New Zealand…New Nicole

I’m sitting here in the Auckland airport looking at all the planes go past me arriving and landing.

Airplanes have been Mm home for the last 2 days since I just got back from Fiji, grabbed my stuff in Welly and took off again to LA. Coming back to Wellington was such a tease and made me get all emotional about leaving. I cried when I took off. I cried when I landed. And I cried in-between that. I even cried as I walked through security. I know. I’m ridiculous.

I didn’t know New Zealand would have this big of an impact on me and be so hard to leave!! But I’m so grateful it did because it made me a better person. I feel new as I close this chapter and enter into this next season of life. Now I’m cherishing and soaking in all the little revelations I’ve had while studying abroad.

Here’s what God taught me:

• How to budget/keep track of money
• How to plan a trip. Going to Rotorua, Sydney, the South Island and Fiji were some of the greatest decisions I made.
• To get out of my comfort zone and talk to people. Traveling solo… HELLO!
• Milkshakes in NZ are flavored milk. (Thick shakes are American Milkshakes)
• To rest. I never realized how busy I have been my whole life! Me and relaxing have a love/hate relationship but it’s getting better
• To say no to what’s good so I can say yes to what’s best. This one was a big one that kind of hit me in the face and took some time to wrap my mind around. Sometimes I find myself just doing things for the sake of doing them and staying busy because I don’t feel “worthy” if I’m not producing something. FALSE. Existing and just “being” is enough and God wants us to STOP each day to bask in His presence and acknowledge the fact that our worthiness doesn’t come from how many things we check off the list that day.
• If I want something I have to put in the work to make it happen. No one is going to do it for me.
• Shearing Sheep is really fun
• Try new things and let them fail! How else are you supposed to get better?
• God looks at our future and not our past
  • He accepts us as we are, but sees us as who we will be

I just realized that I could go on and on about the things I have learned and experienced in New Zealand, but I’m noticing that I wouldn’t have learned many of these things without this journey. Isn’t is crazy how God moved me half way around the world to teach me these things? That just shows how far He will go for us. He invests in His children because He loves YOU. and me, and everyone He created. WOWOW. My mind is constantly blown.

Now I want you to know how truly thankful I am that you are in my life, at whatever level. Your support, love and friendship mean SO much to me and I’m blessed to have you following my crazy life and reading this blog. It has been such a privilege to share with you through various forms of social media and I hope maybe just one thing has encouraged you. If it has, share with a friend and let me know what more things you would like to see me post whether its Photos, Blogs or YouTube videos.

Life is so great and I know this is just the beginning. I will miss New Zealand so much, but God is sending me back NEW which is half of the country. 😉 But real talk: I am so ready for some DisneyLand, proper ice cream and BBQ. #Merica

See ya soon mates,

Nicole xx