The Most Meaningful Thing I Did In 2015

Another year has come and gone.

2015, where the heck does the time go!? The new year is always an exciting time in many people's live but even more exciting in mine because my birthday is only a couple days after the new year! January 3rd, holla! Where are my fellow capricorns at? Hehe.

As the year comes to close, I can't help but go back and think about what a memorable 2015 it was for me. I COMPLETED college, sometimes when you're going through undergrad you have those days like you wish it would just end. You are ready to be in the real world making money for serving your time. While that is so true, a part of my heart will always be left at the University of Southern California. I completed so many 'firsts' there. It was an incredible experience to be able to wakeup every morning in the coolest city in the world filled with endless opportunities and get to be surrounded by brilliant students that I get to call my friends. I tried things I'd never though I'd have the opportunity to do.

In life, we get signs if we are smart we listen to those signs. I never used to believe that, I always thought if you work hard then you deserve the things that you get and the places you get to go to. While working hard does get you places, so does listening to the signs of the universe when they are thrown in your face. In 2015, I seized opportunities I never would of 2 years ago. I completed internships that I didn't think I was physically able to do. I started my own digital marketing business, I gained my first clients. And it felt AMAZING to be able to use what I've learned into action. I saw results I could've only dreamed of a couple years ago.

I had the opportunity to fly across the world to the most magical place I have ever been to, Ireland. I caught the traveling bug there and my heart will never ever be the same. Along with my obsession of Irish tea.

Like I said before, sometimes life throws you signs that you just can't help but follow. Life posted a photo of a long haired dachshund on Facebook that just happened to land in my lap. My mom and I took one look at this adorable dog and knew that I had to have him. I wasn't planning on getting another dog but rescuing Monte was a huge highlight in 2015 for me. I never thought I'd be independent enough to care for another dog, was I going to be able to give him everything he needs? When other people have to do certain things for you, it gives you a sense of pride to know that you are taking care of someone else and not the other way around. He's given me confidence in places I didn't even know I was insecure in. It's like he was always meant to be my dog.

While all those things listed are incredibly important to me, I think the most meaningful thing I did this year was that my relationship with God grew stronger than it's ever been. Like I have said before, I've always had strong faith but I have gone through things this year that I never expected I'd ever have to go through. These hardships I was faced with are not things I am comfortable sharing with my readers. During this period in my life there were times, I felt hopeless and scared of the future and not knowing what was going to happen next. I had countless sleepness nights laying awake scared - wondering if my life was going to change forever. For the first time since my accident, I once again knew what it was like to feel helpless. I was feeling again what it was like to want to change a situation that I had no control over.

The only thing I could control was my faith. So I started there - I prayed and I trusted that everything was going to be okay. I started reading devotionals and making my own notes in them. When I was down, I'd refer back to those notes and they filled me up with joy. When bad things happen, it is so easy to fill your heart up with doubt and anxiety. I felt myself doing that. You start to feel yourself stressing more, drinking more and then you look up in the mirror and think I don't even know who I'm looking at anymore. I didn't want to be that person. I want to wakeup and be proud of the person I see in the mirror but more importantly I want the big guy upstairs to be proud of me.

My favorite quote has always been "never, never, never give up" and in 2015 I feel like I accomplished that. I didn't give up on struggling family and friends in my path. I believed in people that most had already given up on. I stop caring about "getting the last word in" and I started placing my pride into things that mattered. I gave second chances when I usually wouldn't before. I substituted my stubbornness with grace.

Life is too short to go a day being unhappy because you really never know what tomorrow is going to bring. You may receive terrible news or the best news in the world but just remember tough times don't last but tough people do.

So cheers to the next chapter and endless opportunities in this life. I'm stoked I get to do it with YOU.

Ps. New Years resolution - publish my book.