Idlessence

My original idea for this post was to list five or so things that I learned this year. However, after watching a video by one of my favorite YouTubers about end of the year reflection, I decided to follow her example and ponder the following questions:

Where were you this time last year?

The holiday had pretty much ended, so my family was done visiting extended family so we were back home taking down Christmas decorations and getting ready for the new year.

Where are you know?

I was only able to visit my maternal grandmother twice this semester, and we always spend Christmas with her, so I extended my stay with her by a few days. I got her a Kindle Fire tablet for Christmas and have been showing her how to use it and it’s been pretty fun helping her pick out different apps.

If you could describe the year in three words, what would they be?

Change, Clarity, and Freeing

What are you grateful for?

I’m actually currently doing a 7 Days of Gratitude Challenge on my Instagram. So far, I’ve listed my grandmother because she’s a great source of comfort for me, the color burgundy because it’s my power color, and my parents because they do so much for me and my sister, and an immense improvement in my mental health.

What goals did you accomplish?

I fell out of the habit of making New Years’ resolutions in middle school, but I’ve wanted to try to be more positive and this year was a great year for that.

What goals did you not accomplish?

There was a pretty slim chance of this happening anyway, but I really wanted to graduate a semester early. At the time, I was just feeling really stressed out with school and overwhelmed, but now I’m really glad that I’m graduating on schedule in May.

What brought the most joy in 2017?

Music. So much good music. So much good live music. I went to my first concert in February and then my second in September. There’s such a great sense of community at concerts. Everyone is there for the same thing, to have a good time, and we all have something in common, which is the artist on stage.

What new habits have you acquired?

I think more positively now and embrace the little quirks that make me who I am rather than belittling myself for them.

What old habits are you leaving behind?

My self-deprecating sense of humor.

What do you want to achieve in 2018?

I want to finish out my last semester of college strong, continue to make progress with my mental health and self acceptance, and make more time to read.