Confessions of a Reformed Introvert.

I know, I know… it’s been a while since my last post. But in my defense, I’ve been busy.

Somewhere between girls' dinners, weekend walks, coffee dates, and saying yes to plans I normally would've avoided, I realized something: my love affair with this city keeps growing. And maybe, so does my confidence in it... and in myself.

Which brings me to a realization I've been having lately.

For most of my life, I've described myself the same way: shy, a little introverted, someone who doesn't love putting herself out there.

So when I moved to London the first time, I remember telling people, "This is so unlike me." (if you're new to my story, or familiar but forgot the details, go back and check out my previous blogs).

Now fast forward.

I'm sitting in the back of an Uber with one of my new friends, yes, one of, meaning there are multiple now, talking about dinners I've been to, coffee dates I've set up, and an upcoming girls' night out that I somehow found myself organizing.

And somewhere in that conversation, I said it again. "That's so unlike me.” But this time, I caught myself. How many times can something be "unlike me" before it actually... isn't?

Because at some point, if you're the one making the plans, showing up to the dinners, moving across the world, and introducing friends to other friends... maybe that's not outside your comfort zone anymore. Maybe that's just your life.

Now don't get me wrong. Walking into an event alone is still mildly terrifying. If given the option, I'd still choose showing up with a friend and a glass of wine in hand… but, baby steps.

But I think for a long time, I held onto the identity of being shy because it was comfortable. It gave me an excuse to stay where I was. And the longer I stayed there, the easier it became to believe that was simply who I was.

But this time, I wasn't moving to London with a temporary mindset, I was moving here to really try to build a life and I think I’ve done a pretty good job.

So maybe it's time I retire the phrase, "That's so unlike me.” Because maybe...it's actually very me.