I'm Moving Into My First Apartment in Columbus, Ohio! (What's Next For Me)

The day is finally here! For those of you who have been following my blog over the years, you may know that I've been living with my parents the whole time I've been blogging. After all, I am only 20 years old. I've had a far from normal teenage life since I spent most of my time home schooled and in & out of the hospital. Not to mention, trying to grow a business (GlutenAway, now HaleLife) with just my mom and myself has definitely taken a lot of my time. Overall, I've been so incredibly grateful for the memories I've made and the experience I've gotten over the years. But you could imagine that I'm more than ready to live on my own and finally be my own age too. This month, I'll be moving back to Columbus, Ohio to live with a couple of roommates who are not gluten-free. What to expect from this new experience and journey? I don't know! But you can bet that I'll be blogging and sharing all about it the whole way 😊

Why I'm moving to Columbus, Ohio:

Columbus, Ohio is actually where I was born and raised! I've moved 16 times before but this city is where all of my fondest memories are from. It's great that much of my family and friends still live in Columbus but what's even better is the new opportunities I have in place. Working with a gluten-free college support group, doing marketing for a gluten-free company, and even going to college myself is what I have ahead. But mainly I'm most excited to know that moving to Columbus will improve my overall lifestyle.

Much of my life in Florida has been spent indoors due to my adrenal disorder. It's extremely hard for me to be out in humid or hot weather due to it being such a big stress on my body. So you can imagine living in Florida where almost all activities are based outdoors makes it very difficult to live a happy lifestyle. Sure, there will still be months in Columbus where it is hot, but at least it will be far fewer hot months. Plus I'll have more time to do the things that I want to do in my free time.

What I learned from living in Tampa for 5 years:

I mainly decided to move to Tampa 5 years ago because I was in dire need to feel better. I loved the area and I knew Tampa had the best doctors to help me feel better. As ready as I am to move back to Ohio, I definitely have to acknowledge that living in Tampa has helped me grow as an individual and allowed me to feel as healthy as I am today. I learned what it's like to be more independent, what it's like to have different relationships, and especially what lifestyles fit me the most. Without living here, I wouldn't be who I am today and I wouldn't have the opportunity to move at all. Overall, living in Tampa has made my parents very happy too and that's all that I can ask for. My time living here has shaped me into who I am and I think that's a perspective we can all have for any situation in life. Good or bad, any situation can shape you into a better person as long as you choose to learn from it in that way.

What's next for me:

I'm not too sure where this next part of life will take me but all that I know is that I'll be busy and I'll surely learning a lot. I'm certain I'll encounter some difficulties along the way but that's what this next part of life is all about! I'm sure you remember what it was like to move out for the first time too. Either way, I'll still be running my blog and doing the things that I love for all of you. I'll still be posting to GlutenAway (now HaleLife), going to all the expos, and trying my best to make a difference in the gluten-free community. Hopefully this time of my life will allow me to leave the sick days in the past and put the best days ahead of me but only time will tell. I look forward to sharing this next adventure with you and I'm excited to have you all a part of it along the way!

Is there anything you'd like to see me blog about during this next part of my life? Comment below!