Today I turn 33, which isn’t a particularly significant number beyond me questioning whether I’m 33 or 6 some days. But I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my “fiscal” year, and all that I’ve accomplished since my last birthday. I think this is a tradition I will keep up every year – an annual gratitude post, to thank myself for working so hard on becoming the best me. So, without further ado, check out the progress I made in a year!
- Started meditating on a daily basis – this is such a big deal for me. I never thought I’d be a person who COULD meditate, much less one that WANTED to meditate. But here I am, freshly writing this blog after listening to my daily Calm.
- Started seeing a therapist weekly – just this one challenge for the year was worth the struggle it took to get there. I am a different person, more myself, since the day I walked into my therapists office. I’ve made so much progress just in there that I could almost stop the list here!
- Started an art business – woohoo! This is still a challenge for me, as I am learning how to run a business, market myself, and still create. I love how much work it takes to get noticed, for some reason. It’s nice, though sometimes disheartening, to have such a challenge in front of me.
- Took my first working roadtrip – my favorite adventure of the year thus far was my recent trip to New Mexico. It was a struggle to find adequate coverage where we were camping all 3 nights, so I had to work around that and figure out how to work while still enjoying all that New Mexico offers in the way of scenery.
- Began a healthier relationship with food and alcohol – one of the things my therapist recommended was a book called Intuitive Eating. It’s drastically changed my relationship with food and my body, and it’s even helping me control my bingeing habits with things like alcohol and sugar. I am so thrilled with the progress I’ve made on this front!
- Planned my dream life – this is the biggest one yet. A year ago, I created a dream of what I wanted my life to look like. I wanted to travel, I wanted to create, and I wanted to give my dog and myself the best life possible without being traditional. I set a goal of being “van life” ready by the age of 35. I cannot believe it’s already been a year since I envisioned that dream, and I am actively working towards making it happen!
- Had my first interview in 7 years – as part of creating my dream life, I know I need flexibility in my work. That means non-traditional work sometimes, and it means remote work. I had my first interview a couple of weeks ago, and while I didn’t get the job, it was refreshing to be looking for a new challenge.
There ya have it – my gratitude, “ta-da” list for the last year. What about you, friends? Do you take time on your birthday to reflect on the last year of your life? A gratitude list is a great way to lift your spirits, and I encourage you all to try it out! You don’t need to share it publicly if you don’t want to, just write it down in a journal or on a piece of paper, and then smile to yourself. You’ll feel better immediately! Until next time, friends!
Miranda Writes 