Hindsight is 20/[17]

Where were you 365 days ago?
Did you show more courage, confidence and curiosity this year?
How did you handle disappointment, fear and sadness?
How did you handle joy, achievement and awe?
Did you celebrate the little moments just as much as the big ones?
Did you have an opportunity to use your passions to serve another?

I'm about to get a little bossy here but hold off on scrolling any further. Take a moment to think about what 365 days have done to you.

______________________

At the beginning of 2017, I made two uncompromising promises to myself for the new year:

Maintain the same sense of adventure I had in Uganda.
Practice self-care (I'm the first to put my physical and mental health at the bottom of my to-do list).

Hindsight is 20/20, right?

I don't think I've ever sat down and taken a good hard look at my progress. It's always okay Amanda, you've checked that box and that box and that one...on to the next list! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! I know I have my time in Uganda to thank for allowing me room to breathe and ground myself. It gave me a chance to set new internal goals--something I've neglected in the past!

The questions I asked you at the beginning of this post were the same ones I asked myself. They may or may not have resonated with you, but for me, they got the wheels turning!

To give you an idea of where I was a year ago, I had just returned from Uganda, was experiencing reverse culture shock, taking care of sick family members, living out of a suitcase for three months and nervously wondering what was next. I was, in short, a hot mess!

As I'm typing this post on my yellow couch, wrapped in about six blankets (it's an icebox here in Birmingham--send help!), I'm not embarrassed to say that I'm proud of myself!!! In 365 hard but beautiful days, I've trudged through betrayal, lack of purpose, fear, heartache, confusion and shame; BUT, in those days (and keeping to my promise of self-care) I questioned those feelings. I named them and asked them WHY? Why are you living in me right now? What's your deal? I've always wallowed in these emotions for a day or two, straightened my shoulders back and distracted myself with something fleeting, but only to have those emotions resurrect themselves months later. This year, though, I was more than willing to call those little buggers out!

I. AM. PROUD. I think it's okay to say that to yourself sometimes! In calling out those fears and emotions, I've come to respectfully value them. Don't get me wrong, I MUCH rather have a good day than a bad one! But after putting in the hard work to "talk to them" there's a sort of kinship or bond that's formed. Strange I know, but that mind-shift has given me a bit more freedom and I'm all the more thankful for it!

2017 was the year of firsts for me!

First annual Brother-Sister Roadtrip with Lauro
First solo apartment
First time setting foot in Alabama
First corporate job
Went on an online date
Asked a guy out on a date
Led English ESL classes at my church
Conducted my first conference call
Hopped into a hot air balloon
Got all four (impacted) wisdom teeth pulled out
Started working on #PeoplePlacesPhilosophies
Went on a yoga retreat
Bought a Christmas tree (!!!)
Experienced all four seasons (HAHA my Texas fam will understand)
Pulled off a big Christmas surprise for my family
And hopped on over 100 different planes!

Moving forward to 2018

SOOOOO the big news is I'm being relocated to Houston, Texas at the end of January! WHAT?!?! So soon?!? I thought you just moved to Birmingham?! Hah, my exact reaction too and I did just move to Alabama about ten months ago! I'm definitely bummed to leave sooner than I thought but happy to be a bit closer to my Texas family! Houston folks, I'm looking at you to help me navigate through 2018! ;)

Now, just like I did last year, I'm going to make two new uncompromising promises for 2018: