Okay, my planner is filled out for the week— I know where I need to go, who I need to see, what assignments to do, what hours to work, etc. I have it planned out when I’m suppose to grocery shop and even facetime with my best friend, but all this order is starting to take away from natural flow of life. I am busy, almost all the time, and as I sit two stories high on Decatur St. in New Orleans at 8 am, I am realizing the need to let loose and enjoy life in raw form. Everything doesn’t need to be overthought and my analytical brain needs to be reminded of that sometimes.

Yelling and cheers are everywhere during all hours as this Mardi Gras season plagues the streets of NOLA, but the laughters are filling my heart with joy and this is my nice reminder to live in the moment and to let my hair down. I can push aside the responsibilities and order for awhile to bask in the excitement of the parades, dance in the streets, and sing off key in the local karaoke bar.

I don’t have it all figured out and I never really will, but that doesn’t matter here. We’re all the same with the same goal: to have a good time. I trade a few glances and smiles with passing strangers and laugh with the lady making my drink; the human connection here is endless and up-lifting. I’ve always said, people are genuinely good at heart, and NOLA and Mardi Gras confirms that.

When I am taking in new experiences, I sometimes just have to stop and take it all in because I want to remember this feeling for years to come— I want to hold onto the feeling of smiling so much my cheeks hurt and laughing until my stomach aches. And in the mix of all the chaos and good for your soul chatter, I realized it doesn’t matter who hurt me in the past or what my GPA is or my perfectionist ways; I am just me, a simple, kind-hearted girl, catching beads, sipping on too strong of drinks, and having a good time.