Introductions Please

Hey everyone! What can I say? I'm the new kid on the block and hoping to make it big, just like everyone else.

But Sasha, what sets you apart? Well, there are a few things actually. So, I grew up in a very small town in northern Maryland. I spent 22 years in the state before moving cross-country for a relationship (that ultimately would fall apart) in Colorado. I learned a lot about myself during the relationship because I found someone who was hurting themselves and created a toxic space that I'd eventually see and walk away from. When that six-year relationship ended, that's when I started to flourish.

I had moved 1,700 miles from home and hadn't done much of anything for myself. I started making new friends. I started to trust my gut more and not listen to what other people said I should or shouldn't do. That allowed space for me to adventure, travel, grow. That last part would become my greatest tragedy and greatest triumph... but more on that later. I started writing a novel, that I'm finally (three years later) almost finished with. I moved again for a relationship (old habits die hard I guess) that I shouldn't have, but in doing so found some new passions and spent some amazing time learning a new way of life in the deep south. I did eventually move back to Colorado with a friend who I'd known for a few years, whom I'd eventually date, and thus began the tragedy phase of my life's adventure.

After all of the faltering, all of the pieces falling apart, all of the proverbial sh*t hitting the fan, I found myself back in a place I never thought I'd be. Maryland. Home sweet home. Don't get me wrong, I adore my home state, I really do, it's just one of those places people rarely leave. I found myself holding on to some sort of pride in thinking that never coming back meant I was successful. I was wrong, and I had to adjust that train of thought, so I did.

Now, two years and some change after moving back, I'm almost done with barbering school (something I'd attempted while living in the south and signed up for in Colorado, but never got to do because of the tragedy), I'm almost done with this novel that has seriously haunted me this whole time, I'm on my way to getting married next year, and I'm overall happy.

That's something I always strived to be, although it's not been the ultimate goal. Happiness is something we create, it's an emotion, and it is, in fact, fleeting. Contentment, on the other hand, now that stuff is GOLD and is the ultimate goal of mine. I hear people often say that being content means you're settling, and that's not the case... if you settle, then you're settling. If you're truly content though, you've found peace with where you are. Does it mean you stop growing? Heck no! Keep going, and just enjoy every moment you are alive. All of that right there is what I consider success. It's that simple. Is figuring out how to be content easy? Nah, because then everyone would be doing it! I'm just kidding, everyone should be doing it. Find your daily joy, seek to find your mini-victories in your everyday. You have to work for it, but just like anything else that's totally worth it, you have to put in the effort.

Have I left you with enough teasers to come back? I hope so! Oh yeah, I guess I should throw some basics in here too. I'm 32 years young, still figuring some parts of my life out. I love, love, LOVE art. All kinds of art. I also dabble in all kinds of art, from visual to musical and performance and everything in between. Periodically I'll throw in some novel teasers, some paintings and such, but mostly I'm just going to use this space to bounce my thoughts around. I've got a website called onecreativeschatter.com that you can check out if you want as well! I put some of the nitty-gritty stories in there.