Countdown to 2019

And, so, another year comes to an end. It seems like just the other day we were ringing in 2018, and now, we are getting ready to say farewell. I always greet the end of a year with both feelings of fondness and sadness, and I like to spend some time reflecting on the good (and not so good) things that occurred over the past 365 days.

Aside from facing thyroid cancer back in 2013, this past year was another year where I experienced tremendous personal growth (but that’s not to say that there hasn’t been growth over the five years between 2013 and 2018). This year, I started a new job that I love and one that has brought much fulfillment into my life; I broadened my horizons and spent time traveling to places near and far; and I came into my own more so than ever before.

With each passing year, I have become more comfortable in my own skin and have grown more confident in my voice. Part of that development has come with age, but another part has been due to the experiences I have had with each and every new year.

This year, I was fortunate to have a lot of great opportunities come my way—and you know what? I took advantage of them all and was grateful that I was able to do so. The old me (as I so kindly refer to myself from time to time), would have shied away or made some excuse not to be a part of these opportunities. And I would have regretted that choice. But the new and improved 32-year-old me, said ‘yes’ to everything that came my way this year—even if it scared the daylights out of me as I was agreeing to it. From ringing the closing bell at Nasdaq to appearing on television at a Rangers game to talk about cancer research, each opportunity pushed me out of my comfort zone and became a defining moment of 2018.

While time constraints forced me to take periodic breaks on the blog here and there throughout the year, one important lesson that I learned in 2018 was that it is okay to take time for myself. The adage, ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup,’ took on a whole new meaning for me as I tried to juggle a hectic work schedule, blogging, taking care of my grandmother, travel, workouts, and yes, myself as well. But without me, none of my other commitments would get completed, so this is a lesson I hope to remember for 2019.

I am excited to welcome 2019, as it is not only a new year, but it also marks what will be 10 years since I graduated from college. It’s hard to believe that a decade has past, but I am already making plans to be back on campus to celebrate the milestone in May. I am also working on new content for the blog and have been thinking about starting a podcast (anyone interested in that? Let me know!).

So, as we countdown the final moments of 2018, I am thankful for all of my readers and followers who have stayed on this journey with me and who keep inspiring me every day. I’m also grateful that I was able to share how I started blogging with outlets like Swirled, talked about my thyroid cancer diagnosis with the THANC Foundation, and discussed how I raise awareness for thyroid cancer with K-DEER this year.

All in all, 2018 was an amazing year and I am looking forward to seeing what comes in 2019.

Hope you all have a happy and healthy New Year!