2013: A Year In Review

I wanted to take a moment from the hustle and bustle of the holidays, to reflect on this past year. I'm going to split this review up into four different sections. The GREEN section will be what was in my control that went well this year. The RED section will be what was in my control that didn't go well this year. The GRAY section will be for the things that were totally out of my control, and then finally, the BLUE section will be looking forward to 2014 and setting new goals to focus on throughout this next year.

So let's get started...

WHAT WENT WELL THIS YEAR

• I started this blog.
• I finished my children's book.
• I read Dan Poynter's book on self-publishing that gave me a bunch of great ideas on what to do and what not to do with my book. 
• I researched how to set up a sole proprietership in Illinois.
• I became a freelance nanny and personal assistant to some really awesome families.
• I also picked up a part time job to make ends meet better.
• I started my own personal writing diet, which has made me happier.
• I officially stepped onto the artistic path in order to cultivate my creativity, and some very interesting people have started to pop up in my life, in really new and exciting ways.
• I have grown authentically as a person.

WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL THIS YEAR

• I wasn't able to finish the whole process of getting my children's book out there, finalizing my business, and marketing my book in unique ways.
• I didn't finish my demo reel for voice overs.
• I wasn't able to pay off all my credit debt.
• I felt confused, anxious, and sad throughout different times this year.
• Things took a lot longer than I expected. At times it was hard for me to stay focused on the big picture and not get lost in the day to day.

WHAT WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL THIS YEAR

• The death of my boyfriend's Uncle, whom I've gotten to know and like, over the many years we've dated.
• Getting hit by a car and all the drama and healing that has come with it.

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2014

• Make my business official.
• Put my book out there in unique ways.
• Become the strongest person I can be both physically and mentally.
• Explore more of my messy middle to see if there's a deeper level of vulnerability and giving I can express.
• Start a new writing project, and not be afraid to ask for help from other like minded individuals in order to move it forward better.
• Giving back to the community by volunteering my time.