HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Currently, I am sitting in a chair by the window listening to my favorite music at my family beach house in Santa Cruz, CA (I know! It sounds like a dream!!) I am so blessed to be here at the end of a hard year surrounded by people who I love.
This year was a very stressful and wild year for me. I really think I grew and learned more this year than I have in years previous. I find it very therapeutic to look back on my year and talk about what worked and what didn’t. It’s also a good idea to set some goals for myself at the beginning of the year because I have something to work on. Here are a few ups and downs throughout the year that I had and some BIG goals that I have for myself this year!
2017 Recap and Reflection
School + Career
This year was a whirlwind of ups and downs. I finished my undergraduate degree in Psychology. This last semester took the most out of me. I was involved in three mental health / psychology clubs on campus as well as a research lab. Graduation was not exactly what I thought it was going to be. Before graduating, I had a grand plan of what my life was going to look like. I was going to go to graduate school right after graduating and become an MFT and start an amazing career helping people with mental health conditions. At the end of 2017, I am an after school teacher for a private school working with Kindergarteners, I have no idea where I want to go career wise, and I moved away from my family. Needless to say, life has thrown a lot of different things my way.
Mental Health
I also had some really bad low points that I tried to hide from social media this year. In April, I had a mental breakdown and had to go to the urgent care at school. A lot of people saw me go into urgent care which was embarrassing for me at the time and when I got in there I just cried for hours. I relapsed with my self-harm addiction in April as well but I have been clean since then (7 months!!!)
The breakdown made me realize parts of my life that I needed to work on. I got overwhelmed with school and post graduation and I forgot to take care of myself and my basic needs. After the breakdown, I started to do a lot of research on self-care and (spoilers) I am writing a book on it!!
Personal
One of the most important things to me this year was independence. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of not working and just being taken care of but there is so much more I have to offer to the world than just being a lazy couch potato. This year I got my first job and for the first time in my life I started making money. I have a new sense of independence and it gave me a lot of happiness this year.
I celebrated 4 years with my boyfriend. He has been a much needed support in my life. We traveled a lot together and with his family which was extremely fun!
2018 Goals + Resolutions
Now the moment you have all been waiting for (at least, I think you have), MY GOALS FOR 2018!!!
1. Find a Career.
I love working with children. There is always a funny story about something one of kids said or a time they made me happy but I feel like my full potential cannot be used if I am working where I am. I want to help people with disabilities or people with mental health conditions. Blogging and Youtube and all things about the mental health community online are very close to my heart and want to figure out a way to make this my full-time career. I don’t know exactly where I belong but I want to find out in 2018.
2. Don’t take Youtube or Blogging too seriously.
I know this sounds like I am back tracking but hold on a minute and hear me out. In 2017, I didn’t post a lot because I was so critical about what I was posting. I reached 50,000 subscribers this year which was very overwhelming for me. Thousands of people messaged me saying that I have helped them or that they loved my videos that it just didn’t feel real anymore. I watched all these bloggers talk about “content calendars” and planning your videos out a month in advanced but my brain doesn’t work that way. When I make something I get an idea and then I get obsessed with it to the point where I have to make a video. If I am too critical about what I post then something that is suppose to be fun and give me joy feels like a school project (which means tons of procrastination.)
This year I want to go back to my own creative process! I want to talk to the camera like I am talking to a best friend. I want to write meaningful content that will actually help people. This will be a year of experimenting with different things and ideas!
3. Find an Exercise Routine.
The most generic resolution on the face of the planet but something I really want to do in 2018. I want to find something that gets me excited to work out. There is a yoga studio down the street from me and I want to get the nerves to go sometime. I also want to try Blogilates again! Getting fit is something important to me because I suffer with a lot of pain problems with my back.
4. Add Journaling Back into my Night Routine.
One of the coolest things I have done so far in my life is keep a daily journal. I like to see a written records of my thoughts, feelings, dreams, and daily activities from when I was younger. In 2018 I want to write EVERY SINGLE DAY! I want my journal to be my best friend again and I want to share my life with it.
5. Save Enough to Get a Car.
I haven’t driven a car in three years. I had a panic attack in one and it is really hard for me to get behind the wheel because of it. Currently, I am taking Lyft to work and back every day and it is starting to add up. I want to be able to save up enough money to buy my own car so I can get a little more independence. (Super goals, I really want a Mini Cooper so that would be something nice to work toward!!)
6. Read at Least 1 Book a Month.
SUCH A CHALLENGE!! I love reading but I always find an excuse for not reading. I love watching videos on Youtube about people who are obsessed with books and it gets me passionate about reading. This year I want to AT LEAST read one book a month. *fingers crossed* that I make it!
7. Start a Family.
I don’t mean babies or anything like that but I would like to be engaged and start working on planning our wedding. Let’s face it, I have had Pinterest boards of wedding dresses and things since I was 17 so it shouldn’t be that hard.
That was my recap and resolutions for 2018! Regardless of how your 2017 went, let’s make 2018 the best year ever!! I hope you have a safe and relaxing New Years Day! Let me know what your goals are for 2018 down below.
