Ready for You, 2022

I'm sitting at a very festive coffee shop in my hometown, chai latte in hand, and it almost feels like I'm the main character of a post-Christmas Hallmark movie—whose decided that there's no better time to start blogging again than the second day of the new year. Ah 2022, what are we going to do. 

So many possibilities of what the new year could bring. Every season I always feel a sense of pressure to make necessary resets: whether it be taking down all of the Christmas decorations asap, re-organizing my closet, limiting my social media use, investing in a new hobby, muting toxic people—the whole lot.  

What I have forgotten to do is reflect on what I have actually accomplished this past year amidst the worrying and curiosity over what could come. I graduated college, I got my first job, I travelled more than I thought I would, I started powerlifting, I met some pretty stellar folks, and besides the icky mucky bumps here and there, 2021 served me well. 

I will say that I am ready for change, not so much Chicago winter, but you can only ask for so much right? I do have a couple of goals I would like to keep in mind throughout the year and things I am looking forward to. In addition, I need to treat each day with optimism and openness for the possibility of change and growth—not letting some stale or stagnant days be wasted and making the most out of every opportunity to live a bit more mindfully this year. 

Moving On and Moving Out

A goal that has been pushed off my radar since I moved back home during Covid is when I would officially move out. I made it a point to do everything in my power to find a job and get on my feet after college before moving back into the city. I've romanticized the idea of what living on my own would be like. Granted, I don't want to live alone but having the power to finally have my own space, closer to the city I love, and where I can begin a new chapter is all so enchanting to me. I don't think it will be anytime in the next couple of months, but this year is definitely the year. Thankfully, my sisters and my best friend have all volunteered to go apartment hunting with me, so I would be open to sharing that process with you all later on. One big step and it will happen very, very soon—I know it. 

Fostering Momentous Motivation 

With the idea of moving, which is already a huge moment of change, I already know that there is still a lot of newness and experiences I have yet to have. With winter rolling back around and the Omicron variant lurking, I don't want to sink back into the comfort bubble again—whether it be repeating the same workouts at the gym (or from home), not turning my camera on during work calls, or just hunkering down because "it's too cold out". 

There was a time when I used to be so vigilant and proactive about reaching for things like applying for a new executive role in a club or applying for study abroad, no matter how uncomfortable or strenuous the process was. I tell some of my friends who are finishing up college that I genuinely miss learning and having benchmarks to master: like speaking to people fluently in Spanish, the ambition I used to have when I was drafting and re-drafting my resume, the adrenaline rush I used to get before I would meet a new student to tutor. I didn't realize it then, but I was cultivating a routine that I would yearn for the rest of my life. I want to be constantly productive, proactive with my goals, and reclaim that motivation I had when I would crank out twelve page papers on the Yellowstone River in the library. I miss that Natalie, but she is back and more ready to take on whatever may come her way. 

Choosing People Who Choose Me

This year brought forth a new realization of how I prioritize and care about my relationships—platonic or romantic. I've been able to experience different relations with people, more than I thought I would this year. I needed the connection and I craved it to a point where I didn't even recognize myself because I truly came out of my shell this summer. People come and go, yes, but I like to think that I try to lead every interaction knowing that I put in the effort to connect, listen, and learn something new from everyone I meet. No matter how long they stay. I want to invest my time, energy, love, and compassion with people who want to be around me. 

Investing in Me-Time

Sure I've been a bit of a social butterfly this year, but with that came a lot of worrying and dwelling about other people. A lot of what I yearn for, like a newfound motivation for example, came at a time when I was fully content and driven to work on myself when nobody else was really in the picture. It ebbs and flows at different points in my life of course, but I always find that when I'm doing the things I love (like writing), I am focused and am feeding my soul what it really needs! I want to make more conscious decisions when it comes to investing in what I need and what will help me best succeed. 

I am embracing the new year with grace, knowing that each and every day will be different and I have to also give myself grace when I need to slow things down and reflect. Rather than setting a template for how I want 2022 to look, I'll always go back to what my dad urges me to remember: to take it day by day. 

I am ready for more laughs, more wine nights, experiencing jaw dropping views, surprising myself by reaching new heights, and maybe learning how to actually cook in the process—give or take. 

What are you looking forward to in the new year?