I Believe...

Carrie circa 2003 loved collages. I loved them so much that when I decided to chronicle my senior year of high school with a very amateur scrapbook that I would indeed make a collage out of the cover. And so I did. And when I recently fished said scrapbook out of my parents' garage, I picked through my collage cover with a fine toothed comb and caught a glimpse into eighteen year old Carrie's brain.

My collage consisted mostly of quotes haphazardly cut out of magazines such as Cosmo, Teen Vogue, YM and the like. One particular cut-out was a list of things titled "I Believe..." I remember loving that list so much and it got me thinking... what do I believe in today? What makes me tick? What advice should I have given the Carrie of yesterday given what I know today? I immediately started rattling off items in my head and decided they may be of better use written down. So here goes:

I BELIEVE...

...that you can never have too much good wine, good food, or good company.

...that binge watching a television series is a swell way to spend an entire Sunday.

 ...in being friends with your ex. It didn't work out for a reason. Be happy when he moves on.

...that champagne makes everything better.

...in investing in friendships that matter, and letting go of those that don't. 

...in eating a burger one day and a kale salad the next.

...in being pen pals with long distance friends. Since being removed from your everyday, they usually give the best advice.

...in wearing what makes you feel good. Don't judge a Louis Vuitton bag with a Target dress.

...that siblings make some pretty good friends.

...in loving your body the way it is. Ten years from now you'll hate that you thought you were fat.

...that any song that speaks to you is a great song. Even if that song is "Wrecking Ball."

...in working at a job that makes you happy. Life is too short to have a boss you hate.

...that true love can come from something with fur and four legs. 

...in continuously working on yourself to become a better person. 


Some of today's beliefs align with those listed on my scrapbook cover. Some don't. But that's what happens when you grow up. I don't know that eighteen year old Carrie would have had these same beliefs eleven years ago. And I don't think thirty nine year old Carrie will have these beliefs either. But who knows. All I know is that eighteen year old Carrie would probably think twenty nine year old Carrie is pretty fabulous.