Hey Y'all! I know it has been a hot minute since I last posted. The last few weeks were filled with presentations, finishing senior projects, family coming into town, and graduation. I passed all my classes and now, I am officially a college graduate! A few weeks shy of four year ago, I graduated from high school. I had my life planned out - college for a degree, then my career path to basically running a Fortune 500 company, traveling for work for a few years then settling down, having kids, loving my job, eventually to retire and love retirement. I was always told how important a 5-year plan was, well I had a 50-year plan. Today, that isn't the case. I thought I wanted to work a big fancy job and be the boss of everyone. I think the reality is, I wanted to be my own boss and that was how I saw that happening. I wanted to work a job that let me travel the world. The reality is I want to travel and the idea of being paid to travel was appealing. I still want to have kids but I want to foster kids too. I still want to love my job but I want to love my life while I have my job. I was talking with a friend a few months ago and one thing she said really stuck with me, "Are you willing to spend a few years of your life living like most people won't so you can live the rest of your life living like most people can't?" And I have slowly realized over the past few months that the answer to that question for me, is yes. I have dreams of ideas and businesses that I want to pursue but that isn't a life most people want. It is however, a life I want. "Are you willing to spend a few years of your life living like most people won't, so you can live the rest of your life living like most people can't?" I want to be my own boss. I want to run with my dreams and ideas until they become a success. I want to make my life and the lives of the people around me better in small ways everyday. So that is what I am going to do. I keep getting asked, "What are you doing now that you are graduated? What is your plan for your life?" What am I doing - whatever I want. Specifically right now, I am pursuing a few business ideas in Tuscaloosa. What is my plan for my life - to love what I do, to be the healthiest I can be, and to help others love their life and be healthy. So, for those of you wondering, that is my current plan. For those of you not wondering, here is a picture of Faith being cute. Oh, and anyone reading this that has dogs that like to chew, the Nylabone ® DuraChew ® toys (Faith is chewing on one above) are phenomenal. We have 2, both dogs love them, and they seem to never die. Not kidding. Also, just for the record, this is not a paid advertisement, it is just my honest opinion on a toy my dogs love. The company doesn't even know I exist. Anyway, that is my current plan which means y'all get to follow along as I learn what it takes to start a business, what life looks like when you don't have a job immediately after college, and how to make my life look like what I want it to. And if you want to follow along in snapshots, I just started an Instagram @livinglifewithlyss ! Have a great Friday!

30 Day Challenge - Day 29

One day left of my challenge. That is so exciting! I am so proud of myself for getting this far. So yesterday was, as every Wednesday has been for me for the past while, chapter for my sorority. But, unlike normal, we had our event for graduating seniors. It was super sweet, my adorable twin gave me a sweet gift and I cried when people kept telling me how much they loved me and will miss me. [caption width="4032" align="aligncenter"] Look at my pretty little badge and the tiny alumni pin I got tonight!![/caption] If we are being 100% honest, I almost didn't join Sigma Kappa. And after I did, I almost dropped like 5 times. But, I decided to stick it out and somehow, at some point, made an impact on people - some of which I think I have spoken to a grand total of 3 times all year. I just want you (I am assuming people are still reading at this point, but who knows? Maybe someone is still reading my corner of the internet. Maybe everyone got bored and ditched me after day 2. Wow, that is a sad thought. Moving on...), I want you to know that what you do, what you say, the smile you wear, the tears you share, has an impact on the people around you. You might not feel it, you might not see it, and you may never know who but people watch you and know you and love you and suport you from the sidelines. I don't say this to make you self-consious, I don't say this to make you question everything in your life (graduation does that all on it's own and doesn't need my help 😊), I say this because it is true. When I graduated high school, when I left my last 3 jobs, and now as I leave Sigma Kappa at UA, I am reminded that we are not islands meant to live life alone. We are called to live as examples of who Christ is and how He has changed us. People notice. Not because you do something flashy. Not because you do something big. Simply because you love. Sorry for getting all sappy on you. Apparently graduation approaching has me feeling all the feels (as the cool kids say). Anyways, I want you to take today and tell someone that has had am impact on you - preferably a peer or someone younger than you - that they have had an effect on your life. Seriously, go love on someone today just because you can. I'll see you tomorrow to end my challenge!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 28

My challenge is coming to an end and is getting harder to complete this week. I have meetings for quite a bit of the day for the rest of the week because senior projects are all due either this week or next. We were going to go to the gym yesterday but both rec centers were closed for Staff Appreciation Night so that didn't happen. We are going to try again on Thursday. Last night, I was given a super sweet senior gift from Sigma Kappa with tons of stuff INCLUDING A MINI WAFFLE IRON! How cute is that?!?! I'm so excited to get to use it! Sorry for the late night post again but I forgot to post earlier this morning. I hope your Wednesday has been fabulous and that your Thursday starts off well too!!

30 Day Challenge - Day 27

I have 18 days left until I graduate undergrad. That is crazy. It feels like junior year just started. Freshman year feels like it was four years ago but the last two seem to have flow by. Yesterday, the university put on their annual Senior SendOff where seniors get to go on the field at Bryant-Denny and take photos. Georgia and I went, ran into several friends while there, and took a few pictures. And by a few, I mean I have 387 pictures on my phone and Georgia has about 20 more on her phone. Man, am I glad to have digital cameras and not film cameras anymore. It was so bright outside that it was hard to see the screen a lot of times which resulted in me just hitting the button about 15 times trying to get a photo that looked right. Also, I would like it to be noted that the 3 years of yearbook in high school taught me how to take a half-way decent photo of people and I am kinda proud of that. Anyways, wanna see some photos? I hope your answer was yes because you are getting photos regardless :) (But not too many photos because Georgia doesn't want me posting all her photos before she does). This was the face I made anytime someone walked behind us and messed up the background of our photos. "Oh, but what if you fly?" 18 days till I have 0 commitments. That is terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. I can do whatever I want with the world at my finger tips but at the same time, I can do basically anything which makes narrowing that search down a bit difficult. If you have any clue how to narrow that search down, help would be much appreciated. Y'all have a great Tuesday!

30 Day Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 of my challenge happened to be the same day I took senior photos. I'm so excited to graduate so, while that isn't my exciting, relaxing, or new thing that I have done, I feel like it is worth noting. I mentioned yesterday that we were celebrating my roommate's 22 birthday today. We had a ton of fun and danced and sang along with country singer Frank Ray at a local bar. However, even though I told myself I was not going to forget to take photos before we left, I forgot to take photos before we left. So instead, here is one of the senior photos of my roommate and I. My next goal I am going to work on is taking photos at every event that I go to. I am awful at remembering to take photos because I am really good at remembering events. The catch is, only I can see the photos in my head. So, if I want to share a memory with someone, I have to verbally explain it which works sometimes, but sometimes you just need a picture. I am going to work on taking photos for everything I do that fits this challenge. No promises, but that is my secondary challenge for myself - take photos regularly. Okay, I had better sign off before I try to tackle too many things at once. Let's see what tomorrow brings!

senior – Loving Life with Lyss

Life Plans

I Graduated!

May 10, 2019

Hey Y'all! I know it has been a hot minute since I last posted. The last few weeks were filled with presentations, finishing senior projects, family coming into town, and graduation. I passed all my classes and now, I am officially a college graduate!

Read More

Lyss
30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge – Day 29

April 18, 2019

One day left of my challenge. That is so exciting! I am so proud of myself for getting this far.

Read More

Lyss
30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge – Day 28

April 17, 2019

My challenge is coming to an end and is getting harder to complete this week. I have meetings for quite a bit of the day for the rest of the week because senior projects are all due either this week or next. We were going to go to the gym yesterday but both rec centers were closed for Staff Appreciation…

Read More

Lyss
30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge – Day 27

April 16, 2019

I have 18 days left until I graduate undergrad. That is crazy. It feels like junior year just started. Freshman year feels like it was four years ago but the last two seem to have flow by.

Read More

Lyss
30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge – Day 4

March 25, 2019

Day 4 of my challenge happened to be the same day I took senior photos. I’m so excited to graduate so, while that isn’t my exciting, relaxing, or new thing that I have done, I feel like it is worth noting. I mentioned yesterday that we were celebrating my roommate’s 22 birthday today. We had a ton of fun and…

Read More

Lyss