Breaking out of Routines with Chase Freedom Unlimited

This post was made in collaboration with Chase Freedom Unlimited. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting brands that make Sophisticaition possible!

Every time I look up at the Chicago sky, I know I’m home. This city means so much to me. It’s where I got my first “big girl” apartment. It’s where I first went to work in Corporate America. It’s where I was able to take my blog and freelancing full-time. It’s where I’ve grown up and changed more than anywhere else.

I love my neighborhood here in Chicago, but I knew that this city had more to offer. That’s why I was so excited to partner with Chase Freedom Unlimited to help me with my goal of getting to know more of the city of Chicago! Chase gave me the tools I needed to succeed and off I went. It’s been a fun summer exploring new areas and venturing outside my comfort zone. In the past few months, I’ve stepped foot in neighborhoods I’d previously never visited and pushed myself to find new favorites instead of resorting to the go-tos.

If you’re looking to change up your routine and try new things, my advice is to just get out there and do it. Sometimes we can overthink things and make it too complicated. My issue with new goals is that I can have an “all or nothing” mindset. I have to remind myself to start where I’m at and not to put too much pressure on myself. When I had an hour to kill between meetings, instead of sitting inside a coffee shop and waiting it out, I popped in and out of local shops.

I’ve brought my Chase Freedom Unlimited card along with me every step of the way as I went from neighborhood to neighborhood. In addition to finding new spots or cute items, I was earning cash back with every purchase. My cash back credit card helped me to earn money to spend on my next adventure into a neighborhood (and usually a fun purchase!). If you have a goal you’re working towards, I have some exciting news! Chase is now offering new Chase Freedom Unlimited cardmembers a special bonus offer available through Chase.com and in Chase branches: get a $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first three months.

Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States, and there’s still so much more for me to see and learn. I look forward to continuing to explore my city, Chi City, and all the neighborhoods within it.