2018 RECAP + WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2019

Happy New Year, y’all! After taking a few weeks off from the blog to travel and enjoy the holidays, it feels good to be writing again. 2019 is off to a great start already and I’m excited to share all the NEW content that I’ve been working on. Anyone else just love the fresh start of a NEW YEAR?! It’s like we get 365 chances to get it right this time if last year didn’t go as planned.

So let’s recap 2018, shall we?!

2018…..was a year of growth and complacency. Which I know is odd to have both of those terms together. So let me explain. After living in New York City for 4 years, I found myself settled in and definitely started to become complacent with things in my life. The first few years here were filled with so many changes personally and professionally, constant friends and family visiting, constant travel and experiences. And then 2018 arrived and it was complete opposite. Less hecticness, less friends & family visiting, less travel and less going on in general. I spent the first 6 months of 2018 battling unresolved issues from the year prior including depression. And it was definitely showing up in my daily life. I was feeling complacent, unmotivated and lost as to what to do next?! So in late May, I made the decision to seek out professional help and see a therapist. Looking back, I should have started the process sooner, but I kept pushing it off due to fear of cost since I’m uninsured.  Luckily, I had seen an ad for My Wellbeing, an online resource to help aid in finding a therapist in the New York area. And they offered self pay rates for services.  So after filling out an online survey, I received an email from My Wellbeing, which included two names of therapists in my area, along with their contact info and bios. I was surprised how easy the process was and I immediately felt eager to reach out to the first contact given. After two phone interviews with potential therapists, I selected the one I felt was best for me and scheduled my first appointment for June 6th. And from there I went every Monday for the first few months and then went a few times a month after that. It was hard to walk in that therapist office each Monday and unpack all the things I had placed deep down. To air out my dirty laundry, my fears, my weaknesses, my struggles, my personal relationships and everything in between. But I did it, one session at a time. Some days I would leave there feeling great and other days I left feeling wrecked while wiping away the mascara running down my face. But that’s the thing about therapy, YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK. You have to show up every time willing to unpack all the mess, pain and the past in order to work towards a better version of your self and future. And I can tell you this,  I’m so glad I did the work. I even took a break for most of November and all of December because I found myself stronger after receiving the tools I needed. And it was a good test for me to continue to do the work on my own and push through no matter what life brought my way. So that’s where the growth came from in 2018. I pushed through and faced the things I neglected for so long. And even though there were plenty of lows in 2018, there were also lots of highs.  I got to stand by my best friend while he married his best friend. I found strength in friendships. I had some incredible experiences in the city with new and old friends.  I celebrated my 36th Birthday and my 4th year of living in NYC. And I fell even more in love with the city itself.

2019 is no doubt going to be a year filled with new beginnings + big decisions.  And I’m excited to take it all on and make it a year to remember.

A few resolutions I have:

-Cook more often. A passion I have developed.

-Be more intentional with time.

-Be more consistent with daily habits (working out/ skincare routine /reading books)

-Find my voice more with my Blog and Social Media. (More action & Less comparison)

-Step out of my comfort zone more.

-Grow the Blog & make changes for longterm goals.

A few things I’m looking forward to:

-Enjoying the last year living with two of my best friends.

-My friend Brooke’s wedding and traveling to Montana for the first time. Send any recs my way!

-Starting new passion projects.

-Traveling more

-Continuing my journey of self love, acceptance and self improvement.

Wishing you all an AMAZING year filled with new possibilities! And excited for what’s to come in 2019!

Thank you all for being here and allowing me to share my life lessons and journey with you! It means more than you can imagine.

XO, Rae