Urge to Splurge

This month's Urge to Splurge is a little different. Struggling from writers block and unsure about the story I started, I began to think about the word splurge and what it meant. One definition I found was to indulge oneself in luxury or pleasure. Here at Pink we like to take a theme or story and look at it from all sides. Every woman has a story and things aren't always black and white.  We have all splurged on something at some point in our lives. It doesn't always have to involve simply spending a large amount of money on a lavish item. The stories we have shared so far have been more than that. A splurge can be a decision to change your life, to make things better or to go after a dream.

I started to think about what I have splurged on. As a broke 23 year old it hasn't been much. My paycheck goes straight to my small apartment and paying my student loan back. I'm lucky if I get to splurge on a new shirt every few months and even then I look for a sale.

But then it hit me that I recently made one of the biggest splurges of my life so far. I splurged on going after my dreams and finally starting my life as an adult.

They warn you in high school how important it is to think about what you want to do when you graduate.  Then you spend 4+ years in college preparing for it.

My first "real" job as I like to call it was for a small weekly paper in my very small hometown of Barnwell, SC. It was a good job. I gained some much needed experience.

While I was content doing what I was doing, it wasn't what I wanted to do forever.  One, because as I mentioned, it was in my hometown. I was living with my parents and hanging out with the people I had known forever. Two, I wasn't sure newspapers were exactly "my thing." And three, it wasn't my dream job, and I wanted my dream job.

So I finally decided to do it. I debated on where to live, what to do and how to do it. I have always wanted to work for a magazine and have dreamed of living at the beach. I thought about Charleston, Wilmington, somewhere I had never heard of maybe?

On a weekend trip to Hilton Head, I met someone who told me their company was hiring, so we arranged an interview the next day. I didn't get the job but it made me ask myself "Why not Hilton Head?" I have come here for vacations all my life and I absolutely love it here. Who wouldn't want to live here? But could I afford it? Probably not. Could I get a job here? And not just any job, but my dream job? Were there any magazines published on the island?

I decided to go for it and find out the hard way. I went back to Barnwell, researched every possible magazine I could, printed out resumes, put in my two weeks notice and told my parents I was finally moving out. My dad was skeptical. "Shouldn't you get a job before you quit the one you have?" he asked me, many times. "Well dad, I've kind of already quit."

So I moved. After the reality check of having to pay rent again, I decided I needed to get serious with my job search. I discovered Pink Magazine and something told me this was where I wanted to work. On this island searching for an office building was a lot harder than I expected. But I finally found it. I handed over my resume and two interviews later, I had the job. I was so excited! I went straight to the beach with that month's issue and read every word.

So I had finally done it. I had a new apartment and a great job. But it hit me recently how lucky I really was. I'm a believer that everything happens for a reason. As I took in my surroundings, I realized that things were falling into place and the plan for my life was starting to take shape.

My apartment I'm living in wasn't my first choice. It is old and kind of ugly. But I love it more everyday and as I sit on my balcony listening to the ocean, I realize that I have something I have dreamed of since I was a little girl. Plus, my job at Pink has turned into something more than a job.
When I was asked what I wanted to do after school I always answered "work for a magazine." But I never dreamed of Vogue or Cosmo. The truth is I love South Carolina, small towns and being close to my friends and family. I didn't want to move to New York or L.A. But I wasn't sure if I would find what I was looking for if I didn't. I use to tell my friends I would just start my own magazine. "What would it be about?" they asked me. I never knew exactly, but I knew it would be about what I feel is important and what feels good to me.

With Pink I found exactly that. With Pink I am part of a family. I learn everyday about things I didn't know. I get to sell a product I believe in, share my creativity, write, meet amazing women and have fun. My last job didn't throw a party every month!

People may look at a splurge as different things. My splurge may not be a splurge in the typical sense, but I feel like it was. I had an urge to get my life started, to go after what I had wanted for so long, and to indulge myself in the pleasure of making my dreams come true. So I did. I live at the beach and I work for Pink Magazine. I love saying that!