It’s been quite a while since the last day I wrote on my blog. The outlet I have for sharing my thoughts, my trips, my wellness tips, and career advice. I could jump right now into making posts about my two trips to Colombia, a weekend getaway to the Bahamas or a change of environment living in Manhattan NYC for a month. But the truth is, even when I traveled, when I worked beyond exhaustion, when I tried to continue my journey to complete my levels of German, when I volunteered at work to do collaborations, mentorship, it all took its toll.

I’ve been suffering from writer’s block (and more). My levels of stress and anxiety went off the charts since the beginning of 2021 and, add to that a pandemic and six months of overwork, my health went anywhere but down. I questioned myself a lot as I would sit in front of my computer and not be able to write about my amazing and not-so-amazing experiences during my latest trips, about mental health and about other topics that I considered could make you smile or at least, help, in some way.

As I sit and write this while I drink my afternoon coffee with cinnamon, I can just say what a year of endurance, of emotional battles, distance, medication, and breakdowns it has been. One can only keep throwing under the rug our problems and how the environment affects us for so long. The say the more you push and push, stronger you are. But the day you can’t get up from bed, they say you're being weak. And that is completely wrong and not true. It’s a social and internalized belief that we all have, in which we can pretend everything is fine to keep a face in front of the world. It’s wrong because, we are human and have an array of emotions that are valid.

Eventually, handling all sorts of situations at the same time leaves us powerless to keep the mask on. It breaks - and as it breaks - we feel like we crumble and fall into the abyss. Suddenly the worries about toxic places, people, friend’s illnesses, unhappiness, frustration, work, hopelessness, anger, intrusive and illogical thoughts; they are very much alive and in control. This is the moment of the truth. The one where we decide to either ignore it and lose yourself or take the courage to seek help and heal. I want to emphasize that seeking help shows bravery and strength. Only strong people accept they need help, and take a step towards true recovery.

I have always been advocating for mental health as a priority and, while it often is overlooked or minimized, I will never stop. There is such a big opportunity for education about wellness. Empathy, diversity, humanity, support; all of what this world needs to know more about.

Having functional depression is such a dangerous illness. Nobody notices until signs begin to show off. And when signs begin, you are halfway down the abyss.

As I prepare to continue writing, exploring, loving, taking risks, looking for opportunities, and most importantly, taking care of my health, I feel hopeful. Hopeful. I cannot believe I am saying it. But it’s the only mentality that I can have now, while being present. The past is gone and the future is uncertain, but the present is here and we cannot throw it to waste while worrying about the what-ifs and blaming ourselves.

Whenever you are having those invasive thoughts, feelings of not deserving something, feeling like you can’t, that you’re not good enough; use the H’oponopono Hawaiian technique and tell yourself:

Treat yourself with kindness, work on your happiness and well-being. We are often our most harsh critics. It’s time to stop, recognize and work with whatever we are facing. I haven’t, can’t and will not live a shallow life. My core needs happiness for me to do what I love more: sharing and communicating with others, leaving a positive mark in the world.

The next time that someone asks, “how are you?”, ask yourself honestly, “how am I?”. Being honest with yourself is the first step.

Wow, the times we are living in. It seems like chaos everywhere. Anxiety, uncertainty, worry, panic. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic, each one is on their personal journey, maybe going through a good time, or sadly, through rough times. The outside world is something we cannot control. But even when we feel powerless, we can control what we do and how we react to the situation. I have refrained from posting part 3 of my trip to New York City, specially out of respect for what such a lively city is going through right now.

🎵 Don't nobody tell me that God don't have a sense of humor. 'Cause now that I want to live, well, everybody around me is dying. - "Leave it alone" by Hayley Williams

We can feel like we can’t share good news because it feels vain, meaningless, disrespectful. But life is not black and white. Life is a multicolored journey that is never just one single thing. Not all is bad. Not all is good. A friend of mine says, “there’s never complete happiness” and that might be true. I am not trying to sell the “always be positive, always have a smile on your face” kind of mindset. It’s not realistic. What I want to emphasize is that we can’t just focus on the bad and the ugly that is happening. COVID-19 is not the only thing happening and hopefully, it won’t even exist in the future . 

I feel worry for those who are in the front line, fighting this pandemic. I have a friend that is a doctor in direct contact with the illness. I have friends and family that have compromised immune systems. My grandfather is 80. I visited him the other day to bring him some groceries, and that’s when it hit. Am I putting my grandpa in danger just by being here? I had protective gear and my worry was so contrasting to the smile on his face because I was there, visiting him. Is during these precise moments that we realize, nothing is one-sided, nothing is completely good or bad. He was not seeing the negative side of the pandemic, he was seeing the positive side, that I had brought him groceries so he wouldn’t have to leave home.

While being there, I felt tired so I took my blood pressure. 90/63.  I took it once again, same outcome. I told him, “Grandpa, this blood pressure machine isn’t working.” He said, “of course it is.” I said, “No, look at my numbers, it is not marking anything above 100. My pressure can’t be that low”. He took his blood pressure. 110/78. The machine wasn’t malfunctioning. His blood pressure was better than mine. I left feeling relieved for him, he’s feeling well. Meanwhile I was worried about me. Why was my pressure so low? I eventually had a virtual appointment with a doctor and we found the cause and I am dealing with it. 

This is just an example about how in this new reality we are living in and that -again- will be temporary- good things will happen as well. We can cherish them without guilt. So take a deep breath and even if it’s a few times a day, try to find those good moments, enjoy them, feel happy about them without guilt. Todo pasa. Everything shall pass, the good and the ugly. I might be posting soon my third part of my travel diary about New York City. Instead of seeing it as vain, I’ll see it as a hopeful post. A tribute to the great city it is, full of people rushing all over. Because I am certain that it will go back to being that. It will not be the same, because after hard times there is always a transformation. But it will go back to be one of the most visited places in the world. And I want to share with you how was my journey there and inspire you to make the trip when it’s safe to do so.

Let’s keep up to date with the news in a healthy way, act responsibly and do our part in containing the coronavirus, keeping ourselves and our families as safe as we can, take the pandemic seriously but also, stop and allow ourselves to disconnect and find the light 🌟 in the dark.

🎵 When there's persistence, You can go farther. Beyond the end. If in the distance, there's more resistance. Try to stay open. Make it your friend. - "Over Yet" by Hayley Williams

Hard times gonna make you wonder why you even try. 🎵

After hurricane María, it felt like my world stopped for 8 months, which was the time that I was without electricity service at home. Internet service arrived a bit later, 10 months after the hurricane. During those months, what saved me was the job I found, which kept me productive, occupied and gave me the stability and “modern” comfort that I was lacking at home. Needless to say, there was not much to write about. My mind and energies were focus on dealing with the day-to-day instability and challenges. I needed a break. 

I always had high hopes for a living.  🎵

In August, I returned to Germany for a month to continue my German course. It was memorable as always: met new friends, reunited with old ones, got better at the language and, of course, watched some live Bayern football. Also, I met some of my favorite players, including the legend Bastian Schweinsteiger. August made up for the lackluster, exhausting year that preceded it. I will write more about my return to Munich on a separate post, even if it was in summer and we are already in Autumn, (my favorite season!).

Take all your possibilities and take away the limits. 🎵

Now I’m back for a while to where I breathed for the first time. I’m working on different projects, both personal and professional. Since the beginning, my goal with this blog was to pursue happiness and self-realization in life while doing what I love. I shall continue on that road and see where it leads.

I am planning on updating monthly, but we will see. Breaks are good.

It's no secret that tuition in Europe is less expensive than in the US. In some countries such as Germany, university education is nearly free. While this is very attractive to students in America, knowing how much is the life cost abroad can bring insecurity and second guesses regarding studying in Europe.

While I've already talked about the benefits of studying abroad and why students should consider it, this time I will talk more about how much money do you need to live as a student in Barcelona.

Spain's cost of life is relatively cheaper than other destinations such as England. Compared to Puerto Rico, a US territory, I found it was cheaper to live in Barcelona. Although rent could be more expensive, groceries, transportation, and utilities are cheaper. To this, I add the quality of life, the mobility, and the free or cheap recreational activities the city offers. All things considered, you can live better in Barcelona with the same or less money than in Puerto Rico.

The monthly budget you need to live in Barcelona will ultimately depend on your lifestyle, but for me it was an average of 700 euros/month or 930 euros/month including out-of-Spain travel. Here's a sample breakout of the monthly expenses:

Breakout of monthly expenses

Option A - Living at the university dorms:

Category	Price/Budget
Essentials
Rent (utilities, internet, and weekly cleaning included)	€ 390
Groceries & toiletries (cooking all meals everyday + snacks)	€ 85-100
Transportation (Zone 2, to travel between the UAB and the city center)	€ 65
Mobile phone	€ 15
Laundry	€ 20
Miscellaneous expenses (i.e. Medicines, cleaning products)	€ 50
Non-essentials
Clothes	€ 40
Entertainment (museum tickets, cinema tickets, eating out)	€ 50
Travel	€ 250

💡 Notes about the non-essentials 💡

Clothing: I decided to set a monthly expense for clothing because I didn't know if I had to invest a lot in Fall and Winter wardrobe. Turns out I barely used this budget so I would instead transfer it to the miscellaneous or travel category.

Entertainment: Since I always cooked my main meals and museums are mostly free on Sundays, I would usually spend a lot less and also transfer the rest to the travel category.

Travel: I would not travel every month. Instead, I would save this money for some months and then make a well-planned trip. I've written about how I did low-cost trips to England, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and Austria so a 250-euro allowance was more than enough.

Option B - Living in Barcelona city

Category	Price/Budget
Essentials
Rent of a room at a shared apartment*	€ 270
Utilities	€ 40-50
Transportation (Zone 2, to travel between the UAB and the city center)	€ 65
Mobile phone	€ 15
Miscellaneous expenses (i.e. Medicines, vitamins, cleaning products)	€ 50
Non-essentials
Clothes	€ 40
Entertainment (museum tickets, cinema tickets, eating out)	€ 50
Travel	€250

Breaking the categories down

Groceries 🍊🍗🍛🍞

I loved how cheap it was to buy quality products. I would go grocery shopping monthly to Al Campo and then make the biweekly purchases such as milk at smaller places like Condis. Other places with good prices are Mercadona and Carrefour, but Al Campo by far is the cheapest. I would buy fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, rice, beans, pasta, bread, eggs, milk, juice and snacks. Literally everything that I needed at half of what it would cost me in Puerto Rico. To give you an idea, a bag of sandwich bread would cost me 0.85 centimes versus 2.49 USD in Puerto Rico.

Rent & utilities 🏠💡💧

During my stay, I lived both at the university dorms and in the city. My monthly budget for rent and utilities was set at 390 euros (the dorm's rent) so when I moved to the city I had to find a place where I would not spend more than that. I found a shared apartment at 270 euros plus expenses. I was lucky to pay this amount because usually rooms at shared apartments can be quite expensive. I saw prices as ridiculous as 450 euros for a room in an apartment with two other housemates. It's not worth it. Try using agencies such as Habitatge Jove, that help students find places at better prices. With an estimate of 390 euros for rent, you should be alright but always do research first.

Transportation 🚌🚇🚈

Depending on where you live and where you study, you will need a Zone 1 or Zone 2 ticket. UAB is in Zone 2 if you live in Barcelona city. Likewise, if you live at the university, the city center is in Zone 2. If you will make almost daily travel, it is better to buy a monthly or quarterly Zone 2 ticket (at around 75 euros/month). On the other hand, if you will travel between the two zones around 2 times a week, it might be more cost-effective to buy the 10-trip Zone 2 card (at around 20 euros) and buy a separate 1 Zone ticket for moving withing one zone (such as the city center). Either way, estimate around 75 euros monthly and later find what best suits you. If you live and study within the same zone, it will be cheaper.

Mobile phone plans 📱

Plans are a lot cheaper in Spain (compared to the US). Depending on where you want to call, you can find plans starting at 10 euros. With Orange I paid 15 euros a month for a plan that included 3 GB of data and 30 minutes of calls in Spain (which I rarely used). To call my family back in America, I would use Skype's 2.99 USD plan, its free version or Whatsapp. With so many apps and alternatives, you don't have to spend a fortune on mobile phones. Also, as of the time I'm writing this post, there are no costs of roaming within the European Union (with some exceptions) so you can travel around and use your phone as if you were in Spain.

Entertainment & traveling ✈🏰⚽🎤🎉💃

If you will be living in a foreign country and continent, chances are that you want to enjoy your time there. It is useful to make a list of the places you want to go and set a monthly allowance for traveling. Also, I suggest that you make a separate budget for in-city entertainment such as eating out, going to the cinema, or night club. That way, you don't end up spending all your allowance on clubbing and end up falling short on travel money. For the best airfare deals, I would usually use Google Flights. Check out my guide on how to travel on a budget and you will be set to go.

Clothes - make smart purchases 👕👗👖👟👙

I am not a fashion expert but I am very practical. I would rather spend money on traveling than on buying new blouses every month. Instead, I would have classic pieces in neutral colors that I could combine and wear constantly. For Winter, I had one heavy coat in black and two other coats for less cold temperatures (one in a caramel tone and the other in navy blue). Jeans will do fine in Winter but if you travel to colder countries such as Germany, you might need thermal leggings. For cheap deals in fashion clothing go to Primark. Decathlon is also great for thermal clothing and sportswear.

Earning extra money during your stay 💰✌😎

In Spain, student visas for Americans usually allow you to work some hours and earn money. I did an internship during my master's degree, and as a non-planned income, it was very convenient. Make sure to check if you can legally work under your visa terms as permits may change depending on your country of origin.

Free spreadsheet - Monthly Budget Planner

I have created a spreadsheet where you can calculate the budget you will need to live abroad as a student. It includes:

• An overall budget sheet for one-time expenses and yearly budget 
• 12 sheets, one per month
• Estimated versus real expenses calculation
• Month-to-month cumulative balance calculation to know if you have an excess or are carrying a debt

Hope it helps! If you have any questions, leave me a comment below, tweet me at krystel_k or contact me here.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on my experience living in Barcelona from 2016 to 2017 and should not be used in substitution of legal or financial advice. Prices stated here are offered as a guide. Actual/recent prices may vary.

"I can, because I want what I must (do)." Immanuel Kant

Do you ever feel like you want to be happy but everything seems to be against you? There are certainly a lot of things that can influence our approach to life and take a toll on our happiness. It only takes 30 seconds reading the news to get discouraged, frustrated and disappointed. However, we need to focus a little more on what we can control rather than on what we cannot. It doesn’t mean that we will isolate ourselves or be completely oblivious about our surroundings. What it means is that we must teach ourselves to not just see the negative side of everything.

I have had a year of ups and downs, of achievements and growth. Throughout this experience I have learned how to chase happiness even when everything seems to be falling apart, even when things don’t go as planned.

I call this my Chasing Happiness Decalogue. 

1. Keep those who you love close. – in them you will find the strength, the hope and the drive to keep going.

2. Don't minimize your success. Every milestone counts. – it is important to acknowledge that every step you take towards your goals is worth being happy about, whether it is big or small. Also, don't let anyone minimize your achievements.

3. Work on your personal and professional goals. Nobody will do it for you.

4. Things that make you happy are not stupid. Enjoy them. Share them. Live them.

5. Surround yourself with people who genuinely feel happy for you. –  one of the greatest things about happiness is that you can share it with others. But for some people, hearing about others' achievements throws them off. Those people will try to minimize what you have done and their negative vibe will affect you. Don't let that happen. Stay away from toxic people.

6. Keep a bit of childlike wonder with you always and see beauty in the little things. – the moment you feel that you’re too old or too cool for something, you start growing old. 

7. Do things that scare you a little. –  Being scared is not precisely anyone's definition of happiness but the feeling of pride when you get to do something you didn't think you were capable of, is indescribable.

8. Speak your mind (and heart) out. –  No one’s a mind reader so if you have to say something, say it.

9. Don't be afraid to seek help if you need it. – This applies to everything from mental health to asking for directions on the street. Nobody is born knowing everything and you’re not dumb or broken if you reach out for a helping hand. 

10. Accept and love yourself the way you are. –  Make peace with your flaws and be thankful for your good attributes. 

I am very hard on myself sometimes, and the not knowing of the future and the lack of control over certain situations can make my anxiety reappear. That is why I try to focus on these ten pieces of from-me-to-me advice and take one day at a time.

As a gift for you if you’re reading this, I have made my Chasing Happiness Decalogue into separate printable graphics that you can print out and pin on your bulletin board. You can download the pack here.

Hope you like them!

I have tried to write this post several times and didn’t know how to begin. I had a few posts written and ready to publish but it didn’t feel right. Not after all that has happened. I even had written one about how to stay happy despite all the wrong -which I will share soon- and re-reading it now feels as if I knew what would happen, without knowing it.

I will go back to my original content, but first I wanted to share my story and why I have been long gone. They say it helps you heal to talk about what has hurt you. So here I go.

On September 2, I landed back in Puerto Rico after a year living my dream between Spain and Germany. I was excited to see my family and eager to start my job hunt, continue with my German classes online and move out. Little did I know. Little did anyone know. Four days later, we were indirectly hit by hurricane Irma, and although the eye never entered the Island, our ever-fragile electricity structure left thousands without power and water supply, my family included. I was glad that my house had survived the storm, and despite a tree falling and breaking our fence, we were alright. Five days after, we got water service back, but our phones and electricity were still long gone. I celebrated my birthday in usual fashion, with a cake and surrounded by the people who I love the most. It’s a great thing that I’ve always preferred it that way.

A week and a half after Irma, Monday 18, we saw light at the end of the tunnel as personnel of Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority were repairing power lines near home. And then the news came. María, a hurricane CAT 5 would hit us on September 20, and this time it would be bad. It would enter the Island and cross it. I was helpless, sad, mad, frustrated. I remember clearly how I felt that my world was crumbling down and I could do nothing about it. It had been already difficult -so I thought- making the transition from living in Spain and later Germany, to coming back to Puerto Rico.

Then, María happened. I tried to sleep all night but the noise of the wind was deafening. I didn’t feel scared; few things scare me in this life. I had just shut down, I wanted to feel numb. I had my closest family with me and I knew the others would be safe. I had to believe it. The hurricane hit for 12 hours. When it was safe to go out of the house I was staying at, my parents decided to go home to see how things were. I thought that my house was probably gone, so I needed to be there for support. I had a flashback of the worst day of my life, when amidst the sadness that was pulling me down I put on my bravest face and stood while others broke down. Would I have to do it again? Was I strong enough?

Driving home in our car semi-flooded, water on my feet, I saw the devastation. I had never seen anything like that. My memories of hurricane George, CAT 3, were harmless in comparison. All the utility poles had fallen on the road, trees had no leaves, homes had no roofs. My mother kept on driving and, as I saw that houses like mine were down to pieces, I was expecting the worse. As we were closer, my heart pounded faster. It felt like an eternity. And then we finally arrived.

My house was still there. The roof was still there, most of it. I felt a relief I hadn’t felt in so long. I looked right and saw my neighbor’s home, crumbled down like it was made of paper. I felt lucky. The luckiest person in the world. We then saw a tree that had felt down on the back of my house, right were my room was. We went in and the living room was flooded, stinking like a swamp. The walls were completely damaged but still there. The rest of the house was fine. Somehow the tree didn’t tore down the wall. Our rooms, beds and belongings were there. Intact. I tried to calm down my family, who were clearly affected by the living room nightmare. I’d say, “this was nothing, we still have a home”.

The weeks that followed were the most difficult we have ever faced. No power, no water, no communication. The government’s inability to cope with the situation, the lack of an emergency plan -in an Island that is at risk of hurricanes every year- just made it all worse. Without power, we needed gasoline for generators. However, the distribution of gasoline and diesel was a mess, making people wait in 10-hour lines to get gas if they were lucky. No gas meant no generators to power supermarkets, which meant limited access to food. No power meant no city water supply. Damaged roofs and destroyed properties meant hundreds of people without jobs. Broken bridges meant isolated communities. It was a chain, one problem caused another, a snowball that grew bigger than all of us.

The sun was shining bright, making visible our torn country, our mistakes, our wounds, our fragility. Not just our land, but also our spirit was shaken by the catastrophe. People were scared, mad, sad, desperate. But the good in the people will always prevail. Good neighbors, good strangers would make up for the bad. We shared the little we had. And people shared the little they had. A bottle of water, a bit of gasoline, a power cord from one house to another to use the neighbor’s generator, plenty of hands to cut the fallen trees at home, neighbors helping you install tarps on your roof while it was raining. 

Two months later, we are still far from alright. It will take a lot more, probably years, to go back to “normal”. Sadly, my plans to continue with my online classes and job hunt were far from viable at the moment. How could I help my family without a job? And how could I find a job when those who had one, lost it? With tears in my eyes, I packed my bags, my hopes and dreams, and moved out temporarily. It hurt like few things have hurt me in my life. Never had I realized how much I needed to be home, until I was forced to leave.

I left my heart in Puerto Rico and a promise to go back for the holidays. I don’t care if there’s no power to light up the Christmas tree, my family will be all the light I need.

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Due to the postal service delays, the best way to help is through a monetary donation. Through

Unidos for Puerto Rico, an initiative led by the First Lady of Puerto Rico, Beatriz Roselló, with the support of the private sector, you can donate money that will be used to buy products locally to help my Island.

Likewise, my good friend and blogger extraordinaire, María Elena from Ambinity, wrote a post about Hurricane María lessons and shared a list of other ways to help Puerto Rico, so I invite you to visit her blog as well.

Cognitive dissonance. A phrase that means discomfort, psychological conflict caused by the contrast between what we do, and what we think. Actions and beliefs. Have you ever felt that way? I have certainly done, especially during the last year. We tend to have preconceived ideas of how everything should be, including how we must feel depending on the situation. These ideas -whether they come from ourselves, our family, friends or even society in general- often influence our behavior, as we try so desperately to match our actions with "our" beliefs in order to avoid the cognitive dissonance. 

Nonetheless, I've learned how to deal with discomfort. I learned that in the end, staying true to ourselves should be stronger than trying to fit into society standards of what’s "right". We worry far too much trying to meet everyone’s expectations that we forget what we want. Considering this, I have realized that there are five things we shouldn’t apologize for.

1. Outgrowing people – people change, life changes. And sometimes we distance from people we used to be close with. I’ve come to understand that it’s not a bad thing. Relationships can’t be forced and, even if it hurts, sometimes it’s healthier to move on. 

2. Wanting and doing what’s best for you – people love to tell others what to do with their lives. Since we are kids, we are thought what we must do when we grow up: study, find a job, buy a house, get married, have kids. When we fail to comply with the “plan”, we are often frown upon. But really, who cares? The only plan you should have is to try to be the best you can, every day, the happiest you can every day. Don’t feel guilty for doing what’s best for you. Those who truly love you, will understand. 

3. Not settling for less – when I moved away, people would be surprised as to why I was doing such thing, having already a degree and a stable job. But I didn’t settle for less. I could never do that. I knew that had to be so much more to life than feeling mediocre and alone, unhappy and unmotivated. Things can be better. You just have to do something about it. 

4. Being okay with distance – this one was the most difficult for me to accept. I get a lot the question “do you miss something from your home country?” I used to disguise my answer until I was brave enough to accept I didn’t miss anything except from my family. And even if I miss them, I didn’t feel sad. I use to beat myself for it. Accepting that I was okay with distance helped me move on and understand better why. I wasn’t heartless, I love them to death, but I was actually okay with distance for a while. Distance helps you gain perspective. 

5. Being honest –  it is what it is. We feel what we feel. Trying to lie to ourselves in order to please everyone ends up wearing us down. Although sometimes the truth may be difficult to accept for some people, life is too short to live a lie. Don’t do that. Stay true to yourself, always.

Grow up. Move on. Let things happen. 

Time flies. I feel like it was yesterday when I was desperately trying to fit everything into two suitcases and move away. Yet here I am, seven months later.

So many things can change in a short span of time. You can grow up in a way you never expected. You suddenly realize you can live with a lot less, you trust strangers, new acquaintances become your family. You let go off of things you thought you couldn't be without. But with freedom often comes uncertainty. What does the future hold?

We can have dreams and plans but things don’t always work out the way we think. Instead of dreading in the past -which we cannot change- and obsessing about the future -which we can’t totally control- we need to live more in the present.

P.S. Here's a photo of my most recent "living in the moment" experience: a last-minute trip to Munich to attend the Champions League match, Bayern-Real Madrid. Even though my team lost (and I was heartbroken for 3 weeks) I don't regret going. If I move back to America, chances are I won't be able to do this again, at least not in the near future. 

Prologue: 

For the longest time I've wanted to add a music and/or sports section to this blog, but I'm not a specialist in any of the topics, so at first I put off the idea. Nonetheless, the truth is that sometimes I want to write about it. Music is one of the things in life that I love the most. It’s one of the best ways I can express myself. It brings me happiness and, as this blog is about chasing happiness, I want to share how music has been a key part of my growth. So here's my first post on the topic. I don't know yet if this will be recurrent content or not, but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy it. 

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Paramore released a new single after 4 years and it’s called "Hard Times". It’s the most different sound they have made yet so, at first, it didn’t feel right. It wasn’t a head-banging tune like those I fell in love with in high school, nor an angst anthem characteristic of the band. Then, I realized why. It’s been 10 years since I discovered this band and a lot has changed since then. It would be silly to think they wouldn’t evolve too. Overthinking like I always do, I realized *every album this band has released has fit perfectly in the moment that I was living.

I listen to people complain everyday. No, I do not work in customer care but it seems like I do. I myself used to complain a lot until I realized that if I didn’t do anything to change what was upsetting me, it would become a vicious cycle that would drain me.

When I decided to take action and actually work on change, things, well, changed (you don’t say??). Some people might say that you can’t always alter what is upsetting you but I am positive that the majority of situations that bother us have a remedy if we transform our mindset.

I’ve learned a few lessons:

Now, every time someone comes to me to complain about something I ask,“Are you doing something to change it?” 

Because if not, it’s just the same old song.