2018 was definitely one for the books. I started the year by packing up as much as I could into two suitcases and moving to the Big Apple. I knew I would live in NYC someday, but I never could have predicted that "someday" would be my junior year of college. To read what I was up to that semester, check out my "T in NYC" blog posts!While overall the experience was incredible, it didn't come without challenges. At the start of 2018 I picked the three words; trust, confidence and inspire. I kept these words in mind everyday that I was living in New York. They gave me guidance and perspective, both when days were hard and when they lived up to my glamorous expectations.Because of this internship, 2018 was a major year of growth for me. With moving to a new city and my impending college graduation, I learned to surrender my full trust in the process and have faith everything will work out. Even still, I catch myself thinking too far into the future trying to plan out every possible scenario. I've made strides in the right direction, though, learning to embrace the unexpected.Which is why for 2019 I've chosen "presence" as one of my three words. To me, being present means two things; 1. limiting my screen time and 2. living in the moment while still keeping future goals in mind. Limiting my screen time is pretty self explanatory. Mostly for the fact that I want to maintain my 20/20 vision for as long as I can, resisting the urge to pick up my phone or laptop will free up time for me to be fully aware of what's happening around me. But secondly, I want to be present in the stage of life that I'm at. Someday, I'll longingly look back on my college years and I'm sure I won't wish I spent more time worrying about my future, but wishing I spent more time enjoying living with my friends, going to school related events and still being on my parents insurance plan. So, while every day I will still be doing what I can to set myself up for success in the future, I'll be making sure to enjoy each day for what it is; one I won't get back. College can be stressful and overwhelming, but it's a time in my life I don't want to miss by constantly thinking about my future. Confidence will always be something I'm working at, but 2018 pushed me in big ways and I relied on my self confidence to make it through. I never want to come off like I'm bragging when talking about my accomplishments, so often times I downplay them or just avoid talking about myself at all. But, I've learned the difference between bragging and being self-assured. It's not wrong to be proud of yourself. Especially now when I'm applying for full-time jobs, it's so important that I show potential employers that I am proud of the work I've done.In 2019 I want to build off of what I learned about confidence, so my second word is "expression". When I was a kid, I was unapologetically myself. As I get older, I don't want to lose that spark and ambition. With that in mind, this year is all about finding my way back to my roots and fully expressing my emotions, ambitions and talents without holding back. Lastly, this past year was all about finding inspiration and sharing it. By blogging about my time in New York and pushing myself creatively in work and school, I began to see the world as a more beautiful place. If no one else, I've inspired myself to be optimistic and find the good even in trying circumstances. This past semester I received my highest GPA, surpassing my cumulative grade point goal. At Salads UP and my mom's art gallery, I taught myself new skills in graphic design and showed myself that I am capable of whatever I set my mind to. Cliché, I know, but by opening myself up to trust and finding a new level of confidence, I have inspired myself to set higher goals and embrace what makes me, me.My third word for 2019 is attention. Attention to detail and attention to health. I tend to get super excited about what I'm working on that I want to turn it in or publish it right away. This year, I will remind myself to take a step back and make sure whatever it is I'm working on is fine tuned before hitting enter. I'm also going to spend more time paying attention to what I'm putting in my body. Taking the time to cook meals instead of eating out, scheduling workouts and making sure everyday I'm doing something to be stronger and healthier both mentally and physically.This past year I was lucky enough to help my mom open up an art gallery. She's helped my dreams come true, so it was special to be part of hers this time. 2018 was also full of travel. I went to Canada and Montana for the first times, spent a couple weeks visiting Jack in Arizona and took a road trip to California. The year was spent making so many new memories and I can't wait to see what's next. 2019 is sure to be filled with new cities to call home, new jobs and new twists and turns I can't even imagine. For the next 364 days, (writing this a day late, ugh) the words presence, expression and attention will keep me focused on my goals to make it my best year yet! Time to shine! ✨

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