IF YOU ONLY HAD THE CAPACITY TO CHANGE ONE PERSONS LIFE OR REACH ONE PERSON, WOULD YOU DO IT?
— @officiallyquigley

With that mindset on August 14. 2019 I decided to finally get out of my shell, share my story, and help other survivors find the light at the end of the tunnel.

My name is Joëlle, and I am a survivor. [Find my story in my IG highlights, or blog post HERE ]

Today, 2 years and a half later after the divorce, I lead every day with a grateful heart. Every day I remind myself what I have to be grateful for. I have a deeper connection to my soul and a loving relationship with myself. Going through this experience made me the person I am today, and I am proud. I never would have thought that I’d be strong enough, but I just kept going and pushing through. This experience taught me many valuable lessons, but above all it showed me my strength and resilience.

My mission with my blog and Instagram platform is to promote selfcare, empower women and to have a positive relationship with self through visual storytelling of lifestyle driven content (fashion, travel, beauty). I want to raise awareness of Domestic Violence and I hope that by sharing my story it can become a page in someone else’s survival guide, and show them the light at the end of the tunnel.

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for joining this journey with me.

It is okay to ask for help. Don’t be ashamed, don’t blame yourself, it is not your fault. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. YOU ARE STRONG. YOU ARE BRAVE! YOU ARE A SURVIVOR!

Sincerely, Joëlle

Today exactly eight years ago I got on the plane in Hamburg, Germany to fly to JFK, NYC. The plan was to stay for only one year, to learn the language better, to experience the American culture, and to explore the paths of Carrie Bradshaw and Serena van der Woodsen. What I didn’t know when I got on the plane eight years ago, was that I would end up living here and build my entire life in the States.

There is this quote that I stumbled upon this week “New Yorkers are born all over the world, and then they come to New York City and it hits them: Oh that’s who I am.” When I left the airport and saw the tall buildings, all the lights, the masses of people, everyone unique in their own way, I knew that this was the place where I belonged.

My road to permanently living here was definitely not easy, I had so many obstacles in my way and I was so close to throwing the towel and going back home to Hamburg, Germany. BUT because I have the best and most supportive parents and brother ever in Germany, I stayed. I know that sounds backwards, but they encouraged me to keep fighting for my dreams when I felt like giving up. They have always been there for me, and thank goodness to today’s technology What’s App and Skype in particular, I’m able to stay in touch with them all the time. I’m also so grateful for my friends in Germany and all the wonderful friends I’ve made in the states, that have become my family here. I’m so thankful to have such a great support system! I am very excited to see what my future has in store, if it’s living another eight years in the states or if it’s traveling the world, or moving to Paris. Who knows, anything is possible!

My message to you is that sometimes you just have to hold your breath and jump, take the leap. Yes, it will not be easy leaving your family and friends, and going WAY out of your comfort zone can be terrifying, but the best life is lived outside of your comfort zone. Keep on pushing. Take the leap. Learn a new language. Experience a new culture. Travel. Meet new people. Fall in love. All these experiences will shape the strong person you are meant to become. I am so grateful for all the experiences over the past eight years, good and bad, because I learned so much about myself and about how strong I really am. The best life is lived outside of your comfort zone! Take a leap!

I would love to hear more about your stories. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done outside of your comfort one? Are you thinking about taking a leap, but are second guessing yourself? Thank you so much for reading and I can’t wait to read your stories. xx Joëlle

*This is not a sponsored post*

Hello my darlings, so today I’ll be sharing this super cute and comfy jumpsuit from H&M with you, and I also wanted to talk to you guys about motivation and optimism.

Do you sometimes feel like time is running so fast and you are not able to catch your breath? There are so many things on your list and you feel like you don’t have enough time for the things that really matter to you, and your own personal growth? I can tell you one thing, if it’s really important to you, you will make time for it. It doesn’t matter if it’s about your own goals, being there for a friend, or dating; you will always make time for what or who is important to you. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Not sure if that’s the right phrase to use in English, but I basically translated it from the German phrase “Wo ein Wille ist, ist auch ein Weg.” That’s a phrase my parents used very often throughout my childhood, and still use now. I am so thankful for these wise words, because that’s where I get most of my optimism from. If I want something badly enough, there is always a way. You might have to overcome some obstacles and take some detours (that’s totally fine), but you will get there if you stay persistent, are determined and work hard.

When I travel I do not travel with my own personal photographer, most of the time I just have my tripod with me and my Canon. Occasionally I’ll ask someone to take a picture of me with my phone (the camera is just too complicated for most people, and thank you random strangers). These pictures were taken in Charleston, South Carolina. Since this was a work trip for me, and I didn’t have time to take pictures in the afternoon, I got up at 5.30am to get ready, to catch the sunrise at 6:34am and to start taking pictures on the balcony with my tripod around 7am. And I am beyond happy with the results. It is definitely harder taking pictures with a tripod, because every so often I have to check if I had the camera in the right angle, etc. With some practice you get the hang of it. My point is, that I totally could have not taken any pictures, and just complained about how I don’t have anyone to take pictures of me for my blog. Instead, I took things into my own hands. Stop making excuses, and start finding solutions to reach your goals!

As always, thank you so much for reading and I would love to hear your thoughts. xo Joëlle

OUTFIT DETAILS:
JUMPSUIT: H&M (similar, similar, similar)
SHOES: TjMaxx (similar, similar, similar)
BAG: H&M (similar)
WATCH: Daniel Wellington (here)
BRACELET: Pandora (here)
BRACELET: Alex & Ani (here)

*This is not a sponsored post, but I tagged brands as I want to share all outfit information with you. <3