So, I guess now is as good a time as ever to introduce myself! My name is Rickayla, but you can call me Kitti, or Ricki, or Cat or just meow at me. All the listed will get my attention.
I will start off by explaining the whole cat theme here, as I'm sure you may be curious about what that's all about. Well, it’s pretty simple. I am a cat, meow. I feel that the essence of my spirit is a cat. I get cats. I really do. I understand why they do the crazy things they do, and I often act in similar ways. So, it's just me, I am a cat! Meow!
You may be wondering what the title here is all about. I figured there is no better way to title an intro about myself than to use my life motto! I have come to realize; this is my mantra. A feeling that I hold close, and never wavers, no matter the circumstance. I have been through a handful of things in my life that my therapist might label 'traumatic', but no matter what gets thrown my way, I know there's a very specific reason for the event. There is always something to learn. We did not just randomly end up here in life. A very specific trail of events occurred for you to end up in this very moment. Yep, even something as simple as you here reading this article. It's all in divine timing.
As you can already see, I get sidetracked very easily. There will be many tangents we will go on, or maybe I'll drag you on. Ha! For now, I will tell you how I went from working as an 18 year old server in Montana, to owning my own business for four years in Seattle, to losing my footing for a few years in Los Angeles, to owning a different business in Costa Rica, to finaly moving back to La. And I know exactly what you are thinking, but no. This is not any sort of network marketing pitch, ironically however, that is a part of my journey.
I'll start when I graduated high school. I had worked at the same restaurant for two years, and really loved the money, but hated how my body felt after ten hour shifts. I knew I needed change, but I was not sure quite how or what to change. But I put it out to the universe, and aho! It was manifested! I got connected with some people a month before I graduated that, you guessed it, showed me my first network marketing business, Amway. I know, I know, that name really freaks some of you out, understandably so. But I will say, I would not be here without that business. The mentors I had helped me move out of the one bedroom apartment I shared with my parents for most of middle school and all of high school, (Big yikes!) and into my own one bedroom apartment. I uncovered so many dreams that I had for living my life and I needed a plan. Seattle. Yes! A bigger market, new scenery and a plethora of opportunity, I was ready to leave my little hometown of Kalispell, Montana.
It was summer when I embarked on my new adventure. I stayed with my brother two hours outside of Seattle, for two months, until I found a nanny job in Seattle. I moved in with my first set of several disastrous roommates and really worked hard in the Amway business. I read tons of books, learned how to genuinely connect with people and holy moly, got my finances in shape! Even though looking back, it was a bit over the top, I'm so grateful for the experience to have such a solid foundation of my adult life.
This whole time, I had been all-in Christian. I was raised catholic until I was in middle school, and then switched to a non-denominational church until I moved. It had never felt quite right to me. I always felt guilty about everything I did, and thought, this is not the way to live. I don't want to always feel like I'm not doing good enough, or just being me is wrong. I had a very interesting boyfriend come into my life, and he opened my mind to a more...consciousness ...based way of thinking, specifically Hinduism. From there, I quickly slipped away from Christianity and fell into my own spiritual practice, which I feel you could call, holistic??
I began practicing yoga, meditation, journaling and really diving into self-discovery. I started to give notice to these traumas in my life. Instead of ignoring them, I'd acknowledge them with grace and kindness, while healing through it all.
I quit my nanny jobs because I don't work well with kids, or maybe it's just other peoples' kids. I just could not stand having to raise someone's kids in a way I don't agree with, which happened a lot of the time. I reluctantly went back to a restaurant gig, but not for long!
When I quit nannying for a family, they asked for me to stay and continue the other 'stuff' that came with being a nanny, ie. laundry, errands, cooking and light cleaning. I LOVED those parts of the job. (Now is probably a good time to mention I am extremely tidy and organized all the time and I can't have it any other way, maybe undiagnosed OCD.) This opportunity sparked an idea and I thought, why can't I make this a job!
I initially started taking mainly one-time organizational jobs. Starting out was really challenging, business was very slow at first. Advertising was nearly pointless for such a small business with no assets. To make matters harder, I prematurely quit my restaurant job due to unfair treatment. Things were really tight, as I had finally gotten a one-bedroom apartment, that I really couldn't afford. Despite this, I just kept at it. Looking for new clients, trying new work relationships. It was a lot of trial and error. Once I started to finally become stable, my main client unfortunately passed away. I was heartbroken and scared. But after a year, I finally had found a steady client base of five clients that I worked a combined 25 hours a week for. Over the four years I had my business, clients came and went, but I had a steady three that stuck out the whole duration with me. They were like family.
That is pretty much the summary of my 'professional' career, but I have this whole other side to me, that really makes me who I am, and I think you should know about that too.
My passion on the side is performing. I have been a dancer since the age of five. I moved through all your basic types of dance, then to gymnastics, ending with cheerleading in high school. After being out of school and not having any outlet for physical art expression, I naturally found myself attracted to raving. I saw a girl with a beautiful LED hula hoop at my first rave, performing the most magical tricks! I was in such awe; I went and bought a hoop the next day. That was five years ago, and now I have danced on stage at The Gorge Amphitheater for 20,000+ people. Performing and dance will always be a huge part of who I am, and it is not something I'm willing to filter any longer.
Back to the main story line that is my life...
As family usually does, my clients knew me well. Part of knowing me well, means you know I make bold, seemingly crazy decisions on a, thought out, whim. When I told them I was moving to Los Angeles with my Partner, they weren't surprised, but sad, and a little bit confused. Why....LA...? This was everyone's question, and I mean everyone. The answer was simple, while also not.
I had hit a point in my life where I felt like I had 'made it'. I had my dream job and work schedule. I had the best friends. I was in the healthiest relationship, and living situation, I've ever had. My three to four day weekends consisted of performing at venues like The Gorge Amphitheatre and attending raves and shows. Life seemed...perfect. However, I couldn't shake the idea that there was more to my life. I was only 24. Was I really going to have the same predictable schedule for the next 10 or 20 years?
My partner, Riley, told me, "I'm moving to Los Angeles for work." After some tears and processing, talking to my therapist, friends and family, I decided, this is the change I need. "Can I come with?" I asked hoping he'd say yes. And he did.
We moved our life down to LA with a Uhaul, my car, my cat and all of our belongings. We were moving to Hollywood!! In a place we hadn't seen yet... I thought life was going to consist of basking in the sun and playing on the beach.
I was SO WRONG. We lived right off Hollywood Boulevard and we saw it all. People yelling outside of our place constantly. Police choppers and cars circling our area on the daily. Calling 911 once a week. Not to mention I couldn't get my business up and going again, so you'll never guess where I started working. Buffalo Wild Wings. I felt like such a failure. Everything in my life was a huge downgrade. I spent an entire year, extremely unhappy, lost and numb. It got a bit better towards the end, as I quit the restaurant and started walking dogs, but I still was struggling badly.
Insomniac performer auditions were coming up for my dream gig: EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival). If you're unfamiliar, it's one of the biggest festivals in the US and takes place on the speedway in vegas. The auditions are held once a year, in person, in Los Angeles. The reason this is such a big deal, if that if you make it for EDC, you're more or less on the roster for all other Insomniac events, given you do a good job. This is huge because Insomniac puts on anywhere from one to four events a month. I knew if I could get back into performing, I would find so much more happiness in LA.
However, I did not make it. It honestly hurt really badly. I thought I had a really great shot as I prepped for weeks in advance. But this lead me to my next option.
I told myself if I didn't make the audition, I would move to Costa Rica. Okay first of all, I can hear you saying, "Why Costa Rica???". To which I will explain my deep emotional attachment.
Right before the pandemic hit, actually right before I made this blog, I attended Envision Festival in February of 2020. It's a spiritual, transformational type festival. The headliners were Rufus Du Sol and Clozee, if that gives you a better idea. It was the hardest and best week of my life, all at the same time. Costa Rica challenged me in ways I wouldn't expect, but totally changed my life. After the festival, we drove across the country and stayed in Puerto Viejo, per a local recommendation. Wow. I owe that person so much, because that small little beach town showed me what magic feels like.
I came home with a renewed sense of peace, gratitude and love for all that my life was. That was short lived, as three days later I couldn't find a single place to buy toilet paper, LOL.
All that being said, I knew I had to go back. I didn't know how, or when, or why. I just knew I had to.
Fast forward two years, I finally knew it was time. I did my research and found it's so cheap to live in CR. I found my new home on Air BnB: a rustic, open air studio apartment, in a village, for $550 a month. Heckin' SOLD!
I was so nervous about the move, so Riley helped me move down, and of course I brought my cat!
I'm sure you had a ton of other questions like, "What are you doing for work?" and "Are you and Riley still together?"
For work, I started doing social media management. This includes posting and replying to comments on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and more, for big influencers who don't have the time to do it themselves.
I didn't last long in Costa Rica. I was supposed to stay for 6 months, but only made it 3. If you want to know more about my experiences there, check out this or my live journals.
I moved back to LA feeling defeated and relieved all at the same time. I was still very unhappy with where we lived and even worse, came back to a new shitty roommate.
Our lease was about up and Riley had decided to move to the Philippines while I got a studio apartment in LA.
As for Riley and I, we're more happy and in love than ever before. We practice ethical non-monogamy (ENM) or commonly referred to as polyamory. The very short definition of this is that we build relationships with others, separately and together. And of course always ethically. I look forward to sharing more on this topic of my life.
Now I'm visiting Montana, heading back to LA soon to figure out my next chapter. I'm happy and thriving and living my best life.
There is so much more to my story, but these are the main points. I am sure you will learn much more about me through the progression of this blog.
If you have any specific questions, or want any topics covered, reach out to my on my main page form, or any of my social media accounts!
Check out my LIVE JOURNALS tab to see what my daily life is like here in Costa Rica!
Thank you for checking out my journey! I hope that you find your path and be true to you. The world needs more of you! Be authentic!
PURA VIDA <3