The Little Adventures in Life
For my first blog, I thought it would be best to explain myself, my goals, and this bucket list a little further because let's be honest most bucket lists include crazy adventures and trips that I could not possibly afford or do within the timespan of a week. My goal is rather to try things that are outside of my comfort zone or sound fun and interesting that I have never done before. This can range from eating a pickle for the first time (that’s right ladies and gentlemen I, Abbie Ashford, have never eaten a pickle) to going skydiving.
I am using this blog to open myself up to others, find new adventures in the most unlikely places, and hopefully have a little fun while I am at it. Given, I probably should have thought a little harder about this considering I work two jobs and have class until 9 pm on Thursdays but in a way, this is why the idea is perfect. It is so vital to relax and do things you enjoy amid all the stresses of everyday life and I hope that is what this blog will provide me. So, I apologize to those who expected me to fight a bear or scale the Eiffel Tower for my bucket list adventure, but I hope this inspires others to discover their passions in the smallest aspects of life; whether it be painting, eating, cooking, or even taking a nap we all have the little loves we want to discover.
To delve a little deeper into myself, I am a Junior at The University of North Carolina majoring in Advertising/Public Relations and Russian Global Studies. I have studied two languages extensively, run an Advertising campaign, and I am currently on a team developing a PR campaign for the Jordan Brand. I have the cutest pet hedgehog, three tattoos, and indescribable love for the color yellow.
As you read in my "About Me" section, I am also clinically diagnosed as Bipolar and OCD. I am not ashamed of that, it does not define my personality nor does it impair me in any significant way hence the reason I am so open about it. Sure, I have extreme mood changes and cannot stand certain parts of my life being out of order, but I am also extremely emotional and devoted to things I care about because of it. I find obsession and passion in the small things, I throw every part of myself into projects, and I find close relationships to be the most important kind. I watch advertisements in my free time along with Mad Men and Disney channel reruns, I clean to de-stress and color-code everything from my calendar to my closet; I am not ashamed of admitting that. I am also not ashamed to say when I make mistakes, to apologize, or to speak up for what I think is wrong. While my brain works differently and makes life hard at times, it has taught me the importance of humility as well as leadership and has shown me the only way to be successful is to throw away the fear of making mistakes and embrace all parts of yourself; even the ones people tell you are ugly.
My goal through this bucket list is to show myself and others that it is ok not to know what you love yet, and it is most certainly ok not to know what you want to be when you grow up. It can be easy for all of us to get so caught up in school and work that we forget to do the things that make us truly happy. For me, that would be a bubble bath with a glass of wine and oldies hits in the background. I know there is more though and these little things can spark something bigger. So, welcome to my bucket list of the little things, I hope you too are inspired to find your small passions that might just turn into something great.