Hi! I’m Nicole.
Growing up, my favorite thing to do was write. I’ve always been in awe of the power of writing and story-telling, and I’m an avid journal-er.
I was extremely fortunate to go to college at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. That place shaped me into a stronger, more inquisitive, and more compassionate person, and I’m forever grateful. I go back as often as I can.
After Harrisonburg, I moved to Washington, D.C. for my first full-time, salaried job. Living alone in D.C. and commuting on the metro was intimidating at first, but I learned how to live and work and travel independently.
Then, I moved to Florida to live with Bret. Florida was my favorite. I loved the sunshine, palm trees, the sushi, the manatees, the Gulf of Mexico, and our Disney day trips.
Next up, we endured three years of never fully adjusting to life in the mountains of North Carolina surrounded by bluegrass, mold, and wildlife. The mountains are beautiful, but I found Boone to be incredibly isolating and depressing, especially when I was navigating traumatic grief after losing my dad, pretty much my favorite person in the whole world, unexpectedly in 2017.
In the summer of 2018, we made a quick decision to move to the magical city of Winston Salem, NC. Bret fell in love with the downtown art scene, and I was all in when I saw that in addition to amazing coffee, a local coffee shop served giant cheesecake and wine by the glass. In a matter of weeks I found the community that I’d been so desperately searching for: a new gym, a grief group, and some incredible people who have made this place feel like home. Not to mention we now have air-conditioning, a Target, an airport, Tropical Smoothie… it’s the breath of fresh air I’ve been hoping for.
I’m a big believer in forgiveness, second chances, practicing gratitude, and using my privilege and resources for good, especially to support disenfranchised communities. And I’m trying to be a better version of myself. I believe in the power of yoga, tea, journaling, intersectional feminism, vegetarianism, and I believe in humanity.
I believe in all of us.