2023 To-Do List

Just typing out 2023 relaxes my shoulders and allows me to breath a sigh of relief. 2022 was a lot for me on a personal level, from start to finish really. There were beautiful moments of joy of course, but there was this overwhelming heaviness & at times paralyzing sadness. There was a lot of grief & mourning for a season of my life that unexpectedly & suddenly ended, without an ounce of warning or explanation. A big chapter closed & it took with it one of my most valued and important relationships. To say it was heartbreaking, would be the understatement of the century. 

A Farewell to 2021

I have spent the past 30 days, the entirety of the month, trying to reflect upon the last year. At the end of one year and the start of another, I usually have something to say about the year gone by. At the dawn of this new year, I was at a loss for words when I looked back to 2021. 

A To-Do List for 2021

I don't do resolutions, but come the new year I do make a list of things I want to accomplish. A to-do list of sorts! Resolutions seem so lofty and unattainable, but a to-do list keeps me on track and contains things that can actually be crossed off. It's what I've been doing for the past few years now, and it's what works for me!

Favorite Things of Twenty Twenty

Last year was the first year I did a 'Favorite Things' of the year post and it was truthfully one of my favorites!! I've decided to make it a year end tradition, as it is such a fun and light way to look back on the year. These posts will without a doubt be blast to read back as the years go on!

Twenty twenty may not have been my favorite year, but it still contained lot of things I loved. Enjoy!

A Farewell to 2020

Since the birth of Faith & Fancy, come the end of every year, I craft a post looking back and reflecting on the past twelve months. It has become a year end tradition I cherish quite a lot and one that I look forward to. I love everything these farewells represent - gratitude, reflection, closure - and they are collectively some of my favorite posts. Having this collection of paragraphs, sentences, and words that represent years gone by is so special - each year it is a gift I am giving my future self, and that future self will forever be grateful for them. 

With that being said, as we started approaching the end of twenty twenty, I felt paralyzed & overwhelmed thinking back on all that this year threw at us. I felt like I had a million things to say, but at the same time I felt so depleted that I just didn't know if the words would ever come.

All the Things Twenty Twenty Taught Me

Twenty twenty has been a lot of things, but as I reflect back, teacher feels like the most appropriate title. The past twelve months have taught me more about myself, this world, and all the people in it than any other year to date. Maybe even more than a lot of years combined. 

It is often the hardest years that have the most to offer us in terms of personal growth & learning. Twenty twenty takes the cake here. I know I am not the only one who has grown & evolved as a person. To be honest, I think we have collectively grown as humanity. I can't help but think that all this year taught us, has changed us for the better. This gives me immense hope. 

I of course cannot speak for all of humanity, but I can speak for myself. So without further ado, here are some of the biggest lessons from this past year. 

What I Learned in 2019

At the end of every year I find it so important to look back & reflect on what this year has given us, how we have grown on a personal level, and what we have learned in the past 365 days. The lessons might be small or they might be mighty & life changing, but regardless of their magnitude, anything learned is helping to shape us into the best and truest version of ourselves.

This year was a good year. One of the best to be honest. But with that being said, it was still full of little lessons (little, albeit important). If I looked around there were many things to be learned this year, and as always for that I am thankful.

Without further ado, here is what 2019 taught me. I hope it inspires you to reflect on your past year & discover how you've grown in the past three hundred & sixty five days.

Favorites Things of Twenty Nineteen

If you've been following the blog since the beginning, then it comes as no surprise to you that I love New Years. There's something so bittersweet & beautiful about saying goodbye to the past 365 lived days, while simultaneously welcoming the promise of 365 fresh new days. I love to look back, reminisce, and reflect (which I have & will share - stay tuned!), but this post is a little lighter and a little more fun!

I thought, why not look back on the year & play favorites a little bit! The idea started simply by me noticing things that have truly been my go-to's throughout the course of the year, and then it sparked this idea of thinking about all the things that brought me joy this year. So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite things - both tangible & intangible - from twenty nineteen!

The End of a Decade

A few weeks back, I sat on my work break at four am and blissfully went through my end of the year Spotify playlist. As I sat there smiling, walking down memory lane of the past year, it suddenly dawned on me - on December 31st we are not just saying goodbye to the year but to an entire decade. 

Woah.

Five Books to Read at the Start of a New Year

It's no surprise that words have this profound power to teach us, move us, and inspire us. I am a firm believer in their ability to change our lives, especially when they are perfectly crafted to do just that.  I love reading inspirational books all year round and especially at points in my life when I need to learn from their lessons. I am almost always left feeling inspired, with a new viewpoint and a little bit of hope.

 Of course I suggest reading these types of books all year round, or when your heart needs them a little bit more, but I thought that they are also kind of perfect for the start of a new year. Who doesn't want a little (or big) dose of inspiration or a new mindset as we head into twenty nineteen? I know I most certainly am here for it, so without further adieu, here are five books to read at the start of this new year. Some I have read and loved, some I am currently reading, and some are on my list. Either way, all containing words that have the power to change, inspire, and move you. I hope you enjoy!

Twenty Nineteen To-Do List

Last week I shared the intention I set for 2019 (go check it out here, if you haven't done so already!), and this week I wanted to share my 2019 to-do list. If you remember from last year, my new year to-do list is essentially a list of goals and things I would like to accomplish in this upcoming year. I had such a fun time crafting a list last year & then actually crossing off my accomplishments, that I knew I had to do it again this year.

I've started to stray away from making new year's resolutions... I feel like a list of goals is a better, more productive way to start the year. It not only helps you reflect on the things you want to accomplish in the next 365 days, but we all know that writing a list holds us more accountable and much more likely to successfully achieve those goals. My 2019 to-do list is just that and I cannot wait to start checking things off the list!

2019, Year of Yes

Resolutions, goals, and to-do lists. I've done them all when past new years have rolled around. I like the direction and tone they set as we embark on a fresh start come January. I think it's so important to set yourself up for success in the new year by reflecting on and then writing down all the things you want to do, accomplish, or work towards in the days, weeks, and months that follow. I plan on doing just that this year as I've done many times before, but I'm also doing something new!

A Look Back at Twenty Eighteen

As I lay here on this last day of 2018, I can't help but feel this overwhelming sense of gratitude for this past year. For everything that it was and wasn't, for all the milestones it contained, for the many miles traveled & adventures lived, for all the dreams achieved, lessons learned, and most importantly for all the people I am so lucky to be surrounded by.

To say I am lucky is an understatement at best.