Happy New Year!

I’m ready to make some changes. And not just “I’m going to go to the gym three times a week” changes — although that is something I need to do and will be considering for the sake of my heart health — but real, lasting changes that will help me live the life I truly want. So this year, I’m going beyond the new year by establishing some “new life” resolutions!

I was given a new lease on life when I survived a spontaneous coronary artery dissection – a type of heart attack that comes out of nowhere for some healthy women and men – last year, which really etched into my being the fact that this is the only life we get. We should take advantage of all the good things and make this life one that is truly worth living, defined by how we choose to define it. For me that means being healthy to honor my body not giving out on me, doing more for the environment, creating a living space/environment that always makes me feel comfortable, and doing what I have to do to be the best Nikki that I can be so that I can truly lead by example.

A few things I want to do:

Friends, I’m making some changes. Nothing major, just a few things that will help me the person I actually want to be.

I care about a lot of things in life, and it’s very important to me that I do my part to leave the world a better place for my son and the rest of humanity. I worry about climate change, the environment, animals, food waste, etc., as well as my other social justice causes.

I’ve been very bad about food waste for a long time, and I’m ashamed of it. I really dislike eating leftovers so they sit in the fridge unless Nick gets hungry on the weekends. Cooking is fun but the clean up is so time consuming that I’d rather just dine out. Then I buy lots of vegetables because I know the importance of eating healthy but they sit in the drawer in the fridge until they grow seven kinds of mold. Out of sight, out of mind. And who wouldn’t want to grab some chips or cookies instead of an apple or carrots? Being healthy is hard. Additionally — and this is what I’m most ashamed of — I was so excited to start our little garden and reap the harvest of our hard work AND THEN we barely even ate the produce. Cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes sat rotting on the counter. HOW AWFUL IS THAT?!

My calendar gets me…

Hey everyone!

Things are looking a bit different around here but don’t worry, you’re in the right place. NCsquared Life is now Nikki by example, but you’ll still find all of my cute outfits, life goals, and then some, including a new name and *hopefully* improved content. I decided it was time to rebrand because life has changed so much over the past few months. Nick and I are no longer just the two NCs since we welcomed our son, Sebastian, into the world in April. Nick doesn’t participated in sharing his outfis or DIY projects anymore but that’s okay because I’ll still try to share them with you. Also, I’m looking to expand my writing and get a little more creative. With all that’s happening, NCsquared Life felt a bit limiting, and so Nikki by example was born.

My happy little family!

I chose this name as a play on the phrase “leading by example.” I believe it’s going to be really important for my son to see me leading by example the values and actions that I want him to live. I also felt it would reflect that my writing, outfits, life hacks, stories, etc. are me living my most authentic life. And in that same vein, I hope it inspires me to get out there, do more, take more chances, and to truly lead by example.

photo source

Welcome to my little corner of the world! If you’re a long-time reader, you’ll find the same – but improved! – content as before and plenty more where it came from. If you’re a new reader, I’m so glad you stopped by. I hope you like what you see and will stick around on this journey with me. So, here I am, Nikki by example!