Hello everyone!
It’s that time of year — the end! It’s a fitting time in my life because New Year's Eve is my birthday, as well as the end of the year. I’ll be 37 this year, and so I always start the New Year another year wiser and with a clean slate.
As one chapter closes in my life, another begins with the start of the New Year. I have been greatly blessed this year. There have been so many little things that came together to create bigger moments in my life. I was able to see my hard work pay off in different ways. It was also an exciting time because as things came to an end, I was able to state planning new beginnings. With all that said, let’s jump into the biggest events of 2022 for me.
5. Losing 30 pounds
Let me start by saying 2022 was the first year in a decade where I didn’t make a resolution in regards to losing weight. Instead, I made a resolution to be a healthier version of myself as a role model for my son. I was inspired by the French and how they eat. There are no limits, they eat what they want when they want, and when they are done, they stop eating. I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with food, but I knew I wouldn't achieve my goal of being a healthier me if I didn’t work on it. So, on January 1, 2022, I jumped on the scale, took note of my weight, and endeavored to have a better relationship with food.
I researched a few ways to do that, but since I’m French Indian, and I love French cuisine, I took inspiration from them. The French like three things — wine, cheese, and bread. Things I love too. They eat what they want when they want it. Nothing is forbidden. Once I took the limit off things, that helped. Then it was about learning when I had had enough of something. Don’t get me wrong, that in and of itself was a six-month process. But it was worth it! I feel great! Have a much better relationship with food, and am excited to continue my journey to being a healthier me.
4. Created a writing schedule
My final class at Lindenwood was a boot camp designed to create a sustainable writing schedule. If you are making writing a career or a part of your life, then through trial and error, you need to figure out where you can fit that in. In addition to scheduling, there was a mindset aspect to it too.
You can have a schedule, and it can be the best in the world, but if you don’t hold yourself accountable, then it’s just a nice thought. Self-discipline is not the most fun or exciting skill to learn, but it is very much worthwhile. Especially, for those of us who wish to make writing our career. There was a psychological piece to this class and a level of self-discovery. Why do I procrastinate? Am I scared to put my work out there? Why can’t I buckle down and write? Is there a way to create motivation and a hard deadline?
These were some of the questions asked of us. My greatest takeaway from the class was my writing schedule, and my greater understanding of myself and how I tick in my creative environment.
3. My love life
One of the biggest challenges for me was realizing at the beginning of December that I was in a Situationship without the promise of more. It’s difficult to acknowledge to yourself that the person you really like and care about, who you have invested parts of yourself in for the last seven months, just views you as an object. For me, that was okay at first because we had agreed to be friends with benefits, and there was friendship, but towards the end of the year, it began to devolve. I started asking myself things like why aren’t you good enough or what did you do to screw it up. When I started asking myself these questions, it hit me, I was in a toxic situation. I was settling for something because I had invested time and energy into the situation, and not because it was what I wanted.
I’m happy being single and don’t feel like my life is any less complete by not having someone to share it with. But there are aspects of being in a relationship I miss or never had in my marriage. So, a few days ago, I made the really difficult decision to let go. It was especially difficult because we did have such a strong connection, but I’m worth more. I value myself more. I deserve better. So, I let go, and I’m excited to see what the new year brings.
2. Graduating with distinction
On December 10, I officially graduated with my MFA in Creative Writing from Lindenwood University. It took 18 months rather than 24 because I took summer classes. I also managed to get a perfect score on my thesis and maintain a 4.0 GPA. It was a ton of hard work, and there were days I was so mentally drained, but I am so glad I listened to myself and went back. The skills I learned are invaluable. The material I was exposed to, as well as the discussions, were priceless. These skills have allowed me to push forward with confidence in my writing career, knowing that I possess everything I need to succeed. And if ever I don’t, I can learn it or find someone to help me. Was this something I already knew? Yes. Was it something I needed to be reaffirmed to me? Yes.
1. Publishing Heart Work
What can I say about Heart Work? It was an eight-year journey with this piece. It started as an idea for a screenplay from a friend of mine. I had told him of this opportunity I had to possibly get into screenwriting for a Christian production company, and he told me to go for it. I wasn’t sure what to write, and he said, “I have an idea. Why don’t you write it?” So I did. I sent him versions of this screenplay, then when the production company fell through, I entered contests. When those didn’t pan out and being a single mother, sole breadwinner, and my son battled for my attention, I set it aside. Then when I had a mental break, I thought back to him, and his words. It took two years to pull myself back together and heal mentally. I applied for and was accepted into grad school, and then I pulled out Heart Work and got to work turning it from a screenplay to a novel. I’ve put Eric’s signed copy, along with a note, in the mail, and I hope it makes him proud.
I’m not sure what’s in store for me in 2023, but I do have some goals for the year. I find goals more manageable than resolutions because there is typically a path toward attainment, whereas, I feel resolutions get treated as wishes.
My goals for the year are to continue to move forward with my healthier lifestyle, publish my YA novel about Parley on Substack and Amazon Vella, edit and release Queen’s Men, complete and edit the first novel in my mystery series, as well as go on more adventure with my son.
Cheers! Happy New Year everyone! May you always have someone to kiss at midnight!
