2021 Reflections + 2022 Intentions

Reflection is one of the greatest things I learned as an adult, simply because I think it's so important to always try to be better as time goes on and as we learn. The past few years I have really been focusing on making intentions, the no pressure added cousin of resolutions. Sure it may seem like simple semantics, but I think the definition of intentions truly lies in a more mellow battle ground for goals. I feel like 2020 & 2021 have all been the same year, it has been quite the anxiety ridden time and for many people it has been filled with trauma, loss, isolation, grief, and difficult times at best. I'm hoping 2022 will prove to be the year we all get to breathe a bit easier and have some relief. I wanted to share with you all my reflection of 2021 and also my intentions moving forward in 2022 to provide insight and some accountability on my end. Happy New Year to you and yours, let's make this season of life meaningful & with value added. 

 2021:

This year started pretty rough for this girl. I found out I was going to be a mom in late January when I was away at school while studying for my RD exam. After the initial shock and acceptance, the hard reality that I had no idea of what I was doing set in. This year was so good to us, my son arrived 3.5 weeks early, so I got to meet him and spend more time than I was supposed to which I see as a blessing, I have gained great patience and more forgiveness for others, and have also done some reflecting inward as far as making judgements when it comes to my family and others. We have been saving money like crazy and investing in not only our future but also George's which I want to continue.

I began cooking more outside of my comfort zone which makes me so excited for next year when George starts eating! This is out of my norm, since like many I too am a creature of habit. I must say that I have not only enjoyed it, but it has allowed me to create some new flavors and also has made things easier for me. I have utilized canned and frozen veggies more than I ever have in the past along with the crockpot. Again, I plan to continue this trend in my kitchen and truly hone in and expand my menu! 

I have removed many things that prove to be a time suck for me out of necessity or that I simply don't even have time for  at all anymore. I deactivated my Facebook account which has given me so much more time while also reducing my anxiety BIG time. I removed it because I didn't wish to share my life with my son with a bunch of people I simply don't speak to on the regular, which can seem weird since I blog and am open about many things in my life, but I refused to share him in this media. I don't want him posted anywhere and why I still choose to not share many pictures of him, maybe it's me being protective, maybe it's just a longing for privacy I have not felt that I needed in my life- but regardless I plan to keep it this way until he can consent to having his photo shared with the world (no matter how small that may be). 

This year has been one of so many firsts in such a short amount of time. I started taking nutrition clients, traveled with my son, spoke some truths about my reality that some may have not wanted to hear, worked damn hard at my job, created programs on base, and most importantly became a mom to the most perfect human in the entire world. I have never been so in love with something my entire life and really feel that being a mom is a new purpose for me. 

2022:

My main intention this year is to be fully present with my son all the time and also get rid of or remove things that simply do not serve me any longer. This includes going through and de-cluttering and getting rid of items I have not used or worn while also removing energy suck tasks and individuals. I also want to focus on keeping my life and circle simple and small. I have found that I only truly want to invest time in things and people that really matter in life and that I want to share mine with. 

I intend to work very hard at exposing my son to as much as I can this year, this includes culturally, in nature, and with food while also protecting my inner child. I have had a bit of insight into how he is beginning to see things and discover this world and I want to fully immerse myself in it with him. I love seeing his mind work and learn. 

I want to also make traveling and exploring my fitness a priority once again like it was before. Now that George is here and we have some traveling under our belt, I feel more confident traveling with him and know what works for us & he will continue to get more and more accustomed to it as we expose him to it. My fitness has been consistently inconsistent which I am more than okay with. I love working out and moving my body, but there have been many times in which I have chosen to sleep on the couch with my son in the morning to just have those precious moments instead of going to the gym or rushing home after work to pick him up from daycare instead of getting that run in. This time in his life is something I won't experience again and I want to not miss a thing! Fitness will always be there & as long as I am prioritizing the things I think are important, that's all that matters. Once the weather becomes more conducive of being outside, I plan on implementing more movement with George. 

I also desire to focus on my small business this year, I have taken on 3 new nutrition clients for this upcoming year and that is in addition to the 4 others I am currently working with. My current position at the base is temporary & could end for me come September 2022, so I have to have things lined up should it end in the fall. I will be prepared to stand up my business in a more robust way should that happen with working on the side with a select number of individuals. 

Lastly, I want to work on my communication skills. I have a pretty easy time communicating with people that I do not love outside of my family however, I struggle with communicating at times with my husband and immediate family for various reasons. It stems from not wanting to step on toes, make others feel uncomfortable, or create hurt feelings- but I know this often does not help many situations and actually makes things worse. I hope that this is something I can improve on sooner rather than later, but it may always be a work in progress. 

This new year can be everything you wish it to be if you plan and work on setting yourself up to reach your intentions or goals. Make them realistic & dedicate the time to what will help you meet them, hope you break in the new year with your most loved!