2019 Recap and Goals for 2020

Happy New Year! I can’t believe that 2019 came and went just like that. We are not only welcoming a new year, but we are also heading into a new decade. As I was listening to music, I thought about everything that happened this past year. I experienced some ups and downs, but I am grateful for all that I went through because they taught me to strive to be a better person.

2019 RECAP

Here are a few of  my most significant moments that occurred in the past year:

Congratulations

My daughter has her own web design and brand identity agency. She started it almost four years ago as a side hustle. She and took a leap of faith and quit her job to pursue this passion of hers full time and worked endlessly to get her business off the ground. It was not an easy road; There were doubts, tears, and frustrations, and she almost wanted to quit, but she persevered. We celebrated the grand opening of her design studio back in November. In addition to having her own office space, she now has a team of 8 employees. Celebrating her success was a big moment, and although I am sure she would have succeeded without any encouragement from the family, I am so happy that we supported her dreams. I am so proud of her!

The Blog

I have always wanted to start a blog, but I was unsure of which direction to take, so I figured that I would write about whatever was on my mind. The day I finally launched my blog was one of my biggest and happiest moments this past year. My family is my biggest support system, and I could not have done this without them motivating me to do so. They even made suggestions on topics I should cover. I love my blog, and I am proud of what I have done with it so far.

Health

My physical health: I have struggled with multiple ailments such as Hypertension, GERD (Acid Reflux), Adult Onset/ Allergy induced Asthma, and other health conditions since my twenties. I also suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). While I was able to function normally most of the time, there were days that my illnesses got the best of me.

However, this past year the flare-ups appeared more frequently and more painful to the point where I could not even leave the house. I was placed on medication, but it made me feel even worse. In addition to the flare-ups, I was getting dizzy, my vision was affected, and I have aches all over my body. Some days I couldn’t even make it out of bed. It just seemed like my body broke down all of a sudden. I have gone to the doctor, and my condition is currently being evaluated.

Mental health: My mental health was affected as a result of my physical health. I became depressed, scared, and extremely anxious because I thought that I would never get better. My family and friends supported and encouraged me during this time, and it helped me feel better. I now have faith that things will one day turn around for me.

Job 

I lost my job. Next to my health, this was another major life change for me. I have been consistently working ever since I was 16, so it is hard to imagine being without a job. I know that things happen for a reason, and in the long run, more than likely, this situation is a blessing and a redirection towards something more fulfilling.

2020 GOALS

There are so many things I want to accomplish for the new year. Here are some goals that I hope to achieve this year:

Blogging Goals for 2020

• Plan ahead: Things happen, and I want to be prepared, so the goal is to have my posts ready at least two weeks prior to publishing.
• Post more often: So far, I have been only posting once a month. I want to increase that to once a week.
• Grow my blog traffic.
• Grow subscriber list.
• Connect with other bloggers: It would be great to link up with other bloggers. Although I get support from my family, there are things that only other bloggers would understand.
• Be active on social media:: I have to admit, I am social media-shy. I want to overcome that, and I aim to start with one or two platforms this year.

Personal Goals for 2020

• Improve health: I want to get my IBS symptoms under control so that I can have a better quality of life. I also want to get to the source of why I am always in pain. I want to be at a point where I can function normally.
• Work out: I want to start exercising at least twice a week.
• Self-love: It took a lot of work, but I have learned to fall in love with myself. There are some days that I still struggle with self-love, but for the most part, I accept who I am. I want to continue on that path of loving myself.
• Self-care: I firmly believe in taking care of yourself. But things got hectic, and I slacked in that department in the past year. From this day forward, I vow to take better care of myself.
• Meet up with friends more often: It is so hard to catch up with my friends, and I would like to hang out with them at least once every so often.
• Reach out to relatives more often: I have some family that I don’t get to see often, and I want to reach out to them and visit them whenever I can.
• Travel: I love to travel, and I want to go away at least twice a year. I am hoping to go to England this year to visit my aunt.
• Finding Balance: Writing regularly is not easy, and although I want this blog to grow, I do not want it to consume me either.

Professional Goals for 2020

Possible career change: I am not sure if I want to go back to the same field that I was in. I am considering a career change. I would love to get a job that I can work from home and eventually start my own business.

Final Thoughts

This past year has been a journey of transformation, accountability, and soul searching. Despite the hardships that I endured, sometimes we need challenges in order to grow.

I am looking forward to what the new year has in store. A new year represents a chance for a fresh start, new opportunities, and a new outlook on life.

Thank you for reading.

Yours truly,

Tracy

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock