It’s about that time again, for New Year’s resolutions and setting into action long and short term goals. However, in order for me to do that, my best plan of action is to reflect on the current year. A mantra I have adopted in the last few months, as my life under went several changes, is to count my blessings and to always be grateful for what I have and thankful for how my circumstances are..’cause it could always be worse! Here is my 2018 Year End Review.
January – February 2018
At the beginning of the year I set forth two major plans for myself. I didn’t know how long it would take to achieve these goals, but I was absolutely hell bent on getting the process started:
Purchasing my first car
Finding a new job
This may not seem like much, but these were two very important goals that I knew would set up my life for success in accomplishing other things down the road. I had started my savings in 2017 for the car, and with the help of my wonderful husband-to-be, I was able to make that dream and goal come to pass in February..a lot earlier than I had expected! I was so happy to have my new-to-me 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. I had always hoped to have larger vehicle for hauling art supplies and small furnishings without the assistance of a friend’s truck or trailer. I love my Hello Kitty Mobile; as I lovingly call it. I knew once I found a car, my options for finding a job could be expanded because travel wouldn’t be an issue.
March – May 2018
March, April, and May were a tough few months for both my fiancé and I. We both battled family matters that not only kept us apart, but weighed our spirits down. Not only that, but fighting a losing battle at our work places made things even more unbearable. I took to the internet to cast my net for new employment. I touched up my resume, updated LinkedIn, and applied to any and all jobs that I could; even ones that I wasn’t sure I could 100% perform. All I needed was one interview. The job hunt for a post-grad can be so grueling. Yes, I still consider myself post-grad even three years later. (Because, in the work force, anything less than 5-7 years of experience in any field seems to not matter too much. Bummer, but true).
I am also grateful for this time in my life as it is the point where I found my sense of spirituality again. I have been feeling quite conflicted over my Christian roots, my racial origins, and things of that nature. Questions that science can’t always answer for me. I have been exploring all types of spiritual avenues and having in depth conversations with a close couple of friends who are on the same path of self discovery. One thing that I have found to soothe my spirit and give me inspiration is tarot and oracle cards. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ll talk about it more here for sure. For now, a lot of my musings about tarot, oracle, and crystal collecting is on my Blogger site Girl Spirit Magic. To be continued on that topic.
June – July 2018
My prayers have been answered and my hard work of job hunting has payed off! I landed the dream job that I never knew I wanted and in the hometown I lived in! Converting from a long commute to a five minute drive was an enjoyable change. I love my new job! My work team welcomed me into their family so easily and we all get along well. The graphic design work that I do now is even more enjoyable and having health benefits feels so good! I could burst with happiness. In future posts, there will be more talk about my daytime job.
Vacation time was both for relaxation and celebration, as landing my new job was definitely something to raise my glass at. Hubby and I took our annual trip to Mechacon Convention in New Orleans, LA. We had so much fun and came back refreshed and ready to continue the year out strong. We didn’t know what roller coasters lay ahead waiting for us; I know I didn’t!
August – October 2018
These three months, mid year were some of the most…life changing. So many things happened in these three short months. A family feud came to a resolve; old wounds began to heal and relationships started to mend in my family. My living situation drastically changed three times! An extreme from having nowhere to go to possibly being homeowners!? It was surreal. In the end, when my emotions finally settled I couldn’t be more grateful for the changes that took place. I finally moved away from home, after being back from college for 3 years. My fiancé and I were finally looking to the future together with living in our own space; and our own home for that matter! So many things that I had stopped myself from dreaming about, I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and allow myself to hope again. By the end of October, we closed on our very first home! I now have about a 50 minute commute (both ways) to my work place, but it is one I take with joy.
November – December 2018
And here we are. I am at the close of another chapter of life. It seems odd even writing about it as it’s happening! We officially moved into the new house at the beginning of November. The move was a bit tough, as we underwent some major expenses dealing with home repair issues we didn’t plan on. For now, they are maintained while we save up funds for a full overhaul and repair of the plumbing. I am still thankful, as we can safely use our water to shower and stuff, but laundry is out of the question.
I made my big 30th birthday on December 1st! My Christmas celebrations started the second week of the month, with our office Christmas luncheon. I have been blessed with gifts I didn’t imagine to receive; especially a new and beautiful doll for my reborn doll collection. You can check more of that out on my doll blog DollieLovex3, as the dollie topics won’t be discussed here (or, as less as possible..’cause I really love dolls!).
In short, I am so very thankful for my life, my family, and my friends. This year was absolutely amazing in so many ways that I couldn’t possibly cover them all in this post. Overtime, more and more of my life will unfold here and I hope to spread this same attitude of gratitude to those who may read my posts. I look forward to seeing what God has in store for me next. I pray that he strengthens me to handle the hard times, and to always live fully and humbly in the good times. Here’s to a another chapter, yet to be written!