Happy end of the year, everyone!

It’s still so surreal to me that there is only a few days left to the year. I always get super emotional during this time, looking back at the progress I’ve made, the tribulations I’ve had to endure, and the goals I am still working on.

This year was pretty epic… to say the least. I made the bold decision of packing my bags and leaving LA for Boston, started grad school, juggled the whole new school/new job/new city life thing, had multiple breakdowns, started spending more time alone (both indoors and out!), etc. With all of these life changing events, I can’t help but to write this post

I know not many are fans of this whole “new year, new me” thing, and trust me – I’m not a fan of resolutions either, but after this year, I’ve decided I needed a huge mental recap (for my sanity mainly!), and thought I could share some of my biggest takeaways for 2017: instilling strength, overcoming fear, and growing a sense of autonomy.

STRENGTH

Moving out

My mom, sis, and I have always been inseparable so when I broke the news that I wanted to move out and to Boston specifically, it was an overwhelming transition for all.

This move fostered a sense of growth and strength in me as I had to figure out how the heck to survive in a city across the country by myself with no friends or family. I prioritized finances towards rent, learned how to prepare meals on my own from scratch (bc everyone knows eating out is not easy on the bank!) and juggle this whole grad school/work life thing too. It almost became too much? While grad school loans came in handy for rent, I allocated most of my paychecks towards it as I did not want to take out too much and did not want the financial burden later on.

FEAR

Being more alone

This is huge for me. I’ve always cared about what others thought of me. I was THAT girl who said yes to every invitation, bought new clothes to “impress,” etc. It was exhausting, and I didn’t like who I was becoming. *fast forward to mid 2017* I decided not to care anymore and just do me. I mean, I’m still mindful of my surroundings, but I said bye to Shazie the People Pleaser. *shrugs*

This was helpful as I was transitioning to a new city having to build new support systems. So incredibly thankful for my roommates and Cohort C however for making it SO easy to have a dependable supportive social circle. Our group texts were not only collaborative, but they were also full of positive vibes and energy. I am forever grateful to have everlasting memories with a group of people I can call “family.”

And of course, with the help of social media and my blog, I had my usual support systems reach out to me 🙂 While it was difficult on all parties, we made it happen and here I am… back for the holidays. INSANE.

AUTONOMY

This has to be my biggest takeaway. Everything that has happened in 2017 all contributed immensely to my growing autonomy. Although I’ve always had a sense of who I was, I never fully acted on it.

It was almost as though I was allowing others to direct the script to my own movie, if that makes sense?

I became more “out there.” I went on more dates, found out what I did or didn’t like, and I pushed myself to go to events alone like that Tough Turkey Fitness 5K and that spin event featuring my fav. wellness bloggers! Doing these a little at a time slowly accumulated towards building my identity, which in turn strengthened my relationships with others.

Goals for 2018

1. Blog more consistently and making time for hobbies. I was so busy adjusting to a new life that I set blogging and other hobbies aside for a while. It’s time to change.
2. Have a consistent workout schedule. As you can see, I’m huge on consistency so when I don’t have it, I seriously don’t know what to do with myself.
3. Learn something new everyday. I get lazy sometimes, but I wish to indulge in something new every single day. It doesn’t have to be huge information; it just has to be something new. Learning is vital.
4. And lastly… be happy and not stress over the little things. Stressing over school is one thing, but sacrificing your health while doing so is not the way to go. I admittedly skipped meals, lost sleep, etc. It’s all “normal,” but it shouldn’t be.

“JUST FOR FUN” GOALS

A bad habit I’m going to break: saying no to sweet treats when offered (i.e. in the break room).

A new skill I’d like to learn: Photoshop

A place I’d like to visit: Iceland

I’m going to do better at: not jumping to conclusions

Reflecting upon my personal growth, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for following me on my journey. I truly enjoy all of our conversations, so please keep those questions/comments coming. YOU all have been a huge part of my journey (like seeing snow for the first time!!) and for that, I am forever grateful. I hope you all found something valuable/exciting in any one of my blog posts or on any of my social media.

Wishing you all a prosperous new year ahead.

And remember – you don’t have to know where you’re going; you just have to start <3

What are some of your highlights from this year? And what are some of your goals? Comment below or PM me! I’d love to know.

Until next time, beauties!