Well hello, again! How have you been? I've missed you! I'm happy to be back and to connect with all of you through Struck Inside Out's new and improved website and through all of the experiences I've had over the last two years.
Yes, it's been just about two years since my last blog post. 607 days to be exact. Where does all of the time go? I never thought I would have waited this long to get back into writing and posting again, but a lot has changed in that long stretch of time...
I became a Project Director of an incredible little school in Long Beach, the Harriet Eisman Community School, which has offered countless blessings and learning opportunities. I've met some amazing students and have worked really hard to build a solid foundation and support system for teenagers and millennials seeking their high school diploma. My perception of life and myself has altered greatly because of this work and I'm forever grateful for the opportunity to lead such a promising program with the most exceptional of people.
I moved! I got an apartment with my boyfriend which allows me to wake up next to my best friend every day. Our space is adorned with plants and flowers and just about every time I make a trip to Trader Joe's, I come home with a new succulent or bouquet to add to my writing space :)
I finally got the car I always wanted, a Jeep Wrangler! Road trips, drives down to the beach with the top down and doors off, aimless highway cruises, running errands - just about anything in this car is fun because what was once my dream car is now my own.
I'm still working on my book! It's still very much under construction but I'll be sharing some of it with you on this site to hear what you think and to gather feedback.
I feel more like an "adult" now than I ever have, and yet at the same time, I still feel like I'm learning new things about myself every day. When going back to my old website to transfer blog posts over to this one, I admired the girl who openly and honestly told the details of her life without fear or judgment of her writing. Her challenges and daily obstacles were different than the ones I have now, but her unwavering willingness to see the lesson in everything still remains.
Struck Inside Out for me was a space where I was able to make sense of the things happening in my life and to learn more about who I really am in relation to those experiences. My two year hiatus was unexpected and something I often felt guilty about, but my priorities at the time had changed and I wanted to focus my energies into my position at the school - into making that my next big project.
My goals for Struck Inside Out and the school are the same. I'm someone who enjoys lifting people up to reach their highest potential. I feel my best when I'm helping others be their best selves - when I can remind them that they are more powerful than they believe themselves to be and that they are capable of anything.
Two years ago the position of Project Director fell into my lap and I didn't see it at the time but I find it serendipitous that I was placed into an environment with young individuals who are at an in between phase of their lives - in need of positivity, inspiration and encouragement. That's the kind of work I was doing three years prior, except not in a classroom, but through talking with all of you.
I've now had two years to restore and recharge, to gather new stories with different characters and updated settings. I'm excited to begin Struck Inside Out again with the same intention of sharing my own experiences candidly and confessionally, in the hopes that if you had been through something similar, that the words of my own story can help lessen the burden of yours. I hope that with each new post, each new admission, revelation or statement, you can find a piece of insight and elevation you didn't have before.
For those of you returning, thank you for checking back in and saying hi! For those of you who are new to the site, thank you for taking the time to read my writing and giving my daily bits of inspiration a chance.
I look forward to more positive and insightful creations here as we build a community centered around growth, self-awareness, good vibes, and endless happy moments.
xx,
Danielle
