the morning before I was scheduled to leave for my very first travel blogging conference, and I was feeling pretty downtrodden… and maybe a little dramatic. “What …

Charlotte, Home, Journal, Reflections

Setting Intentions for a New Year: 2025 Edition

View of soups at Free Range Brewing's Free Soup Day

Happy New Year, friends! I’m going to be completely honest—I’m currently in a warm, soupy haze after this morning’s Free Soup Day at Free Range Brewing and this post may not be quite as eloquent as I hoped. I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s one of my favorite days of the year and one …

Home, Journal, Reflections

2024: Year in Review

As usual, I’m writing this post while half-ready to go out for some fun NYE celebrations. Yes, I could just post it tomorrow, but then it wouldn’t be 2024 any longer… I simply can’t let the last few hours of the year slip by without some reflection, so before I finish styling my hair and …

Home, Journal, Reflections

Setting Intentions for a New Year: 2024 Edition

The sun rises over San Francisco

3… 2… 1… Happy New Year! Although it was just yesterday that I shared my Year in Review post for 2023, it was also last year. Much like celebrating a birthday, the dawn of a new year isn’t an instantly transformative experience – we’re all still exactly the same people we were yesterday. But as …

Home, Journal, Reflections

2023: Year in Review

A collage of photos taken during 2023

Reflecting back on 2023 through the lenses of life, travel, and this blog. This again? I know the “this year went by so fast” schtick probably feels a little tired, but man, it feels like just yesterday that I was reflecting back on 2022. This post contains a few affiliate links – if you decide …

Home, Journal, Reflections, Travel, Travel Tips

How I’m Approaching Travel Differently in My Thirties

Alyssa looks out over Mexico City

I recently celebrated my thirty-fourth birthday by doing the thing I love the very most: traveling. This number doesn’t signify a major milestone by any means, but it does mean I’ve just entered my mid-thirties – and it made me stop to reflect on how traveling at 34 looks far different than traveling at 24. …

Home, Reflections

2022: Year in Review

Four images of Alyssa and Michael in 2022

Although time marches on, (almost) as evenly as always, I feel as if I’m sitting down to write this post sooner each year. If you’re new around here, at the end of every year I like to sit down and reflect on the past twelve months in an exercise of gratitude and growth. Before moving …