As Thanksgiving and Christmas bring this year to a close, I have so much to be thankful for and to celebrate. So much growth and goodness has happened this year. I am happy to reflect on all of it. Looking back on it...WHAT A YEAR! I have learned so much and I will share 12 things I learned... one for every month.
January started with a new semester in school and meeting new friends.
#1. I learned to enjoy the little things by slowing down. I tried to implement the idea of living in the moment.
February brought more school, fun with family and the dogs. And a cute little Valentines Day Party.
#2. I learned that even the simple things can bring great joy and satisfaction. Even if that is just a cute braid or blouse that day. There were several days throughout the year where these little things made the whole day.
March was a time of a lot of artwork in preparation for a Portfolio review in order to get into the Interior Design Program. I was also able to spend a week in Alaska for my birthday and Spring Break! We attempted to see the Northern Lights with no such luck, but had fun trying. During that trip, we celebrated my 21st birthday with a cute photoshoot and my favorite pizza and cake!
#3. I learned that even though you can't control the circumstances, you can control your attitude and reactions.
April came with a bang as my parents listed their house for sale to move closer to family. This brought change and excitement as they looked for a new house. General Conference also happened which was awesome. It brought clarity and comfort especially with the end of the semester quickly approaching. April was response time from the Interior Design program. This brought a lot of stress and questions as I decided to look for another major and career path. Overall, April was stressful but good and Im thankful for the growth.
#4. I learned that God always has a plan and that I needed to trust in Him. Something that was constantly in my mind was, "Our God is a God of perfection and he doesn't make mistakes."
May brought moving time as I packed all my stuff and moved to a different apartment for the summer. This meant new roommates and friends. I also went to seattle for a bit to see family and that was a lot of fun. May was good because I had a break from school and just focused on work.
#5. I learned that although change can be hard, it can be really good!
June was moving time again, only this time for my parents. I flew to Anchorage to help them move and that meant driving from Alaska to Utah. This was such an incredible experience and one that I will cherish forever. Although we spent 50+ hours in the car over the span of 5 days, it was beautiful and amazing. Definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity. After getting home, I spent a day with family getting our nails done and shopping. I love the time I get to spend with them and cherish it. I spent the rest of the month working and enjoying my time in Logan!
#6. I learned to get out of my comfort zone and enjoy the opportunities that happen with that.
July was a celebration as we celebrated independence day as well as pioneer day for us Utahns. We had a good BBQ with family as per tradition. I had a lot of fun prepping for that, and I made a separate blog post all about it. (Just a shameless self promo here) I continued the month with crafting because it is my passion. You could say it was a great month.
#7. I learned to make time for the things you love. I love crafting a decided to spend more time doing that. What a joy!
August, a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. This was because the Fall Semester of school started then. I moved apartments yet again and got ready for all my classes, yet again. Although moving was kind of frustrating, it led me to some of my favorite people and good experiences. Not only did I move myself, but I helped my parents move to Washington. Moving experiences left and right for me. I enjoyed some time exploring Spokane before school started up and that was a lot of fun. I also had the opportunity to go axe throwing for my brother's birthday, what a fun experience. Because summer was coming to a close, I decided it was a good time to discover my new major. I decided to change my career plans to Recreation Administration and it has been a great change. I am so excited for my future in Recreation.
#8. I learned that it is ok to change career paths and life goals in the middle of something. I came to the realization that it is never too late to become who you want to be.
I am immensely grateful for that knowledge.
September was somewhat uneventful. I had the opportunity to have lunch with a good friend and also picked fruit at the local vineyard with my roommates. I finished off the month making mini pumpkin pies because fall was among us.
#9. I learned that self care is essential even though it's hard. It is important to take care of yourself first. It's like the airplane principle, you have to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, and the same is true with self care. Throughout the year I tried to improve my self care in order to help those around me.
October was a good month, it was the middle of the semester so the speed of things was picking up. We had established a good friendship with our neighbors and we had all grown really close as roommates. With Fall came lots of Fall baking and that was wonderful, along with crafting, baking is one of my favorite things. Pumpkin bread, pie, cookies... you name it, we made it! What a glorious time. When Halloween came, we had some fun with our neighbors and took a drive... with the drive came a spontaneous photo shoot. What a fun time.
#10. I learned to be confident. Confidence has become something I have been working on all year and it will continue to be a work in progress but I'm getting there. I have been learning to not care what others think, but only what God thinks.
November, a month of gratitude. This was certainly a time to reflect on all that I'm grateful for and all the blessings in my life. My roommates and I put on a friendsgiving. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed each others company. It turned out so great that I wrote a separate blot post about it. (Another shameless self promo) I had the great opportunity to travel to Spokane and spend thanksgiving with my parents and my brother. What a wonderful time to be together. After thanksgiving it was crunch time, time to get everything turned in and ready for finals. The end of the semester was quickly approaching and although it was exciting it was also stressful.
11. I learned that there is always something to be thankful for and something to be positive about.
December was a time to celebrate yet again. Finals finished up and friends moved home for Christmas break. I was able to enjoy the peace and quiet of Logan as a finished up working for a couple days. I then had the chance to come home to Spokane to spend Christmas with the family. What a joyous time. I am grateful to the opportunity to spend time with family.
#12. I have learned the importance of the Savior in my life and the love that He brings each and every day.
I have truly learned a lot over this past year.
I am excited to see what will come next year.
I am grateful for the opportunities that have come with this year and the growth that has come with it. I am happy I have been able to create this blog as a place to share happiness and my passions. I hope to continue and share this passion with you in the coming weeks and year. Most of all the thing I learned this year was:
Make Happiness Everyday!
XOXO
Hollyn
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