Happy 2022! I’ll admit, this year is off to a not-so-great start as I’m writing this from bed surrounded by tissues, Gatorade, and Dayquil, but I still wanted to take the time to reflect a bit on 2021 and share some of my goals for the new year. 2021 was quite the year for me, and everyone else I’m sure, with some big highlights and some real low points. As I enter 2022, though, I remain hopeful and strive to be intentional as the new year unfolds.

Looking back on 2021:

• Solomon and I started the year by adopting our pup, Willie Nelson. He’s been such a fun addition to the family, providing endless entertainment and some good lessons in patience. Our house feels more like a home with him here, and it’s been so great to have a new adventure buddy.
• We traveled a lot, and saw lots of friends and family – almost every single month we either traveled to visit loved ones or had loved ones visit us. I was so nervous moving to Colorado that we would feel isolated from friends/family who live on opposite coasts. Instead, I felt more love than ever.
• I changed jobs not once, not twice, but four times… and now I’ve landed at a company and in a role I truly love.
• I started freelancing and became a brand ambassador for some awesome companies. It’s been a really exciting and challenging experience to start freelancing, and I love having a creative side hustle outside of work.
• I started going to therapy (again) and started accepting the fact I’ve been living with an eating disorder. This is a tough one to write about as I’m still unpacking everything that comes along with disordered eating and learning to live with it and work through it on a daily basis. I plan to address this more in the future, but for now, I can say that I truly believe therapy is beneficial to everyone, and if you’ve ever felt an urge to go, please look into it.
• In November I also tackled my first solo road trip which left me with an even bigger desire to continue traveling and embarking on new adventures.

Looking ahead to 2022:

• Probably the biggest goal I have for 2022 is to be more intentional and consistent in living a healthy lifestyle. I have not treated my body well this past year, and I know I need to be more conscious of the food I’m putting into my body and getting back into a consistent workout routine. I’m signed up for an 8-week online bootcamp through one of my favorite gyms, and I’m so excited to jump in on Monday.
• Another big goal I have is to manage my finances better. We’ve had to dip into our savings a few times this year thanks to unexpected life expenses, but I want to build that fund back up and then get back to saving money in a personal fund to go towards fun stuff, like planning trips. I use a budgeting spreadsheet from I Was Broke. Now I’m Not. which really helps me track how much money I spend.
• I also want to get back into reading more consistently in 2022. I used to read alllll the time as a kid, and then I fell out of it once I got caught up in college and working. I recently got a Kindle and a subscription to Kindle Unlimited, so I’m really looking forward to reading for fun again. One of the upsides to being sick is I’ve had plenty of time to lay around and read.
• In 2022, I also want to remain consistent in posting on Wandering the Gap and my YouTube channel. I’m really proud of myself for posting consistently throughout 2021, and I want to continue the trend in 2022.
• Another big goal is to travel somewhere new! Colorado and the surrounding states have so many beautiful areas to explore, and I want to take a trip with Solomon to somewhere that neither of us have been.
• Finally, I want to continue building up my freelance portfolio. Even though freelancing just recently became a side hustle for me, I want to continue to grow my projects and would love one day to do it full time and work for myself. I’m so thankful for all the opportunities I’ve worked on so far, and I can’t wait to see what 2022 holds.