the one-year wonder
Every version of me is audibly screaming and gasping at the fact that I am typing in a blog that I created and is celebrating a one-year anniversary. Who knew Mrs. Commitment Issues could actually commit to something? Come on, consistency!
Okay, maybe consistency is a stretch. But however infrequent and sporadic my posts were, I still made them. And I’m still here.
Truth is, the actual anniversary was a little over a month ago, November 3rd, to be exact. But if any of you remember from my last post, I was knee-deep in some very big feelings. I needed a major time-out so I reluctantly granted myself the permission to breathe and reboot, in the words of my girl Carrie Bradshaw. Thankfully, I think I’ve made it to the other side—or some version of it, at least.
Still, I’ve found so much appreciation in the journey here: to Year One.
If you’ve been around long enough, you know I’m not typically one for seeing things all the way through. It’s something I’ve historically struggled with. That was until this wonderland I’ve created for myself.
The Local Hot Girl isn’t just a website or a blog—it’s my own personal love letter to becoming.
This has been a year of choosing myself in public. A year of proof that I kept showing up, even when I didn’t know where it would lead. An archive of who I was brave enough to become. Growth, grief, and getting back up.
Somehow, by letting myself be seen here, I started learning how to see myself more clearly, too. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I disappointed myself. I also can’t begin to explain how many times I’ve amazed myself. There were moments I felt completely at one with myself, and others where I felt the furthest I’ve ever been. Sometimes, it feels like I spent the entire year in one extreme or another.
The most agonizing part? Still having to figure out a way through it all, because life kept requiring me to be present every day. I kept waiting for a newer version of me to come and save me from this level of adulting, because surely this couldn’t all be on me? All of it has just felt far too grown-up, like, I’m literally just a girl.
Whenever those moments of discomfort, doubt, and uncertainty hit, they hit hard. Some days, the weight of it all felt unbearable, like I was wading through molasses just to keep going. Then clarity would arrive after months of confusion and realign me, making every moment of disillusionment worth it. It was illuminating, intoxicating, and to put it plainly, a fucking relief— like taking a deep, soft inhale of clean air after being underwater for too long.
The past twelve months also brought endings I never anticipated, moments that left me unsteady, questioning, and a little off-balance. Some days it felt like the ground beneath me was shifting. But even the unexpected goodbyes brought something valuable: clarity, perspective, and a reminder that honoring your journey means showing up for yourself in spite of everything.
Living through both extremes in full color taught me that the contrast itself is what makes growth tangible. While the lows sharpened my understanding of Self, the highs reminded me of my why. Everything needed to happen, and I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
2025 was all about finding my footing, learning how to honor myself, and figuring out what it really means to create and curate something that’s mine. Despite the stumbles, missteps, and moments of “why the FUCK did I do that,” I learned to trust myself, embrace the disruptions, and keep moving forward, even when life is a hot ass mess.
One year in, and I can honestly say I’m starting to feel less rushed, less performative, and more rooted in what feels true—and that feels like the real milestone.
I’m not really a “resolution” kind of girl, but I do have a boatload of prayers I’ve made to God and silent promises I’ve made to myself that I intend to keep. I’m sincerely over this whole “survival” thing where I cross my fingers and hope I make it out alive. It’s silly because I know better, but I kept thinking that if I could just gain a little more control, I could handle whatever life threw at me with more ease. The trick to thriving though isn’t control, it’s surrendering, which I am becoming more of an expert at every day.
So here’s to me, continuing to show up in all my messy, brilliant, and sometimes overconfident glory. Here’s also to this little corner of the internet that has somehow survived a whole year of my brain dumping, overthinking, and inconsistent consistency. I built this space for me, and somehow it’s also become a home for the unfiltered and unapologetic. And honestly, that feels so damn good. That is a win to me.
I don’t know exactly what 2026 has in store, and that’s the fun part. But I do know this: I’m committed to learning, laughing, and care a fuck-ton less. You can expect a little more purpose, a little more rhythm, a little more audacity without pretending I have it all figured out. And if that’s not the perfect way to celebrate a blog-aversary, I don’t know what is.
Cheers to one year in, and a whole lot more to come—chaos, clarity, and all things local, hot, and girly ✨
ciao for now —
always, in always ♥︎
