Year in Review

Good riddance, 2017! Last year was a tough one. For the world and for me personally, it brought a lot of unexpected turns. But that doesn't mean it's all bad. A lot of lessons came from 2017. Here are a few that I learned:

Take Risks

I left a job that had a lot of promise in the beginning, but turned out to be a wrong fit. I stuck it out for a year, but the weight and struggle of every day there hung with me through nights, weekends, every moment. I took a big risk, switching careers and moving to a much smaller agency, not knowing what it would bring. It was mainly a gut decision and came with a few sacrifices, but it absolutely paid off. My gut was right, and my new job is everything I hoped it would be and more. Taking that risk is one of the things I'm most proud of from this year.

Move On

I had a few things that I was holding on to coming into 2017. Grudges, silences, hesitations, guilt. I realized that holding on to things like that does no good for anyone, especially me. I also realized that the reason I was holding on to all these negatives was fear. Fear of getting hurt, fear of making the wrong decision, fear of failure. I let go and I moved on from a lot of that fear, and it's made my mind and heart lighter. 

Go After What You Want

So often, before embarking on a new challenge or new chapter, the question pops up in my mind: But what will people think? Nothing good comes from this question. Self-doubt, procrastination, loss of momentum, and often, giving up. This question almost stopped me from doing things that have brought me so much joy: getting a new job, starting my bookstagram, moving in with Scott, sharing this blog more widely. If you stop to wonder if you're good enough to pursue what you want to pursue, or if you'll face criticism, or if you'll look silly, you're wasting time that you could be spending working toward what you want.

In 2017, I had to make some big decisions, make some big changes, and try not to have a heart attack every time a news story broke. There were low points in this year: the election, losing my best girl, Tashmoo, leaving my first job. But there were some really big highlights, too: traveling to San Francisco and Copenhagen, getting a new job that I love, moving in with Scott, exploring even more of New York, making some great friends.

So here's to 2018. Let's make it the year we go after everything we want, without fear.