Another work trip, and this was definitely my favorite one! This one felt like a major milestone for me because of all the firsts that took place. It was my first time on a cruise, the first major event that I was in charge of, the first one that I was the only supporting staff for, the first time I spoke on a real estate panel, and the first time feeling truly confident travelling and networking by myself. And this trip was especially important because it everyone there for the event truly bonded. Even after leaving AREAA, I'm still in contact with some of these people and have friends from all over the world now. Another cool part of this trip was that it was the last trip of my already amazing, travelling summer, and the day after I returned home would be my first day at SDSU. 

First thing's first, I went from San Diego to New Orleans where I stayed at the beautiful 'The Mercantile' hotel. And full transparency, theEDGE leader who put the event together with me had a little bit of an emergency with expected number of attendees. We had to powwow the day before the cruise event that night in New Orleans where we rearranged the entire schedule and put together a new program to better fit the audience. 

The next day was boarding day. We were on a Carnival cruise heading to Cozumel, Mexico. We took the time to meet with a few of the attendees for drinks while we waited for our rooms to be ready. This is when I got to meet some of our sponsors for the first time and they quickly became friends. The rooms were ready and they were beautiful. It was a nice touch to send out event attendees a bottle of champagne, a bottle of wine, and some chocolate covered strawberries. Then I had to hop online and work remotely for the majority of the day before meeting everyone for dinner. 

The following day was the day of the event. I woke up early, made sure our conference room was set up, and then was thrown to speak on a millennial real estate panel... I was so nervous because I really don't know anything about real estate. I'm only an event coordinator after all. But then the conversation started, the questions were asked, and I didn't do half bad. After, I asked one of the guests what they thought and they said that my perspective was refreshing... I was shocked. That jolt of confidence helped me for the rest of the trip. I was networking, kept the show running, and proved myself as the youngest person there. 

The following days passed almost too fast as we had a great, relaxing day at sea and then an excursion at Cozumel. I paid to go to the Tulum ruins, an anthropological site (I figured it would be a great way to see an important place before starting my semester at State), and a few of my new friends joined me. I would definitely recommend taking advantage of excursions if you have the money. We were a little cranky towards the end of the excursion because of the heat and we felt we were left at the site a little too long. We would've liked to see more of the surrounding area near the port, which our other friends did and had just as great of a time. 

Our free time on the boat was filled with tanning, lots of food, drinks, laughter, and great memories. By the way, definitely splurge on the unlimited drink passes. They aren't really unlimited but you get 15 drinks a day which is more than fair for all the drinks you could get. I can't believe how much fun we had and how close we all got. We hung out at the pool deck, the water slide, dinners every night, we went to a comedy club, the piano bar, the actual club, and just hung out all the time. It was refreshing to have such a great experience while doing so many things that I've never done before. 

If you have the opportunity to travel with a group of people that you only know through association... do it! You could make friendships that last a lifetime and many memories that certainly will. 

Sincerely, 
​Alana

Getting fired is something that no one wants to go through, but unfortunately it still happens to most of us at least once in our lives. Of course it's always preferred that your workplace provide you with a two week notice, but sometimes you could be fired right on the spot with or without severance! You might be stable in the other areas of your life, or your life could be unstable. There's a million different situations in which you could be left in after being fired, but below are some of my tips and tricks on how to cope and get through this time until you find your next career move!

Make a Budget 
If you get severance or not, it's important to look at all of your assets, income, and bills. Make a budget where you list all of your bills and daily expenses, and then compare that with the amount of money you currently have. How long can it hold you over for? What's the length of time until you'll be out of money? Making a budget prevents you from blowing through your funds and helps you create a timeline. With that timeline, you now have a feasible goal by which you need to get a job by. 

Take the Time to Prioritize and Reevaluate
It's completely okay to use your newfound free time to relax and enjoy being not busy. But make sure that you carve out some time to prioritize the other things in your life. Figure out what's most important to you and where you want to spend the majority of your time. This will help guide you in your decision when picking from all of your job opportunities. 

Don't Shut Yourself Out!
If you're really struggling with the loss of your job, I think it's extremely important to stay in contact with your friends and family. Talk to them about what happened and continue to talk through your feelings to help deal with the loss. Your friends and family will remind you how amazing you are and will probably help you gain back your confidence. Also be sure to ask them if they know of any open positions! Remember, when it comes to finding work, a big factor includes the people that you know. 

I think it's also beneficial to look for networking groups and connect with other people in your field. You never know who you'll meet and the opportunities that might arise. I've been to a few networking groups like "Content and Connect," and at the end of the day I've made new connections, have ideas for new content, and a bunch of cool pictures to look back on. 

Start Prepping Right Away
Even if you don't want to start working right away, start prepping immediately! Update your resume, make sure your listed references are up to date, and throw your resume on job websites. You don't have to start applying if you're not ready, but when you are, at least you know you have accurate information and that in reality... you really are ready!

Be Patient
Be patient when it comes to finding a job. Be patient with your emotions as you go through the loss.
And if you have the money and the ability, don't be scared to take advantage of the time off. Use that time to rediscover what you want and spend it doing the things you love. Spend time with your family and do your best to TRULY enjoy this time off. Remember, be patient. Don't waste this time stressing out over the loss of your job or a finding a new job. Use the time to be patient with yourself and enjoy your life. Life is not about working your butt off all day, it's about doing the things that you love.

Sincerely, 
​Alana
​

Pacific Beach, or PB, is a San Diego favorite! For those of you who aren't familiar with PB or are visiting San Diego, here's a list of some of my favorite PB destinations! After a day on the beach be sure to head to any of these places for a continued San Diego experience.

Breakfast

• Breakfast Republic

​Breakfast Republic has several San Diego locations and offers a delicious menu full of breakfast and brunch options... and some breakfast cocktails!

• Crushed
  

​​They serve brunch and dinner but the brunch menu is by far my favorite of the two. 

Other Breakfast and Brunch places

• The Patio on Lamont
• Shorehouse Kitchen
• The Mission Cafe
• Kono's Cafe
• The Cottage

Lunch and Dinner

• JRDN

​A delicious restaurant attached to Tower 23 Hotel, this seaside spot is a must!

Dessert

• The Baked Bear

​There's only one place I go to for dessert in PB so that's the only place I'm listing. Who doesn't love a custom made ice cream sandwich with fresh made cookies, brownies, and doughnuts?!

I hope that my recommendations help you explore one of my favorite places in San Diego and that you create great memories with your friends and family. 

Do you have any favorites that aren't listed? Add them in the comments below!

Sincerely, 
​Alana

What a dream! New York City has been at the top of my travel wish list since I was a little girl. I wish I could've made a Sincerely Travel video, but I really needed to keep this trip as private as possible. As you know from my last blog post, I've been through A LOT recently. When the opportunity presented itself to get a cheap vacation, I jumped on the chance. So, let me tell this story from the beginning. 
I was invited to be a plus one at a wedding in Boston, and I was very hesitant to accept this invitation at first. I had just gotten out of my relationship with Alex and the person who asked me was a member with AREAA. Well, later that same day that I was invited, I was fired because the organization was completely terminating my position. It took a little convincing from my other AREAA friends, but I soon accepted the invitation. The idea then came to me to extend my stay on the east coast for a few days (if I didn't have another week left of school, I probably would've stayed an extra week or two and just enjoyed some free time that I've never had before). When talking to one of my friends about the extension, he offered to have me hang out in New York. I was 100% in! Like I said, New York has always been a dream of mine so I had to jump on the chance to go. 

I battled with myself quite a bit because I was nervous to go and was scared of hurting Alex, but at the end of the day, I knew that this trip was for me, myself, and I. I needed a chance to escape my reality and experience something new. I'm so glad I did. I don't want to share too many details but believe me when I say there is a reason for everything. If you ever get the chance to travel somewhere for free and have an opportunity to live out one of your dreams, you MUST do it! One of my dreams or fantasies when I was little was imagining myself in a New York apartment watching snow fall from the sky... it doesn't seem like anything crazy, but when I lived that, it was absolutely magical. 

Now for some details from the trip. I flew into Boston and stayed at the Intercontinental Boston for the wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception that led to a night full of dancing and meeting new people and seeing some familiar faces. One of the best parts about working for a national or international organization is making friends from all over the world. 
The next morning, we took a charter bus to New York City. It took 6 hours and I fell asleep on the bus after reading a few chapters (a girl still has to make time for school). But I woke up just in time to look out my window and see the New Yorker hotel and it's large, vintage sign. It was straight out of a dream. I then took a cab to the apartment that I was staying at and outside the window was a perfect view of the subway passing by- exactly how I imagined my New York apartment to look. While I was settling in, it started snowing! San Diego girl... never really seen snow fall from the sky, especially for there to be enough that I could run around in and catch snowflakes on my tongue. It was perfect. 

I took an Uber to Barclays Center where I met my friend for the Nets game. We ended up in a suite where some of his business associates were networking and watching the game. After that it was back to the apartment where I ordered takeout and lived out my best "Friends" New York City fantasy. The next morning, I woke up and visited Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, the Public Library, Bryant Park, 5th Ave, Rockefeller Center, and Radio City Music Hall, all of which I definitely recommend you visit. It was a lot to squeeze into a short amount of time before my flight that night - which was delayed! With the delayed flight I was able to see more than was actually planned for, but it made the trip home and school the next morning a little tough. Don't worry, I'll post a "what to do when your flight gets delayed" blog later. 

Through and through, New York City was an amazing time and even more breathtaking city. My only regret is not being able to see everything but I can guarantee you that I will definitely be going back (fingers crossed sooner rather than later). Also, if you're ever in a rut, don't be scared to take some time to travel by yourself and take some space to clear your head. It doesn't solve your problems, but it definitely doesn't hurt to get some clarity. Sometimes, all you need is distance and privacy. 

Sincerely, 
Alana

2019 was a crazy year! It truly was one of the best years of my life but also one of the most difficult. From moving houses two times, finding a dream job only to lose it at the end of the year, losing another pageant, and coping with multiple family deaths, the obstacles that I faced were significant. But what's amazing to me is how grateful I am for all of the losses because of how insane the good moments were. I've travelled to 3 different countries, 4 different states, and many other cities this year alone. I gained a lot of amazing experience working for AREAA and dancing with Kaleo Onalani. I started a leadership fellowship with APPEAL, spoke on panels, and led a workshop at the PISA High School Conference. I've made so many memories and I cannot wait for what 2020 has in store!

As for Sincerely, Alana, we are starting the year off with the creation of Sincerely Travel and Sincerely Lifestyle before finishing the rest of Season 2. Sincerely Makeup is also on the website but will be a slow growing project as the other branches take priority. 

I hope to expand the Sincerely brand even further through creating Alana Godoy Events. But more will be revealed after finding a new job. I will still be attending SDSU and pursuing a double bachelors in Anthropology and Sociology, finishing my APPEAL Fellowship, and travelling the world. Pageants might be a thing of my past, but who knows... 

I look forward to what 2020 will bring us and I hope that you all remember that the start of a new year can bring about new change, but only if you work for it. It's time to hit the refresh button and make a list of our goals and priorities. Make a plan for how to accomplish these goals and take the actions necessary to make it happen. I'll be posting videos and additional resources to help with goal setting and striving for all your dreams. 

Happy New Year's!

Sincerely, 
​Alana

In the last few months, quite a lot has happened to me that has prevented me from making Sincerely Alana at the top of my priority list. I think in all areas of life, if you are not yourself taken care of, you cannot take care of anything else as effectively as needed. 
Before this period of trauma hit me, I was making a lot of moves with Sincerely Alana to create our branches- Sincerely Travel and Sincerely Lifestyle. I was also able to get more potential guests for our videos and was doing a lot of research to get content and other video ideas in motion. 
As you know from my most recent video, I lost my grandfather, and more than that, I was the one to find him dead in his room. If that wasn't enough loss, I was fired from AREAA, my dream job, due to an organizational restructure after the 2019 National Convention in Boston. On top of that, I've been experiencing a lot of problems with my boyfriend, Alex. We've decided to take a break to work on ourselves separately, but this was the cherry on top of my pile of loss and sorrow. 
With all of that being said, my main focus has been finishing the semester with good grades, figuring out my living situation, and trying to heal myself from all these problems. It's not easy. I mentioned a lot of these problems in my last video, Surviving Loss, so I know what to do, but it's a lot harder to live it and experience so much at one time. 
So, without further ado, I'd like to announce that I will slowly be working my way back to being consistent with Sincerely Alana. I'm working towards a lot in my personal life, so I hope to gradually work my way in to building this community as best I can. Be prepared for more videos, blogs, and life tips and tricks with the development of Sincerely Travel, Lifestyle, and of course, Sincerely Alana. 
I appreciate all of your love and support and hope to create a brand that you all can relate to and take refuge in. 

Sincerely, 
​Alana