Therefore staying in a location because of work didn’t seem as pertinent to me anymore. The only thing tying me to NYC was familiarity, family and friends. I knew that my friends and family would communicate with me no matter where I lived. Familiarity wasn’t enough of a reason to stay so I made a pros and cons list. I compared the cost of living and quality of living in the two cities.

I wrote out what I was looking for in my ideal neighborhood and ideal living space. My fiancé and I had plenty of conversations about it and we communicated with those who knew us best. After all of that, we decided to drive 14 hours down to ATL. If you’re reading this post, I’ll assume that you have an interest in exploring living in a new place. Here are 5 things to consider before moving to a new city based on my experience.

1. Visit before you move

I visited ATL about six times before I decided to move here with my fiancé. There isn’t a set number of times you should visit, but I highly suggest visiting at least once. Get a feel for the people, the neighborhoods, the job market, transportation, weather, safety, schools, entertainment, and overall culture. Of course, visit the place you’re considering living. We made sure to walk through our apartment complex before applying. You can research these things online but there’s nothing like exploring and experiencing these things in person.

2. Make sure you can afford it

Despite wherever you’re moving to, moving can be expensive. I recommend having 3-6 months of living expenses saved up so you don’t have to deal with financial strain as you get settled. Make a spreadsheet of anticipated income and realistic monthly expenses in your new city, also factor in the fees to move all your stuff. Research the cost of living in your new city and ask people who live there as well. Keep in mind that bills vary depending on where you go.

For instance, in NYC we had to pay for gas but in ATL we don’t. Also my MetroCard fees are now replaced with a car note since ATL is a driving city rather than a public transportation one like NYC. Also weigh the pros and cons of bringing all your furniture to your new place or selling it and buying all new things. After factoring the price for a UHAUL versus selling our things, renting a car, and bringing the bare minimum down to GA, we decided driving down with the bare minimum was more cost effective. Additionally, we were fortunate to have received going away gifts that helped us with furnishing our new place.

3. Consider renting before purchasing a home

The thought of purchasing property in a new city before living there freaks me out. Mainly because you have no idea if it’ll be temporary or not. Of course if you do decide to purchase a home, you can always rent it out or sell it if you decide to leave. But to avoid the headache and long term commitment to a property, rent and take your time getting to know the city. You may rent in one area then discover another neighborhood you like much more.

4. Make a comprehensive moving list

I cannot stress enough how important it is to sit down and plan. There’s so many loose ends that you have to take care of before leaving one city for the next. Tasks like changing your address for your mail and bank/credit accounts, closing electricity or cable accounts you no longer need, opening up new accounts in your new city, transferring over your medical records to your new doctors, updating your insurance policies etc. Make sure to also make a list of items you plan to take, items you plan to sell, and items you’ll need to buy once you’ve moved.

We sold almost all our furniture on Facebook Marketplace, we also got rid of a lot of things we didn’t need and had very easy to follow lists of things we needed to buy. We avoided aimlessly walking around Target buying whatever we felt like…we all know how easy it is to overspend in Target.

5. Consider moving to a place where you have family or friends

Making friends as an adult can be challenging…amiright? If you’re not forced to meet people in school or at your job, it can be difficult to build a network in a new place. Add on the complexity of a pandemic and it seems to be near impossible. When my fiancé and I were weighing our options on where we wanted to move, we opted for a place where we at least had family and some friends. That has greatly helped us adjust to our new home. Even though we’re only a 2 hour flight away from our hometown we wanted to make sure we had a network that reminded us of home in our new city as well.

Moving to a new city is exciting and well worth it. You never know if you’ll love living somewhere else until you go out and do it. Of course it’s scary but often the best things are on the other side of fear. If you have any other tips you’d like to share, comment below.

The post 5 Things To Consider Before Moving To A New City appeared first on The Fire Inside.

The Flight To Europe

We decided to take Norwegian Airlines because it was the most inexpensive. Overall I’d give this airline a 6 out of 10. The service was a step up from Spirit and South West. However it was no JetBlue or Delta experience for sure! They charge you for every little thing which is understandable because that’s probably what makes their ticket cheap but it was annoying. They will not give you any snacks or offer you a drink if you have not paid. The only standard thing that comes with your ticket is a spot on the plane and a carry on bag.

They’ll give you water if you outright ask. But, if you don’t they ignore you like you don’t exist. I just wasn’t a fan of this business model. A free drink on an 8+ hour flight should be offered. People shouldn’t have to chase down a flight attendant for it. Of course they do sell things on the flight but for absurd prices. Luckily, we saved money sharing. We bought one checked bag and one meal. We also opted to not pay ahead of time for seat selection and were given two seats together! Lesson learned: I probably won’t be flying this airline again unless the prices are irresistibly cheaper than other airlines. But Norwegian is going bankrupt so they probably wont exist by the next time I go to Europe.

The Flights Between Cities

Over the course of the week, we also flew on two budget friendly airlines including Vueling and Transavia. Those flights were very short, about an hour maximum each. We had no issues with seats or baggage. Everything was smooth except for the hour delay on Transavia. Fortunately, our flight was so early in the morning that the hour delay didn’t bother us, we hung out in an airport lounge.

*Tip* I prefer to book short flights between countries very early in the morning to maximize the day.

Barcelona

I was psyched to visit Barcelona, mostly because it is where The Cheetah Girls 2 was shot. The weather was the best of all the places we visited. It was low 70’s in the day and mid 50’s at night, perfect Spring weather. After we landed in Barcelona–El Prat Airport, we gathered our bags and got on the train. Figuring out how to take the train was a process but we found an attendant who spoke English and explained the whole thing, even got us a deal with our metro pass.

After we dropped off our stuff at the Airbnb, (which was located in Eixample) we headed to Mercado de La Boqueria. Boqueria is one of Europe’s largest and most famous food markets. At this point, we were traveling with my cousin who studied abroad in Barcelona the previous summer, so she was familiar with the area. After stuffing our faces with delicious food at the Boqueria, we walked around La Ramblas, took pictures then headed to a beautiful rooftop bar with a pool called 1848, before heading back to get ready for dinner and a night bar hopping. I’ll leave my top recommendations below. Overall, Barcelona has mind-blowing food, beautiful, iconic scenery, and the people are pleasant.

*Tip* Be very aware of pick picketers as Barcelona is one of the worst cities for pick pocketing. Also, most people in Barcelona speak Catalan, not Spanish.

Where To Eat:

1. Boqueria (as mentioned above)

2. Bar Carnete – We had the best dinner here. This restaurant has some of the best tapas in Barcelona. We probably tried almost everything on the menu and it was all fantastic. Make sure to make a reservation ahead time as it fills up quickly.

3. Surf House – Delicious healthy options, great for lunch while walking along the beach in Barceloneta. I had the best chicken burger and smoothie here!

4. Mosquito  – Amazing asian tapas and a range of yummy beers! This restaurant is also in walking distance to plenty of bars.

5. Federal Cafe -Tasty brunch place with outdoor seating.

6. La Pizza del Born -Yummy late night pizza place located near a strip of bars in El Born.

7. Boheme – Great cafe for a quick inexpensive morning pastry.

Where To Drink:

1. Hotel 1898 Rooftop

2. Iberostar Rooftop

3. Pasparcu

4. Miramelindo

5. Bo Kaap

6. Espit Chupitos (shot bar with over 600 different shots )

What To Do:

1. La Ramblas – a busy tourist area with a lot of restaurants, stores and fantastic architecture

2. Sagrada Familia – known as the most important work of Antonio Gaudi and Barcelona’s most visited monument.

3. Barceloneta– a beautiful area right near the beach with a bunch of boats, bars and restaurants. I adored this area, it reminded me of Venice Beach, CA.

4. Park Guell – A very famous park built between 1900 and 1914 by the famous architect Antonio Gaudi. Make sure to book tickets ahead of time to enter.

Next up, Paris!

The post 10 Day Euro Trip | Guide to Barcelona appeared first on The Fire Inside.

I believe that being emotionally intelligent can literally solve all your problems in life. But actually, it really can! I took an assessment as well as training at my job on emotional intelligence and learned a multitude. According to Psychology Today, “Emotional Intelligence (EQ or EI) can be defined as the ability to understand, manage, and effectively express one’s own feelings, as well as engage and navigate successfully with those of others.”Research suggests that EI is responsible for as much as 80 percent of the “success” in our lives.

What I learned about becoming more emotionally intelligent has drastically changed my life, made me more empathetic and has made me the most resilient I’ve ever been. What really can divide people, make us lash out uncontrollable, curse at inanimate objects, or do destructive things is all a lack of emotional control.

The most broken I’ve ever felt was after me and my ex-boyfriend broke up. I was emotionally in shambles and honestly uninterested in life and didn’t see a way to move forward. So dramatic right! Believe me I know. But when I was going through it, it felt so true. During this time, I also lost someone I really cared about, my role model, my confidant, the woman who motivated me behind words, helped raise me and guided me to all the success I accomplished in my young life. Let’s just say it was an extremely difficult year. I really thought I wouldn’t find a way to ever feel emotionally stable again. I was a mess. Like randomly cry in public mess. But I found a light at the end of the tunnel. Every person no matter if they are good or bad, comes in your life to teach you a lesson. During this time, I discovered self-help books, Ted talks, new friends, and all these inspirational social media platforms. As well I engaged in an emotional intelligence training that opened my eyes to a whole new way to approach challenges in life.

A lot of what we learn about emotional control comes from the environment in which we grew up. Many people are not taught how to control their emotions and therefore have trouble identifying how they feel and have difficulty expressing it. When they do express it, it’s often not in a constructive manner. Now I am not an emotional intelligent guru yet (disclaimer because I’m working on getting there) but I have learned some things about how to take a step back when overwhelmed with emotion, and discovered methods to evaluate my feelings before allowing myself to react.

Here are five tips I’ve learned and have put into practice:

• Don’t take everything personally.

Accept that you do not have control over every situation and let things unfold as they are supposed too. The only person you can control is you. So next time that jerk at work says they thought your idea was horrible, don’t take that comment personally. Thank them for sharing their opinion and move on! You are not a horrible person, you are brilliant and you took a risk presenting your idea. Be proud of yourself for being vulnerable and speaking up, then revise and ameliorate your idea because you know you’re a boss and your ideas are worth sharing! The only people who can hurt your feelings are the ones who you allow to do so.

• Get to know yourself

This is VITAL. Understanding yourself, including knowing your habits and patterns will help you when interacting with others. The longest relationship you will ever have is with yourself so take care of you. Invest in yourself; seek mentors, books, and other resources to accomplish your goals. Without self-knowledge you cannot have self-acceptance. Without self-acceptance, you cannot have self-love. 

• Channel your frustration into an activity

In moments of pressure, remain calm and composed. Later, release you anger through a hobby that helps you relax and reflect. For me, its journaling, listening to my favorite playlist on Spotify, reading, exercising, or meaningful conversations with loved ones.

• Gather your thoughts before expressing your emotions

Meditate, lie down, have a glass of wine, sit in a quiet room and think. Let out the ugly cry, scream if you need too and just release the emotion you’re feeling. Then gather yourself, think about your situations from different perspectives, look for the positive in all this, and find ways to be proactive about the situation, afterward react. Meaning schedule that talk with your significant other, boss, friend, family, or who ever when you’re better equipped to handle the situation.

• Approach all situations with empathy.

Feel everything! Let yourself feel whatever it is you are going through. Understand the attitude, thoughts and feelings of yourself and others. Don’t just push people away if they do something you don’t agree with, communicate instead! No one is a mind reader!

And lastly one of my favorite quotes to live by, “If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.” -Daniel Goleman

Peace & love,

-Sosh[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

The post Feel Like Lashing Out? Do This Instead appeared first on The Fire Inside.