Have you ever had a year you've been waiting to jump into? Not so much because of all that lies ahead (although that can be exciting) but because of the mile marker it brings?
That is how 2023 has been for me. I’ve been so eager for this year to begin due to what it personally means to me (and because of how I chose to celebrate it).
Twenty years ago, I was in the process of publishing my first novel. It was something I had always wanted to do, and it was happening. Unbeknownst to my naive little heart, I was embarking on a difficult, life-changing adventure.
Let me share a little backstory about me. I was the student in school who absolutely dreaded (like anxiety dread) the notion of a teacher calling my name. To know an entire classroom's focus would soon look at me sent my flight-or-fight sympathetic nervous system into high alert. So, in fifth grade, when I shared with friends and teachers that I, one day, would be an author, I had no idea what I had mentally signed up for with this goal.
Come 2003, when I was indeed making my author dream come true, my quiet “don’t draw attention to myself” persona was a recipe for disaster. In the years that followed, I painfully learned my aspirations to be an author went WAY beyond my comfort zone.
So this year is my mile marker of an achievement.
After twenty years of pushing myself, failing often, picking myself up, healing my wounds, I have trudged forward. At times, I have wanted to quit. Many times, there have been inner fights with my own demons over why I am here. But something way beyond the safety of my comfort zone has pushed me to keep going.
2023 is my pinnacle moment! Not only am I reaching this 20-year anniversary, but also thanks to my current book project I have discovered a deeper love for this entire experience.
So, I am here to celebrate where I am, how I got here, and how the entire journey, the highs and the lows, are changing me into a better person. Even though I still don't like attention, I do like who I am becoming through these challenges and growth. So, here in 2023, I've arrived at a refreshing viewpoint to see a vista of gratitude and happiness.
What about you? Have you ever wanted to give up but, instead, you kept going? Perhaps you are at a crossroads right now? Or have you, at times, felt like a failure because your aspirations didn't align with your reality? If you can relate to any of this, please join me! Let’s take some time to pause, celebrate, and learn from our journeys.
Through stories, special guests, monthly giveaways and more, I aspire to remember, gratefully celebrate, and share the joy. I would love for you to join me!
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