I remember when I was younger, I would look back on the year and think… “oops, what terrible decisions I made.” I would be excited for the new year, so I could start over. This year, I look back and think “wow, what a good year”. 2018 was possibly the best year of my life so far. This year was filled with so much happiness and satisfaction. I wish I could use pictures to describe the feeling I have for this year, but I can only do it with words and your trust in me that I am telling the truth. It’s easy to lie and pretend like you’re happy. But why not find out instead what actually makes you happy? I disabled (can’t fully delete) my Instagram mid-October. I knew I would be better off without it, but after a long time of my husband insisting I delete it, I finally did. It’s hard to believe, but I feel free.
Since graduating in June with my MS in Nutrition, I have noticed an increase in my happiness by at least a point (currently, I rate my happiness at 9.5/10). True freedom is knowing that you don’t have an assignment that needs to be submitted by midnight. I love learning and I am passionate about nutrition. I 100% understand the necessity of education; however, during those many years in school, I had no idea what life was like outside of school. Experiencing it for the first time over the last 6 months have been amazing.
I’m blessed to have landed 2 jobs that provide me purpose and meaning to life. My “work” is not only helping me pay off my education but also gives me satisfaction in life. I am grateful for my decision to go into nutrition. Choosing nutrition as a career, along with marrying my husband, were the 2 best decisions of my life.
More recently, I realized something important: a way that I want to live my life. It’s a different perspective on life. With myself, and sometimes with my husband, I have questioned what the point of life is (not in a depressing way, but a curious way). After much thought, I realized that my life is a blank canvas and I am the artist. I was always hesitant to call myself an artist for many reasons, but I am freeing myself of that thought. I have embraced my ability to create art. Art can be interpreted in many ways. I used to think art were just paintings and drawings. Now, I see art in every aspect of my life. I recognize music, dancing and writing as art that I enjoy doing and observing. Also, not only are my paintings art, but my marriage, relationships and friendships are art. My whole life is a piece of art. When I take a step back to reflect on my life, which I do often, I view my life as a blank canvas. Any artist knows that time and patience are necessary ingredients in creating a masterpiece. There are already a few colors on my canvas, such as marriage, my career, my friends, my family… Viewing my life as an art piece keeps me aware that I am in control of my well-being. There’s a peace of mind that comes with creativity.
I hope that I continue to thrive in 2019. I plan on work being my main focus this year. “Work” is not only a word I use to represent my actual job, but to symbolize the time I spend learning, and bettering myself. Cheers to closing a chapter and starting a new one.
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| Creation: Creating something good but also taking a moment to observe the beauty of it. |
