2019 motto

Blog update: I haven't been using this for my daily gratitude list because sometimes the things I'm thankful for are too personal to share, and sharing my gratitude makes me focus on getting attention rather than focusing on the God who blesses me. This blog will now be about self care, intentional living, and the lessons I'm learning in my personal life.


I kind of hate New Year's. It used to be because I didn't like looking back and feeling unaccomplished. Now, it's because everyone's talking about a "fresh start" or a "clean slate." I don't want a fresh start or a clean slate. I'm so proud of and thankful for the progress I've made this year, and I want to carry it forward into 2019. I don't want to start a brand new journey when I've made strides in this one.


My motto for 2019 will be: Have faith to build upon blessings.


Let's break up what that means.

Have faith: That seems pretty obvious, but I need to be more intentional about Christian living. This spring, I was overwhelmed with the unconditional love of God and what it means for me. I felt peace, and that helped me do things that scared me. I want to carry that forward into the new year and also shape my perspective around God's perspective, my priorities around His, and my actions around Him.

to build: My life has improved dramatically, but I still have a long way to go. I need to graduate high school, apply to college, get accepted somewhere, and strike out on my own for the first time. I want to continue to build my relationships, language skills, dancing ability, etc. This coming year, I plan to continue my journey to be the person God made me to be and help make the world closer to what He made it to be.

upon blessings: It would be remiss to ignore the ways God has blessed me this year and the ways I trust He will in 2019. He gave me opportunities to meet new people, develop new skills, try new things, and take care of myself. It would also be remiss to ignore the hard work I did. I constantly pushed myself out of my comfort zone, asked for things I needed or wanted, apologized, and tried to tackle the new challenges that came my way. It was rough: I think I spent more time with anxiety stomachaches than I have any other year, and I had my first panic attack in years. I got through it, though. I was less paralyzed than I have ever been. I was less depressed than I've been in recent years. And I was so happy. When I look back at this year, I feel joy and accomplishment. I don't want to forget or move past anything I felt and did in 2018. I want to move forward with gratitude and a perspective shaped by all I've experienced this year. Next year, I want to use the things God has given me to further His kingdom and my happiness. I want to build upon my blessings so I can share the with others. I want to remember every moment of 2018 so that 2019 will be overwhelmed with gratefulness.