About Me- An Amateur Blogger, Professional Adventure Seeker
Hello new friends, and welcome to The Postcard Philosophy. My name is Stephanie, and for years I have wanted to create a space where I can share my love of adventure and show others that they can do it too! After 26 years of struggling with finding my place in the world- here we are. I’m no professional by any means, just a girl who loves to tell stories and share her love of adventure!
I come from a small town in Florida where your options for “fun” are Disney or the beach. This may sound like a dream to some of you- but for me, I have always been drawn to the novelty of learning a new place. Having lived in Florida my whole life, and not having much travel experience growing up, outside of the East Coast, I made it my goal in college to adventure more and do more.
In my last semester at Florida State University, I decided to take the leap and spend a semester abroad in Florence, Italy. I was incredibly excited to live my own version of the Lizzie McGuire movie, but also super anxious for what this would entail (that’s a story for another time). My time abroad was beautiful (and a bit challenging), and of course since then, I have become the girl who went to Italy once and won’t shut up about it.
Immediately after returning, I knew that a lifetime full of travel had to be in my future. Nothing is more invigorating than experiencing something new that truly puts you outside of your comfort zone. Unfortunately, reality hit me pretty hard in the face as I graduated just one day after I returned from my program. With barely a dollar to my name and no idea what the future held or what I wanted to do, I knew I would have to put my travel dreams on hold and embark on what I considered, the “real path to adulthood”.
After graduating, I began a graduate degree in Public Administration at Florida Gulf Coast University in 2018, thinking I may want to work for a non-profit, or even the government…you know, a “normal” job. After a year and half of grad school, Covid-19 entered from stage left and ruined it all. I graduated in the middle of a pandemic, and could not find a job ANYWHERE. Life was stressful. And yet still all I wanted to do was see the world.
Luckily, I was offered a job working for an Aquatics Management company in Charlotte, NC two months after graduation. With hardly a thought, I picked up my life and moved to North Carolina by myself. In the middle of a pandemic. Not knowing a single soul. And unfortunately, after just a short time there, I realized the job just wasn’t for me, and neither was North Carolina. I hated sitting at a desk all day, dealing with a job that robbed me of my mental peace and enjoyment of life. Can you believe the 9-5 still exists??
So- I quit, and took off to visit family in New Mexico, with no plan for what was next. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a little scary. I decided I really wanted the freedom of a remote job- where I could go anywhere and do whatever I wanted. I spent some time applying for new roles, and once again, in a twist of fate and luck, I was offered an amazing role that would allow me to do the things I loved on the side and not go broke doing it.
After 6 months in my new role, my boyfriend and I decided to make the jump and move out to Colorado, to capitalize on the adventure of the West. In just two short months of 2022, I have had more adventure than I could’ve imagined. It really is a dream.
So, how did we get to The Postcard Philosophy? When I think waaaay back on my life, I have always loved to write. I even used to write my own short stories as a kid (complete with illustrations and all). Writing has always been my strongest subject, and the one I truly had a passion for. I have tried year after year to begin writing in varying capacities, even just for fun. I’d be lying if I said my Word files aren’t full of 100, six-page stories I have never finished.
I even made an honest attempt at starting this blog in 2021, but quickly got sucked back into the reality of a job that gave no time for “hobbies”. One year later, I have decided that the only thing stopping me from embarking on something I dream about daily- is myself.
So, here we are. And here you are! If you are reading this, you are probably a lot like me; someone who craves adventure and doesn’t want to settle for a life where you are watching others through the Instagram window. I hear you. Maybe you want to start traveling, and don’t know where to start. Regardless, I am here to share my experiences and hopefully encourage you to do the same.
I have become an expert at “the weekend” trip, taking trips with limited time and limited money. The truth is, adventure doesn’t need to be “big”. Adventure comes in all shapes and sizes, you just have to find what works for you, and I’m here to help!
The intention of The Postcard Philosophy is to show the magic behind travel and exploration, and show you how to find it and share it with others. After all, the purpose behind a postcard is to send it off to the world to share the excitement of where you’ve been. I’m not an influencer, or a professional traveler, or even a person qualified to make a blog. I’m just a girl who loves to travel and write and tell stories. I do hope you will join me on my journey, and maybe even start your own, and live The Postcard Philosophy!
See you soon <3
Stephanie
