Welcome back to Stylishly Good Vibes!
It’s crazy to think that after this summer passes, I will have been living back in Ohio for a year. So much has changed since I moved back here from South Carolina. I wanted to use today’s post to share five reasons why I’m thankful to be living back in my hometown for the time being!
Cleveland gets a lot of crap from people who live here and people who don’t. We get it — you think we’re the “mistake on the lake.” Well, guess what — we’re not! We’re high-quality people with Midwest values who believe in the impossible no matter what. Remember the Cavs championship of 2016? I mean, I don’t know how you could forget! Did I believe it when we scored the winning shot? No. But, I believed that in some way, somehow, it was possible for us to win.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that Cleveland really isn’t all that bad. It’s pretty great if you ask me!
Before I dive into this post, I want to talk about this Cleveland sweater from Emily Roggenburk! I’ve followed her on Instagram for some time now, and finally had the chance to meet her at the last Cleveland Flea. She’s such a cool and kind person with so much love for this city! Definitely check out her shop for Cleveland apparel and other goodies! 🙂
Let’s get this blog post started!
Why I’m Thankful To Be In CLE
I have everything I need within close driving distance.
This one is definitely a little more materialistic, but let’s be real — I don’t thrive in areas that don’t have anywhere to shop. When I was living in Myrtle Beach, it took me about 20 minutes to drive places that were remotely ‘cool.’ Mind you, when I say cool, I mean they weren’t anywhere near as cool as places in Cleveland are.
I love being so close to coffee shops and walkable shopping areas here. It makes going out and exploring so much more fun! I knew that living in Myrtle wasn’t going to work for me when the one trendy coffee shop closed because no one else ever went there. Oh well!
I feel a sense of pride living here.
Before I went to college, the only thing I was concerned about was getting out of Cleveland. I feel like that’s a really common way of thinking about your hometown — and something other people have probably thought as well. When I was younger, I always thought I would end up in NYC. But, as I started to understand myself more with age, I realized it is def not for me.
I was so thankful to move back here from South Carolina. More thankful than I know how to express in words. All I can say about moving to a new city is that if you’re not vibing with it from the get-go, don’t move there. Of course it may be worth the experience, but it’s also not worth being unhappy while you’re experiencing it, ya know?
I can recharge and create the best version of myself.
When I moved to South Carolina, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. It was where my first job was. It was where I learned to be completely self-reliant living in a place where I didn’t know a single person.
I did have a few months after I graduated from college to figure out who and what I wanted to be/be doing. But honestly, that wasn’t enough time. I needed this move back to Cleveland more than I even knew. Since moving, I’ve gained an entirely new outlook on my life as a whole and where I see myself going. Although I don’t know if I’ll always be living here, I’m here for now and that’s what matters.
Networking and meeting new Clevelanders brings me so much joy.
My blog has opened a lot of doors for me, and I’ll always be thankful for the ones who have supported it since the beginning. There’s such a feeling of community here in Cleveland that’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
I’ve met so many great people from Instagram, which is so awesome and cool! When people come up to me asking if I’m Stylishly Good Vibes, it makes me smile! I don’t know if I’ll ever have that same feeling in another city. That’s what makes Cleveland so remarkable, ya know?
I can start to plant my roots.
Do you ever feel like you’re just living your life day by day, versus thinking a little bit about the future? I’ve been doing better about living in the moment, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think about where I see myself going. I’ve started to plant roots doing things I love, and that’s something I’ve never really done before.
Before I moved back to Cleveland, I didn’t know where I was going to end up; and I didn’t put much thought into it either. I was always in the mindset of “if I’m still living here or there.” That’s not the way to live your life, lemme tell you!
Planting roots isn’t a bad thing, and honestly, sometimes it’s just what we all need.
Well, that’s all I’ve got for ya today! If you’ve never been to Cleveland before, might I suggest a summer trip just for fun! I think you would enjoy it as much as I do!
Until next time!
Alicia