elizabethjoyhadley

Suffolk University, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Twin Falls, Idaho, Reporter, journalism, 2023

4 YEARS LATER

May 19, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Dear Elizabeth,

Today is a monumental day. 4 years ago today you graduated college with your bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, one of the most exciting and special days in your life.

Now, it’s been 4 years. Which is crazy, because 4 years is the amount of time you were in college. So now, you’ve been out of college for the same amount of time that you were in college. WILD.

I am so proud of you, Elizabeth. So proud of how much you have grown and how much you have changed, and become who you were meant to be.

4 years of being in the real world, as they call it.

I wish I could have told you how your life would go back then, but that would have ruined the fun of it. You also probably wouldn’t have believed it.

Here is what I wish you could’ve known though.

LIFE IS HARD: One month after graduating college you will move across the entire country by yourself. You will start a job in a town where you know no one and nothing. You will be alone, and sad, and sometimes really upset because you gave up your entire life for this job and no one seems to understand how hard it is, and how alone you feel.

But here is the good news: Life is hard. But you can do hard things. You can, and you will. And you won’t give up, because that’s not who you are. Embrace the hard, embrace the sad days, and then get stronger, and more independent. Recognize that life is hard, because if you do that, you can get through the days. Life sucks sometimes, it really really does, but if you have a goal and a dream, the hard days won’t get in your way.

A PANDEMIC WILL BEGIN 9 MONTHS AFTER YOU MOVE: Ah yes, the COVID-19 Pandemic that no one was prepared for. You’ll be forced to work from home for months on end, but still required to complete your news reporting duties, and be a person that the community can trust and rely on all from your one bedroom apartment.

Some days you will wonder how you will get through it, and when the pandemic will end, if it ever will. If you thought you felt alone and isolated at your new home and new job before the pandemic, just wait a few months.

YOU WILL ADOPT THE CUTEST DOG: Jackson will become the best part of your life. He will need a lot of structure and routine, because he was abandoned and left for dead, which is how he ended up at the shelter. But, with practice, he will become the best dog you ever had, and sometimes the only thing you could count on to make you smile at the end of the day.

YOU WILL ALSO MEET A GREAT GUY NAMED TREVOR: Trevor and you will start dating and you will really enjoy getting to know him, and eventually you will move in together, and then buy a house. You will laugh, smile, cry, and he will become your best friend. The person who you love with all your heart, even through the hard times, which there will be.

YOU WILL MOVE TO WEEKEND ANCHOR AND EVENTUALLY MORNING ANCHOR: Turns out, you will really come to like living and working in Twin Falls, Idaho. And, you will work hard and tell stories that matter to this community. You will see the difference that you make in this community, and you will care so much about it and the people here. Being a journalist is so hard, but to the people that live here, the stories you tell, they mean everything. When you move to the morning show, people in the community will come to know you, and actually enjoy your bubbly personality.

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE: I mean, through the COVID pandemic, losing two grandparents and a dog, working every shift possible at the station (besides overnight), working from home, working from the station, training new people, moving to a new house. Life is just messy, and it’s hard, and it’s unpredictable. But you adapt, and you move forward with the circumstances presented to you in the best way you know how.

YOU WILL BECOME A STRONG, INDEPENDENT PERSON: When you moved away from your home, you needed people. You couldn’t make a decision for yourself without other people’s opinions, and you never said no to anything. You believed you weren’t worthy of anything, and you had to prove that you were. You never advocated for yourself and what was best for you, because you just said yes to anything and everything, because you wanted to prove that you were a good journalist, and more than that a good person.

Elizabeth, you are so brave, and so strong, and you don’t need anyone or anything to tell you that you are worthy or good enough. Not your job, or your boyfriend, or your family, or the general public, and especially not social media.

You are worthy and you are enough because you are you. And you will make mistakes and you will mess up and you will cry and you will have hard days.

But none of that makes you less important. You have nothing to prove to anyone. You are the best company in the world, (besides Jackson)

You have to have confidence in yourself and believe that it doesn’t matter what the viewers think about your looks or how you talk or how curly your hair is.

Over the past 4 years, your life will turn upside down and back again, but at the end of the day, you will become strong, brave, and independent.

Elizabeth, it’s been 4 years since you graduated college and if you knew all of this then, you probably never would have taken that cross country drive to move here to Idaho.

Life is about making choices. You make them, and you stick with them, and then you decide what to do next, and you choose to make the best of what happens.

I can’t wait to see what the next 4 years hold for you, because if I know you, Elizabeth, it will be crazy!

Love, Elizabeth.

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Grammy, Idaho, Lisa, Mother, Mother's Day, Twin Falls

Happy Mother’s Day Mom!

May 14, 2023May 13, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s but especially to my mother, Lisa Joye Hadley.

Let me tell you about my mom. My mom is just the sweetest woman. She also has so much energy, and loves to go new places, try new things, and experience life! She also just loves her family so much, and is the biggest supporter of us all.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what it means to be a good parent. And the conclusion I have come to is to: be there. Be there when your child is having a good day, bad day, an off day, a sick day. Be there for them when they succeed but also when they fail. Be there for them for their sports games, their musicals, their dance recitals. Be there for them in the morning, and be there for them in the night.

My mom was always there. She was and still is the person who I know will always support me in my choices, and congratulate me on my accomplishments, and talk to me when I feel like I’ve failed.

A parents is a hard role to play, but I guarantee I would not be the person I am today if it wasn’t for my mother who always told me I could do whatever I put my mind to. No matter what I wanted to try, she let me try it, and she let me figure out for myself what I wanted to do and didn’t want to do.

I am very thankful for my mom. She never tried to force anything on me, she would guide me and help me decide what I wanted to do, but she never forced me to do anything, and that is so important.

I never really realized any of this until I moved across the entire country at the age of 22. I realized then that the only reason I was able to do that all on my own was because of her and my father. Because I knew that she believed in me, but I also knew that if I needed her, she would be there.

I am so thankful for my mom for letting me figure out who I am without her forcing me to be who she wanted me to be. My mom is the best, and I love her with all my heart.

There are very few people who I would fly across the country to surprise for their birthday, but she is one of them!

I can’t wait for more adventures and fun with you Mom, and I am so thankful for you for always being there, supporting me, and loving me through everything. You are the reason I am who I am, and I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. I love you so much Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!

I can’t wait to see Derek Hough again with you, as is our tradition!

(BTW, I will write one of these for my father on Father’s Day, because he also made me who I am today. I love you too Dad.)

Also, I would like to give a shoutout to my two grandmother’s my two aunt’s and all the other Mom’s in the world who are raising the next generation to be good, kind people who can think for themselves and make this world a better place. Where would we be without Mom’s?

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Idaho, Jackson, National Puppy Day, Twin Falls

Happy National Puppy Day, Jackson!

March 24, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

I heard that today was National Puppy Day, and I can’t miss an opportunity to share about my dog Jackson.

Jackson is technically not a puppy as in he is 4 years old, but to me, he will always be my puppy!

Jackson is so sweet.

And he is so silly.

He loves a good nap!

And he loves to take walks!

He isn’t the brightest, that’s for sure, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He is my best friend.

I don’t like to think about where Jackson would be right now if maybe I didn’t get adopt him. I also don’t like to think about what will happen when he is no longer here.

The best thing about dogs is they live in the moment, so that is what I will do too.

I love you Jackson.

2023, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Coffee, Idaho, Jackson, My favorite things

My top 10 favorite things!

March 22, 2023 elizabethjoyhadley

Hi everyone!! So here’s a weird fact about me, I LOVE making lists. I mean, I am constantly making lists. Lists of things I need to do, lists of things I want to do, lists of books I want to read, movies I want to watch, even lists of things I want to buy. I just am always making lists.

It helps me to stay organized, and also to sort things out in my brain.

So here is a list of some of my favorite things. I was thinking I will start here then break it down into subsections of those favorite things, because why not?

So, here we go!

DOGS: specifically my dog Jackson but really all dogs!
TV SHOWS: I love watching shows. I am constantly watching multiple shows at once, because my mood depends on what I am wanting to watch.
BEING OUTSIDE: I love being outside and feeling the sun on my face. Walking, biking, reading outside, swimming. I love being outside.
READING BOOKS: When I was in college and high school I would even make lists of the books I read each year, keeping track of how many books and which ones I loved.
MY FAMILY: I am convinced I have the best family in the world. No matter what, they are always there for me, and I wouldn’t be the person I am without them.
MY FRIENDS: I also have the best friends in the world. I may not have that many friends, but quality over quantity in my mind.
COFFEE: I don’t really need to elaborate, do I?
LEARNING HOW THINGS WORK: And by that I mean, understanding why things work the way they do, the behind the scenes of things. I love listening to these watch back podcasts because it is so intriguing to me learning how different shows were made.
SUNSHINE: I just love it when the sun it out. I am so much happier. It doesn’t even have to be warm, but when the sun is out, I feel joy!
SKIING: I have been skiing since I was 3 and it is my favorite! I raced in high school and I still enjoy it to this day!

Well, that’s it! Those are my Top 10 favorite things!

I want to hear yours though, because I love learning about people!

Thanks for reading!

2022, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Andrea Nastri, Andrew Navaroli, Boston, Bruce, Christmas, Idaho, International Junior Miss, Jackson, journalism, Pageant, Reporter, Santa, Twin Falls

Goodbye, 2022!

December 30, 2022 elizabethjoyhadley

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is almost over! I have been thinking a lot lately how fast this year went by, and how crazy it is that it’s almost a new year!

I’ve never really been a fan of New Year’s. I hate staying up late, and I often feel sad, because I think of all the things I wanted to do that year and didn’t.

But, what I’ve learned lately is that life just keeps going, and most of life is the mundane, the boring, the day to day things, but when you look back that is sometimes the most memorable.

Here is a recap of my 2022!

January started with my two best friends! I miss them so much!

Then we celebrated Jackson’s birthday! I don’t actually know if this is his birthday since I adopted him, but let’s be real, he doesn’t know either!

February I had the best time skiing at Sun Valley. I had a day off in the middle of the week and decided to ski by myself! I felt so free!

In March, my favorite Bruce’s came to visit and we also went skiing at Sun Valley!! I love my two favorite Bruce’s!

I also turned 25 in March! We took this picture on my birthday!

In April, my mom came to visit and we had a great time shopping and doing all the things we love to do together! I love my Mom so much!

In May, I spent a lot of time outside with Jackson!! We went on lots of walks, read lots of books, and enjoyed the beautiful weather before it got too hot!

In June, I found out I was going to be competing at International Junior Miss as Miss Idaho! This was a goal I set for myself back in 2019! Just goes to show that sometimes your goals take a while to accomplish, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on it!

July was super fun! I started my new role at KMVT as the morning show co-anchor!

My grandfather also passed away in July, I miss you Papa!

In August, Trevor and I went to DisneyLand and California Adventure! I am sharing this picture because I was so proud of myself for not letting my fears stop me and I went on the Incredicoaster!

In September we celebrated Trevor’s birthday with these great friends!! I’m lucky to have so many great friends!

October was exciting! We bought a house! I love this house and it’s finally starting to feel like home!

November was so busy! I flew back to MA for one weekend to surprise my mom for her birthday!! We pulled off the surprise!!

Then, it was time for Internationals in Florida! What an amazing week with new friends and my family!

December was full of Christmas cheer!!

Now, these are just some highlights of the year. Most of my days were just full of work, taking care of my dog, cooking, cleaning, food shopping, and just doing daily things.

There were also a lot of sad days, and a lot of happy days. And right now as I’m ending this year, I am very sick.

But, I choose to look on the positive side and hope that 2023 will be a year full of accomplishing goals, growing, and happiness.

Happy 2023!

2022, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Idaho, International Junior Miss, Pageant, Uncategorized

My week at International Junior Miss!

December 15, 2022 elizabethjoyhadley

a.k.a the greatest week ever!

Hi friends!! Now that I have been home for a while, am fully unpacked and back to the real world, I can settle in and write about my week competing at International Junior Miss in Orlando, Florida!

Now, for those of you who don’t know, I have competed in pageants for a while, back in MA I competed for years before being the National American Miss Massachusetts in 2017.

When I moved to Idaho, I had set a goal back in 2019 to compete again. While it took me a few years to achieve that goal, I did and it was well worth the wait!

On November 19th I set off for Orlando, Florida with 4 suitcases, one crown box and one gown bag (it had 3 gowns in it.) I arrived Saturday night, unpacked and was excited for the week ahead!

Sunday morning was check-in! I was so excited to get the week started!

Little did we know when we took this picture, that Faith would go on to win the International Junior Miss title! A very well deserved win!

Later that night (Sunday) we had kick-off and the Neon Party! The best part about competing in pageants is always meeting all of the other girls!

On Monday, I was able to have a relaxing morning, followed by the Red Carpet Correspondent Competition and then a rehearsal later that evening! Each rehearsal and event has a different theme which is always so fun to plan the outfits out!

On Tuesday we started the day with the gift exchange, each queen brought 3 gifts, one for the outgoing International queen, one for the incoming International queen, and one for another state queen. Carrington got my gift!

Later that day, I competed in the spokesmodel competition, where I spoke about defining your own success, and how WHO you are and HOW you make other people feel is what matters most.

Tuesday was my brother’s birthday, so we had a nice dinner together that night. I was so lucky that my Mom, Dad and brother all were here this week too! We had so much fun together!

Then that night we had THE fashion event of the year!! The Ashley Rene’s and Ashley Lauren’s Under the Sea Ball!! It was so much fun seeing all the amazing outfits, and spending time with these amazing women!

Wednesday was our free day! My family and I went to Epcot! Epcot is one of my favorite parks, I just love all the countries and the different food, as well as the atmosphere!

Thursday, which was Thanksgiving was a super busy day!! I was up at 5:30 a.m. for hair and makeup! For all of the required competitions I got my hair and makeup done by Makeup and Maskara and her crew! It was the best decision I made, because not only did they do an amazing job, but they make you feel so good about yourself!! It was one big hype session in there!

Thursday morning we had interview, the first required competition of the week!

The interview was so fun, all of the judges were so nice! We had 3 minutes with each judge, there was a total of 6 judges. My favorite question was Do you have any regrets with your pageant journey? My answer, I only wish I started competing sooner.

I then had an amazing photo shoot with Imagine Studios! Check out some of these shots!

I just love these photos, it was a great addition to the pageant week!!

Later that afternoon, we had the car drawing! One lucky girl won a brand new mustang convertible. I unfortunately was not that girl.

Then we had the Thanksgiving banquet! I so admired the planning and thoughtfulness in hosting this event for more than 1,000 people! Truly amazing!

I love my family SO MUCH! They are the best part of my life!

Friday, we had our final two required competitions, formal wear and fun fashion!! Here are a few of my favorite stage shots, which I’m obsessed with!

I know it may be silly, but I was very proud of myself after this! I worked with Kailyn, my coach, for months preparing for this pageant, and I told myself I wanted to just do the best that I could do. I didn’t want to compare myself to the other girls, I didn’t want to be sad or disappointed in myself when the week was over. I just wanted to do the best for me. I can confidently say I did that, and had a ton of fun!

Saturday was the final day of the pageant! We started with the pajama rehearsal in the morning, and I was so sad that the week was almost over!

The final pageant was that afternoon!

I wish I could explain in words what it felt like with these girls. I mean this when I say that every single one of these girls is going to change the world.

I was honored to be a part of this group of girls, each one so smart, so talented, so kind, so nice, so supportive, and just so amazing. The support we all showed and continue to show for each other is what this world needs.

When we were on stage and they were announcing the top 12, of course I was a little disappointed that my name wasn’t called, who wouldn’t be. But, at the same time, I was so happy for the girls whose names did get called. I was thrilled for them!

Because pageants aren’t like other competitions, every single one of those girls could have won that crown, and I mean that. And just because your name wasn’t called doesn’t make you any less worthy than the others. We all worked so hard, we all put ourselves out there, and we all did something that most are afraid to do.

And at the end of the day, there is only one girl who walks away with that International Title, and I am so happy for her! But, what I took away from this week was friendships, memories, life lessons, confidence, and fun!

I think that unless you push yourself, and do things that are hard, and surround yourself with people who are better than you, you will never grow, and that is my ultimate goal in life, to never stop growing, and learning, and pushing myself to be the best me I can be, all while supporting everyone else!

Everyone has their time to shine, and I will be supporting the girl whose time it is, knowing that when it’s mine, she will do the same!

I am thankful, grateful and truly so so lucky that I got to experience this week. I will remember it for the rest of my life!

I was honored to win Best Personality at the final pageant!

Thank you to International Junior Miss, National American Miss, and the IAM Pageant Powerhouse for this amazing week, and for helping me become who I am.

2022, Boston, Grammy

Dear Grammy, I miss you.

May 27, 2022 elizabethjoyhadley

1 year ago today, my grandmother passed away. It was sad and kind of sudden, but she was 87 years old. She had a great life, she really did. Gail Lillian Somes Hadley was magnificent.

I think about her often. She was just such a great grandmother. My brother and I are her only grandchildren, and she loved us both so much. Whenever we went over to her house she had some home made dessert waiting for us, or a snack. She made the best peach cobbler or cookies. She loved to cook and bake and made sure no one was ever hungry when they were with her.

She also never missed a recital, baseball game, theatre performance, or any other activity we were a part of.

One year on Thanksgiving when I was little I remember getting upset about something and crying, and she came over and sat with me to comfort me and make me feel better. It’s funny how I have no recollection about what I was upset about, but I will never forget her comforting nature that day.

If we were sick, she came and sat with us so my parents could go to work. We would watch tv and she would sit in the living room with us all day, probably knitting whatever sweater she was working on at that time.

She loved our yellow lab George so much. George knew it too, always sitting by her because he knew she would slip him something under the table. Dogs are so smart.

I always knew I could talk to her about anything, I called her a lot when I moved out here to Idaho, she was just the best.

Recently when I moved away from MA, we were pen pals, writing each other letters, and of course she would include a little gift in mine, some cookies or a gift card.

My dad would go over to her house and show her my news stories that I did, or if I was anchoring he would pull that up and show her too.

I sometimes wish I could call her up now and just talk to her. Tell her about my life, although I’m sure she knows.

We would talk about my dream wedding some day, what colors I wanted and where I wanted to get married. She said she would do my hair in pretty curls like she did for my prom.

I learned a lot from her, about generosity and love and loyalty, but I learned the most important lesson from her after she was gone.

Let me tell you about it. When she passed away, my family planned a wake and a funeral for her. The wake was on Tuesday night and the funeral was on Wednesday.

Tuesday night, we were all there at the wake and when I tell you that EVERYONE she knew came, I mean EVERYONE she knew came. And they were all sharing memories and stories and jokes and it was beautiful. I mean, all these cousins, and nieces and nephews, and friends, and my parents friends, and her friends, and her sister and brother in law, and my friends, and her family, and neighbors, and her daughter’s friends and of course her husband. I could go on. And, I thought how amazing it was that all these people took time out of their life to come say goodbye to her.

It was sad, but it was also kind of amazing, because they were remembering her as this person who cared so deeply about people, and never forgot important milestones.

People were recalling Thanksgivings from years ago, and fun trips to Cape Cod, and Christmas parties, and hand made sweaters that she knit for them or their child, people were remembering her, who she was and what kind of an impact she had on their life.

I always worry that I won’t be successful, that I’m not good enough or smart enough or pretty enough, and it’s kind of sad that I had this realization at my grandmother’s funeral, but NONE of that matters.

Because Grammy was a successful nurse but I don’t think that was brought up once at the funeral. Instead what was brought up was who she was, deep into her soul. She was amazing and kind and generous and loving and caring. And THAT is what matters.

It’s sad that we wait until people are gone to tell them our favorite things about them. I hope she knows how much of an impact she had on my life, and always will.

I think she’s up in heaven playing Bridge with her friends and her sister, eating some trout (her favorite food) and laughing without being in any pain. And I know she’s hanging out with George as well. Probably going on walks with him every day.

I know I’ll see you again someday, until then, I love you, every day.

2022, A Day In The Life Of Liz, College, Idaho, journalism, Reporter, Twin Falls

WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE I MOVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AT AGE 22 TO BE A NEWS REPORTER

April 19, 2022April 20, 2022 elizabethjoyhadley

When I decided to move to Idaho after college, I was excited. I was scared, but I was excited… It was a good job, I had just graduated college, and I thought I was ready for this next chapter in my life.

I was so wrong.

Now, I’ve been here for almost 3 years and I was thinking how much has changed since I began that cross country drive.

Not only is the world a different place, but I am as well.

And I can honestly say, even though it has undoubtedly been the hardest thing I’ve ever done, it’s also been the absolute best decision I’ve ever made.

It’s so hard to see that so much of who you are, and the things you believe, are solely because of the people you surround yourself with.

“You are the sum of the people you surround yourself with”

I believe this with my whole heart. If you are around negative, mean people, you will become one too. But if you are around people who support you and lift you up, that’s who you’ll become.

But when you move away, and you’re all alone, you get to decide who you surround yourself with, and what type of person you want to be. And not because it’s what everyone else thinks you should be doing, but simply because you know it’s what is right for you. Sometimes, you are only friends with people because you’ve always been friends with them… not because they are adding anything to your life.

So that’s number one, whether you need to move away to figure this out or not:

SPEND TIME WITH PEOPLE WHO FILL YOUR CUP, AND SPEND TIME DOING THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY…

Number two:

BE PREPARED TO BE LONELY…

The only reason I moved here was for my job, and although now I have a lot of other hobbies and people and things going on in my life, that was not the case right away.

I was so lonely, the only people I knew were from work. I missed the familiarity of my room, my friends and my family.

But, in a way… that’s nice, because I got to decide what I liked doing, and what I didn’t. I got to figure out what type of person I wanted to be and what types of things I wanted to do.

It’s ironic, because now, I LOVE being alone. Please just give me 20 minutes after work to myself, I need to decompress.

Third:

IT’S GOING TO BE HARD…

I mean, working in journalism doesn’t pay a lot… at all, so not only will you be in a place that is new, and you will be lonely, but you will also be poor.

You also will be learning how to succeed at your job and let me be honest… you will be bad at it, very bad.

You will make mistakes, and you will be lonely, and you won’t have a lot of money… so yeah, it’s going to be really really hard.

But, that leads me to Number four:

REMEMBER WHY YOU WANTED TO GO INTO THIS FIELD/PROFESSION ETC…

On my worst days, when I would go home and cry and just want to give up, I didn’t…

For a lot of reasons, mostly because I believe life is hard, and if you can’t handle hard days, that’s on you.

“Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.”

I love telling stories, I love meeting new people and hearing about them and why they are the way they are. I love meeting people and thinking to myself, you are doing exactly what you were put on this earth to do.

I love it, and the good days far outweigh the bad… but it is hard, it’s so very hard.

Wow, already on number five:

ACCEPT THE FACT THAT YOUR LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS GOING TO GO HOW YOU PLANNED IT:

I’m not going to lie, I had a plan in my head when I moved to Idaho, to finish my two year contract and move on to another station… I always wanted to be a head anchor at a big station… but almost three years later, and I’m still here.

There are a lot of reasons why I chose to stay, but it really all comes down to the fact that you can have all these goals and plans and dreams for your life, but then things happen, and they change.

For example: 9 months into me living here, COVID-19 hit and I was forced to work from home.

I believe that “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond to it.”

So, yes I wasn’t expecting to move to Idaho and like it, I wasn’t expecting to move to Idaho and meet my boyfriend, I wasn’t expecting to move to Idaho and for the entire world to shut down. But, it did. So what am I going to do about it?

Which is another reason why I think it’s good to be alone, and it’s good to be somewhere where no one else is impacting your decisions on how you react to it. Because you know it’s going to be your choice, and no one else’s.

Which leads me to number six:

TRUST YOUR GUT:

No one knows you like you.

So, when you are alone, and you feel in your heart or soul or gut that something isn’t right, listen to it, don’t take anyone else’s opinions into the matter, just listen to yourself. You know what feels right to you, and you know what the right choice is… you always will.

Seven:

HOLIDAYS NEVER GET EASIER:

It just sucks to work on holidays, there is no easy way to say that. We all do it, and we all hate it. The only bright side is, the people at the station will understand what you are going through on those days, and they will help you get through them.

Eight:

IT JUST TAKES TIME:

Everything takes time, it takes time to feel like you belong, it takes time to feel like you are good at your job, it takes time to make friends, it just takes time.

But while it’s hard, and while it seems like it’s never going to get any better, embrace that… embrace the hard… embrace the days where you mess up, learn from those mistakes, and don’t do it again… be a little better every day.

Life seems long, but it’s really not, and your job, your money, your “success” none of that matters in the end, I believe that with all my heart.

I can tell you with absolute certainty that what people remember about you isn’t any of that, it’s all about who you are, and how you made those people feel about themselves, and what you did for them that matters, I promise. Who you are… deep into your core, is the most beautiful thing of all.

So if you’re still reading this, I hope it helps you. I hope some senior in college about to move across the country for his/her first reporting job reads this and just remembers one piece of information, and maybe, just maybe it will help them.

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Idaho, Las Vegas, Magic, Twin Falls

Seeing Derek Hough in Las Vegas

December 11, 2021 elizabethjoyhadley

I had the absolute best weekend ever seeing Derek Hough in his Las Vegas residency, so I thought I would write about it.

So on November 6th, my Mom flew to Vegas from Boston, and I flew to Vegas from Boise and we met up to celebrate her birthday and see Derek!

We walked around and explored the city. I have been to Vegas 2 times but never with my Mom so it was super fun! We are such good travel partners, and my mom is really my best friend!

I love Vegas, it is such a cool place! I love the theme hotels, and all the people watching!

Then it was time to see Derek! His show was at The Venetian and I really enjoyed how the theatre was small, it made it seem like we were part of the show!

Which, actually, I did become part of the show!! Derek was asking for volunteers and he picked me!

I have been to every single one of Derek’s shows, and he has never picked me, so I was SO EXCITED!

He lined us all up, I was the tallest so I was in the back. He told me to stand really still and not move because he was going to come up and push off my shoulders to jump over us!

It was AMAZING!! I was so happy!!

The whole show was spectacular, an hour and a half of pure joy! The thing I admire the most about Derek is his passion, and who he is, he cares for people, and he cares about people, and he really truly is doing exactly what he was put on this earth to do, and there is something so special about that!

In this picture Derek was telling us how for so long he always wondered if he was enough, and it took him a long time to realize that no matter how many accomplishments he had, or how many awards he won, he was always enough, and so are we.

To be honest with you all, I never feel like I’m enough, I always wonder if I am going to be successful, but none of that matters. What matters is how we treat other people, and who we are on the inside. Thank you Derek for reminding me of that.

The finale dance was to a medley from The Greatest Showman, one of my favorite movies! Such a perfect way to end the show!

As soon as it was over, I wanted to see it again!

The next day was our last day, we spent it relaxing by the pool!

I am so thankful I got to see my Mom, and also Derek, I am so thankful for this experience!

I hope I have the chance to see the magic on stage again someday!

2021, A Day In The Life Of Liz, Boston, Derek Hough, Suffolk University

I’ve met Derek Hough 6 times!

September 30, 2021 elizabethjoyhadley

Hello friends! If you know me at all, then you must know that Derek Hough is my absolute favorite dancer, choreographer, human, of all time.

Well, I am so excited to be going to Las Vegas to see him on November 7th at the Venetian! My mom is going to come from Massachusetts and I am coming from Idaho and we will have the absolute best time! The show we are going to is on my mom’s birthday.

But, let’s take a little look at how many times I have seen and met Derek Hough, just because these pictures make me happy!

June 22nd, 2014, my mom and I travelled to Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to see Derek in his first Move Live on Tour show!

August 8th, 2014- I met Derek Hough at his book signing at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. This was one of the best days ever! I felt like I just met my hero!

He signed my book! Also, if you haven’t read Derek’s book, you totally should!

Then, Derek announced that he was going to star in The Radio City Rockettes Spring Spectacular, and of course I went to New York City to see him in the show! We were in the second row, and I left before the show was over so I could go meet Derek at the stage door!

April 3rd, 2015, one of the best days, here we are at the stage door!

He even signed my phone case!

Then, he announced him and his sister were going on another Move Live on Tour, and they were coming to Boston this time! I got tickets again, and went to see him! I waited at the stage door after the show was over, but he didn’t come out this time. The show was still amazing!

I didn’t see Derek again until May 4th, 2017, but this story is wild!

Okay, picture this, I am sitting in the Suffolk University library studying for my media law final. It is a picture perfect day in Boston, the sun is shining and people are happy. I have front row VIP tickets to see Derek Hough on his Move Beyond show for the next day.

I take a break from my flashcards to look at Instagram, and Derek Hough has posted on his Instagram story that he is in the Public Garden, which is about a 10 minute walk from where I am.

I immediately stop studying for my final and call up my best friends Andrea and Andrew as we wander through the city trying to find him.

From the public garden to Fanueil Hall to the Esplanade, we were trying so hard to find him. I just wanted to meet him again, because Derek has been such an inspiration to me.

We decided to sit down on the Greenway because he hadn’t posted in 45 minutes, and I was about to give up, but then he posted that he was inside the Aquarium. We get up and start walking towards the Aquarium. I decided I was just going to wait outside the door and try to see him when he walks out. Just as I made those plans, there he is walking towards me.

I kind of feel bad because it was so obvious he was trying to just have a relaxing day to himself, but I knew I had to say Hi. I called his name and he came over. I told him the story and told him that I was coming to his show the next day. We took these pictures.

Derek said it was like we were playing Pokemon Go, but for celebrities!

The next day I took my media law final, I got a 97 on it by the way, and then we went to the show! I went with my mom and dad and we had VIP tickets, so we got to meet him and his sister before the show, and attend a Q&A session. I wanted to do a really funny picture with Derek, so when I got up there, I said Derek how about you pretend that you are proposing to me? I didn’t know if he would go for it or not, but here is the result.

It was hilarious! I loved this day!

His show was awesome, and in the middle of it, Derek came through the audience, grabbed my phone and we took this selfie!

When Julianne asked for an audience volunteer, guess who went up there! My Dad!

It was one of the best days!

It was a prefect day!

In 2019, Derek announced he was going to go on a solo tour this time, and considering I was about to graduate college, I wanted to reward myself and buy Front Row Seats again to his show in Boston!

The best part about having VIP tickets is that you get to know him a little bit. I asked Derek a question during this Q&A session, I said, Derek I’m about to graduate from college, what is something you wish you knew when you were my age?

I honestly live by what he said every single day.

Derek said, You are who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with negative people, you’ll be negative. But, if you surround yourself with people who work hard, and think positive, then you will be that way too.

I admire Derek not only because he is so handsome, but because he has worked hard, and never given up on what he wanted, even though it is challenging.

I hope someday people will look up to me like I look up to him.

I had tickets to see Derek in June of 2020 at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, but that show got cancelled because of COVID, so I really can not wait to see him at the Venetian in November!

I am so thankful for all of these experiences and shows I’ve seen Derek in, his passion and determination is unmatched!