Hi, I’m Yvonne, thank you for visiting my blog! Are you wondering what living the cozy life means?
cozy (adjective): giving a sense of comfort, warmth and relaxation
When I speak of living the cozy life, I’m talking a lifestyle. Not one of chunky sweaters and crackling fireplaces and hot cocoa (though there’s nothing wrong with those things – I love them!). I’m referring to a mindset that embraces a way of life society doesn’t value much anymore. Things that matter such as our families, faith, and home. A focus on simplicity so cozy can manifest no matter what season of life you find yourself.
The cozy life wasn’t always part of my nature. I’m NYC-born and bred, so there was always buzz, distractions, and enticements. It was easy to get caught up in the hype, to live a lifestyle that got thrust upon me, instead of a life more genuine to my soul.
In 2005, it changed. God found me. Don’t worry, I won’t get preachy on you, it’s just the truth. He grounded me, gave me a center. It doesn’t mean my life is perfect. But in times of chaos and confusion, I can now return to center. A place of comfort, warmth, and peace. Out of that center, cozy manifests in my outer life, as I surround myself with the people, things and activities that bring me joy.
You don’t have to be spiritual to experience the cozy life. Maybe you’ve heard of a popular buzzword these days – “hygge”. Hygge is “a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a spirit of contentment or well-being”. That’s the goal.
Can I share something? I was the valedictorian of my junior-high graduating class. But instead of attending a high school that emphasized intellectual prowess, I chose a school that nurtured creativity. I loved writing, and I loved photography, and my dream was to be a photojournalist, a la National Geographic. I didn’t want to get involved in law or economics or science. Those things didn’t speak to my soul.
Being a mom at 16 didn’t speak to my soul either, but that’s where I found myself. I kept the baby, dropped out of high school, and got my GED. I got a job and filed my own taxes by hand (Turbo Tax wasn’t around yet). It was easy. I did it as my “side-hustle” until 1996 when I opened my business on a full-time basis. I’m self-taught and self-made. But I was lacking something.
One of the fun things with finding my center was rediscovering my artistic side. As I got older and busier, I didn’t stress creativity’s importance. Ursula K. LeGuin said, “It’s good to have an end to journey towards – but it’s the journey that matters in the end.” With our lives often out of balance, we need these outlets to restore and refresh our souls. Work cannot be our sole focus in life.
I’m working towards change, and that’s the purpose of this blog. It will allow me to get back to my original passions of writing and photography and explore new interests. And you’re thinking: aren’t there enough of these types of blogs out there? Everyone has a unique voice and perspective and special gifts to share. While we may explore many of the same topics, our methods of teaching, inspiring and communicating resonate in different ways with different people. What’s great with having this platform is I can be me. And I can serve you in a way no one else can.
My hope is you’ll find meaningful, valuable, inspiring, confidence-building content you incorporate into your life to enhance the things you do every day. I hope you’ll find encouragement to slow down, embrace simplicity, and see the value in the ordinary.
Come on this journey with me and find your own path to a balanced, fulfilling, cozy life. Cheers to new experiences, discoveries, and creating an authentic life.
Cozily yours,
Yvonne
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.”
– Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go