Catalino (Lino) Rosales | Grad Student, Ed Tech Enthusiast, Art Dabbler, and Adventure Seeker

No one ever said that starting over would be easy. I am loving my new life out here in Washington, but sometimes, I just want to curl up in my bed and binge-watch something with my Roku. But as my family has always emphasized, I should never put off something until later. I know being proactive and productive will pay off in the long run, but eek, I am pooped.

This past week was pretty tough for me. It was a lot more stressful than I had anticipated, but I am really proud of myself for forcing myself to have a growth mindset no matter how intimidated or anxious I became and to embrace each challenge as an opportunity for me to learn and improve. I am glad that I am taking myself out of my comfort zone. So far, I have truly been able to make the most out of my new life out here in the Seattle metro area. #FailureIsAGoodThing #GoodFamilyAndFriendsMakeEverythingPossible

What a month! I finally moved into my studio apartment this past weekend. In my first 3 months in the Seattle metro area, I lived in Bellevue and Seattle; and I did not realize how much of a toll all of the moving had taken on me. Now that I am fully moved-in, I really need to focus on my overall well-being. I have to remember that I cannot let myself run on empty. Here is to settling into my new life and putting positive vibes out into the universe!

March just came and went, and it is April already. It has been a crazy four weeks of fun and work. I am still pretty preoccupied with getting settled into the Seattle area. Sometimes, I find myself worrying about the silliest and most absurd of things to the point of being far too distracted to even notice the amazing opportunities and possibilities right in front of me. I have to work on being much more "present," for sure. And I owe myself a huge apology for forgetting the big picture sometimes, and I owe my wonderful friends and family a big thank-you for getting me through these confusing times! But so far, I feel like I am doing an okay job thanks to my making a point to make the most of every day no matter how stressed, homesick, and distracted I get. I hope that April will be even better than March. #PositiveThoughts #BrickByBrick