Usually, I share a blogpost on Dec 31 where I
reflect on the past year and what I’ve learned. Unfortunately, with the
whirlwind called interview season, I have barely had time to catch my breath.
Furthermore, this year, I want to do something different and look forward into
the next year and create a list of things that I want to do over the course of
this next year.
2017 was quite the year, a cliche that I say
every year. However, 2017 was pretty important in my growth as a woman. I
turned 25, dyed my hair, got contacts (FINALLY), passed my clinical
comprehensive exam and began the nerve-wrecking experience of applying for
internship, which signals the ending of my academic career. But the year wasn’t
without it’s challenges and I’m grateful for my amazing support system who were
present during the beautiful highs and the very real lows, which included
health problems, both mine and members of my family, the resignation of my
dissertation chair and general school stress. I was forced to make a lot of “big
girl decisions,” as I love to call them. Especially for my mental health. I had
to let many things go for the sake of my peace. But I’m grateful for God’s
grace, which was sooooo soooo present during 2017. I had chosen the word,
“confidence” as my word of 2017 and I can now see how all that happened over
the course of 2017 helped increase my confidence, in God and in myself.
So now it’s 2018 there are things I want to do,
much of which are informed by the growth i experienced in 2017.
In 2018, I will:
- Stay hydrated
- Have consistent devotions and prayer times
- Be more intentional about my relationships with family and friends
- Guard my little heart
- Keep my physical and mental health a priority
- Be more consistent in healthy eating and exercise
- Become better with my finances
- Get involved in my local community
- Get back to reading for leisure and personal learning
- Vacation alone
- Trust in God and rest in His grace
- Seek advice from my elders
- Develop professionally
- Guard my peace with a passion
- Reclaim my time
- Engage in daily self-care
- Journal regularly
- Start a consistent skincare routine
- Grow in confidence
- Explicitly express my thoughts and feelings
- Know my limits and stick to my boundaries
- Be more political
- Speak up, Stand Up
- Encourage those around me
- Trust my gut
- SLAY
I’m excited and nervous about 2018, especially
with many potential changes in the horizon. Of course this list will change,
but I’m ready for the adventure. Here we goooo!
Selah [pause and think]
