My 2018 Un-Resolutions

My 2018 Un-Resolutions

B and me in Belize, taking the preferred mode of transportation in San Pedro

I've seen many, many people choosing to reflect on their 2018 highlights, instead of dwelling on the negative, or vowing to magically become a better human in 2019. One writer I follow called it an "unresolution," which I quite like.

Yes, I set goals for 2019. I'll share those later. Despite 2018 being a sort of hell-dumpster fire of perpetual chaos, anger, and hatred, somehow, 1. it is indeed coming to an end and 2. I made it. There were plenty of times when I thought neither of those statements could possibly be true.

Personally, this year did not go as I'd hoped. I imagined that with my full attention, my business would take off, giving me my own version of success. Instead, it started off rocky, stayed rocky, and was paved with stones made of depression, anxiety, mystery illness, loss, and failure. That said, in the cracks, flowers grew and bloomed and birds stopped by to eat treats (or whatever).  

When I look back on it, 2018 gave me more gifts than I expected. 

• Rebuilt my business' entire website from scratch, after losing literally every.thing. The world did not end, and I did not give up.
• Was invited to give a presentation on media literacy to middle schoolers, which was SO MUCH FUN
• Completed my 5th year as Team Merch on 70,000 Tons, adding two new members to our family (and met Nicko McBrain!)
• Hosted many wonderful friends on their tours
• Got new glasses, including sunglasses (for non-glasses wearers, it's like getting a new face)
• Went to a TON of protests in DC to make my voice heard and stand up for our rights (yelled at Nazis, racists, sexual assaulters and the like)
• Took a class in Seattle that I absolutely loved (both the class and Seattle) and went whale watching (something I was dying to do in 2017)
• Took a girls' trip to Rehoboth beach to celebrate a friends' pregnancy
• The trip led to me starting my first novel, a Hallmark novel, which is really fun to write
• Started taking writing workshops that fill me with a sense of purpose, pride, and accomplishment
• Won a "30 Under 30" award from my university and had an amazing lunch with my MA thesis advisor
• Coached 2 seasons of Girls on the Run's Heart and Sole program
• Enjoyed my...8th or 9th Maryland DeathFest
• Completed my 2nd Overnight Suicide Walk and fundraised over $1,000 for suicide prevention
• Had a blast at Migration Fest, celebrating good music and better friends
• Went to BELIZE with Blake, pet a howler monkey, tubed through a cave, sat on the beach.
• Successfully funded a Kickstarter to 120% (after some consultant jerk said I'd never hit my goal)
• Created, printed, distributed the first-ever and only OTD of girls' history planner (although I did not sell all 800, as I'd hoped!)
• Found inspiration and hope at some wonderful conferences/summits/etc
• Hosted a very smooth, easy, and fun as heck summer camp with 6 lovely girls
• Went white water rafting for the first time (LOVED it) and went ziplining with my family and Blake in WV
• Became an auntie to a precious little Nugget
• Stuck to weekly therapy and 4x a week fitness classes, which do wonders for my mental health and I HIGHLY recommend to anyone
• Went to NYC to celebrate the new PxDx release
• Did things for fun, for myself (like taking a pottery class and randomly going to the zoo)
• Visited LA for the first time and loved the Getty Museum and all of its ugly babies
• Started a skincare routine 
• Celebrated four years with Blake
• Turned 30, didn't cause a life crisis nor did my body spontaneously fall apart
• Got matching tattoos with my mom (sunflowers!) 
• Put in an offer on a house pretty close to where we live now (which is terrifyingly exciting) 
• Invested a significant sum of money in training/coaching for my business and mself
• Realized I need to explore my interests and passions more, so that so much of my personality and moods aren't wrapped up in my business.

So, you know, it wasn't all bad.  What was your biggest success in 2018?