life experiences - Monica Zorrilla

Sep 07

by monicazorrilla in Blog, English, Inspiration, Life Experiences 0 comments tags: body changes, life experiences, menopause

Menopause: Why Don’t We Talk About It More?

Lately, I haven’t quite felt like myself. I’m more tired. I don’t sleep the way I used to. I wake up in the middle of the night, and sometimes I just want to keep sleeping. My appetite has changed. There are days when I eat because I know I have to, not because I’m actually hungry. There are moments when I’m more irritable, others when I feel anxious, and others when I simply don’t feel like doing much of anything. And I started asking myself: What is happening to me? Is it stress? Is it anxiety? Is it menopause? Is it everything going on in my life? Or is it a combination of many things? Because menopause doesn’t happen in a bubble. Life continues while our bodies are changing. We still have to work. We still have responsibilities. We still have relationships with other people. We still experience good moments and difficult ones. And anything happening around us — work, a relationship, a worry, an unexpected problem — can affect us emotionally too. I don’t think we can say that everything we feel comes from menopause. It can be a combination of many things. But perhaps the important thing is […]

Aug 31

by monicazorrilla in Blog, English, Inspiration, Life Experiences, New York, Photography 0 comments tags: 25 years, life, life experiences, UN

You Never Know Where Life Will Take You

It feels strange to write those words. When I first came to New York, I never imagined that all these years later I would still be here. My plan was actually quite simple: come here, work, and stay for only three years.

Aug 20

by monicazorrilla in Blog, English, Inspiration, Life Experiences 0 comments tags: acceptance, habits, life, life experiences, patience, respect, we are different

We Are All Different

We are all different. We think differently, we talk differently, we have different habits, and we all have our own ways of doing things. And inevitably, some of those things may bother, frustrate, or simply not make sense to someone else. That’s part of being around people. Sometimes another person may point out something about us that we never really noticed before. And if it’s something we recognize we can improve, there’s nothing wrong with making an effort to work on it. But there’s another side to it too. When we genuinely care about having someone in our lives, we also learn to understand the things that make them different from us. Not everything needs to be changed. Sometimes it simply takes a little patience and acceptance. And I think that’s where balance comes in. We can work on ourselves without losing who we are. We can communicate when something bothers us without expecting another person to change overnight. And we can try to understand each other instead of expecting everyone to think, act, or react the way we do. Because no relationship—whether it’s a friendship, family, a partner, or any other connection—is made of two people who are exactly […]

Aug 06

by monicazorrilla in Blog, English, Lexi, Life Experiences, Nature, Photography 0 comments tags: beach day, calm, Lexi, life experiences, peace

The Beauty of Quiet Moments

There is something special about sitting by the ocean with no plans, no rush, and nowhere you need to be. Just the sound of the waves, the breeze playing with your hair, and the company of someone who is simply happy to be there. Lexi doesn’t ask where we’re going next. She doesn’t care what day it is. She simply enjoys the wind, the sunshine, and every new scent the beach has to offer. Watching her reminds me how beautiful simple moments can be. This afternoon reminded me that some of the best moments in life are the quiet ones. Sometimes, all we need is a beautiful afternoon with someone we love, the breeze on our faces, and the chance to slow down for a little while. We often remember the big milestones in life, but it is the small, ordinary moments that quietly stay with us. A peaceful walk, the sound of the ocean, a loyal companion by your side, and the feeling that, for just a little while, everything is exactly as it should be. Maybe happiness isn’t always found in extraordinary places. Maybe it’s waiting for us in moments like this. — Monica & Lexi 🐾🌊

May 18

by monicazorrilla in Blog, Cities, English, Inspiration, Travel 1 comments tags: blog, life experiences, personal travel blog, storytelling, travel, Travel stories, world

The Places I’ve Been, The Stories I Carry

Throughout my life, I’ve had the opportunity to experience different places around the world — some through work, others through vacations, and some simply through the unexpected turns life takes. I’ve visited countries that left me speechless, cities I still miss, and airports where I only spent a few hours but still walked away with a story. I’ve tried foods I never imagined tasting, listened to languages I didn’t understand, met people completely different from me, and learned that every culture has its own unique way of seeing life. Some places I experienced deeply. Others I only briefly touched during a layover. But all of them, in one way or another, left something with me. I have spent more than two decades living in New York after moving from Peru, with many journeys along the way. Over time, I realized I didn’t want to keep all of these stories hidden only in photographs or forgotten somewhere in my phone. I wanted to write them down. This blog was born from that feeling. From the places that shaped me. From unexpected stories. From people. From food. From quiet moments inside airports. From losing a phone in Japan. From unexpectedly running into […]