2016 Was My Favorite Year

First of all, let me just say: what. a. year!

Looking back, I really loved 2016; a lot has happened and this year will undeniably stick out from many of the rest. Firstly, I bought a home this year with my boyfriend - huge step to say the least. Not only was it a painful and difficult process that stretched over many months, but it was a process that we successfully overcame, together. From finding a near perfect home that had everything we wanted (the important stuff) to renovating the floors, painting the house, and adding a new roof and then refinancing it about 6 months later - this was a huge accomplishment that I know we will look back on and be really proud of.

Work was also a painful and difficult process this year. I was given a lot more responsibility and control over my career and with that, came a lot of growing pains - from learning new things to learning how to work with different personalities, it wasn't always rainbows and butterflies! But with the struggle, came the knowledge and for that I will forever be grateful and not to mention, excited for what's really in store for next year as I embark with a new outlook on how I want my career to pan out.

And as always, my own personal journey came to fruition and does so more and more every single year. I lost touch with my creative and artistic side for a very long time. I had bits and pieces of it throughout the years as I made little cards here, decorated little parties there, but I was holding back immensely and this year, I finally dug deep into my core and found my fire again, so to speak. Albeit a little embarrassing, but decorating our Christmas tree was a big deal for me - I couldn't just settle for anything typical or standard; I really needed validation that I still had artistic taste in me, because that's who I am and anything less and I would've continued feeling unfulfilled. My tree turned out perfectly and just the way I'd intended. I can't believe I was scared to decorate it! 

The same thing happened for my Christmas gift that I made for my boyfriend. I wanted to paint him something, because back to when we were living with his brother, I'd had him sell these huge, beautiful Buddha canvas paintings because 1) we had no room for them and 2) I didn't really like them and felt like they weren't really "me". I looked back onto that time and regretted it this year, realizing that our home shouldn't be about just "me" but US, together and I also realized that the paintings actually were tasteful. So back to the point, I wanted to paint him my own Buddha painting and I was so scared that I would fail and that if I did, I would again feel unfulfilled and unhappy with myself.

But the painting turned out wonderfully and I even surprised myself. It was everything I wanted, even with all its imperfections; it was unique and one of a kind and that is a gift I don't think any other art piece can give him. My validation was also settled; I am who I thought I was and the person I used to be back in high school. I don't know where she went but she's back and 2016 was the year she returned.

With that said....I didn't forget about our new president elect, Donald Trump. I'm not a fan and I was actually rather heartbroken with the results, but if the next year will be anything like this one, I'm counting on good faith that if I can get through a few tough and painful experiences, then so can our country. That's not to ignore all of the negativity and hate that has spewed out once he was elected, but it's to inspire hope because frankly, that's all we have left and if we have at least that, then I don't believe that we're totally screwed. Just my two cents.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!