Living Fully Alive Stateside
If you follow along on Instagram you know that I’m back in the US! Yay Lacroix, Starbucks, bagel sandwiches and American everything!
My Italian adventure came to an end this past December. It was an experience like no other and I know that it will be forever referenced as the most magical time in my life.
I was detached from any and all responsibilities in the US and sent to a new foreign place. It was a leap that took me way outside my comfort zone but also answered forever dreams. (Here’s an IG post that talks all about this leap + those dreams.) I called my moving-to-Milan my “trust trip” because with knowing zero people and no Italian beyond “Ciao!", I had no choice but to expect that the Lord would meet me there.
When I arrived He showed up in everything.
I formed lifelong, heaven-sent relationships and my day to day felt like a dream. My Italian roommate, Fiore, wished me on my way to class and my favorite barista always had a cappuccino and fresh chocolate croissant ready for me at the cafe outside my apartment every day. On my morning walk, I watched the Italians rush to work on their Vespas. Trust me, Italians are just as cool as they sound. I would spend my afternoons working at a Franciscan run soup kitchen (Here’s an IG post about them!), exploring new parts of the city or popping into my favorite vintage stores. On Thursday evenings I would take a short trip to another country or Italian town for the weekend. Paris, Assisi, and The Almafi Coast were my favorite European stops. (See my IG highlights here for more travel pics!)
I learned, grew, and loved life more than I thought possible. I found myself living fully alive to the max. While experiencing this type of living, I made sure to notice what triggered it. When coming back to my normal life, I made it my goal to re-build a “normal” life that I no longer needed to escape from.
To build a life fully alive wherever you are, here are the “ingredients” I’ve found vital:
DO NOT BE AFRAID
You can be afraid, but do not stay that way! If I would have let fear stop me from seizing this experience, I would not have encountered the abundance that comes from being afraid but trusting anyway.
What are you afraid of? Before every miracle in the bible, you can find Jesus saying, “Do not be afraid!” I now see fear as a miracle signal. It is simply something to push through before the provision, the miracle or the unthinkable happens. Just show up and there He will be. Expect the miraculous!
GIVE YOURSELF SOME SPACE!
We are not made for our all too demanding busy schedules. You are not the internships you have, the clubs you joined or the classes you take. You are not your all-nighters, grades, or accolades. You are a beloved daughter. Period. End of sentence!
In Italy, my only job was to look at things (hahaha). I had no real responsibilities besides some light homework to accomplish. I had SPACE and with it, I realized something super essential:
Happiness and full living will not come from another appointment on your calendar or another organization to belong to. The feeling of full living springs from empty time. We need more space to explore, be creative, connect with others, pray and just BE! I now say way more “no.”
PRIORITIZE CONNECTION
There is nothing that fuels full living more than connecting with others. In Italy, I was always meeting new people, hearing new stories or connecting with someone in a new way.
I found that there is nothing more life-giving than being a human with other humans. Sounds super simple, I know. But really … How often do I throw myself into my phone instead of talking to a stranger next to me? Or stay in my room when my friends come home? Or not reach out to those around me!? Connection changes things. Reach out!
Here’s to 2020 and all the exciting things to come! Thanks, Italy for an epic semester. Now off to Oxford, Ohio to make life just as fulfilling!
In full life,
Caroline
