2019 Reflections
2019 was a crazy year for me. I really tried to hold it all together and get shit done. But between Gastroparesis (+ associated illnesses) and the wedding, I felt like I never had enough time for work. I constantly felt behind and fell short of several goals for myself.
But it’s funny, I was SO focused on those few goals that I DIDN’T hit, that I kinda lost sight of all I HAD accomplished.
The lead up to the wedding was insane, the wedding itself was insane, the honeymoon was bliss but kind of a blackhole because I was on the other side of the planet. Then I came home and was severely sick for over a month with a flu-like condition that we now know was Dengue Fever from Thailand. I was still recovering when the holidays hit. I didn’t even go home from Christmas.
So by the time New Years rolled around, I felt SUPER out of sorts. Just weird and discombobulated. In an effort to figure out where to start getting back on track, I looked back at the past year.
I worked SO hard. I really pushed myself mentally AND physically. I was the most fit I have been in years. I went FAR out of my comfort zone for my first time public speaking about my company to attending the United Nations 75th General Assembly among throngs of press and paparazzi, not to mention the highest profile government officials in the world.
I rebranded this whole business. That has been on my to-do list BASICALLY since I started. I’ve been thinking about it non-stop for years and now it’s been accomplished!
And just in time, I started my Youtube channel so I can start exploring this new medium for communicating with you guys. I started a TikToc (so I can keep up with THA KIDZ ya know? #okboomer) and a private fb group JUST for this community to chat.
The point of this post? Don’t sell yourself short. Make a list of things you DID do last year. Even if they’re personal things, not career things, they’re still stuff YOU TOOK OWNERSHIP over. Be proud of yourself for how hard it was and that YOU SURVIVED IT. You held it together, even when it was hard.
Pat yoself on the back ladies.
& make sure you watch my 2019 recap video – my first Youtube video EVER!
PART 2: Intentions for 2018
Hey babes! Here is part 2 of my reflections/ resolutions. If you missed part 1, you can catch up HERE.
So I always try to set intentions for the coming year. It’s less about actually achieving specific things, and more about setting a tone. I have never made this about weight & never will. It is a little about business and a lot about personal growth.
WHICH, speaking of! I want my “word” for 2018 to be GROWTH. I want to grow my business, grow my social media presence, grow into my new home, even grow towards being a lawyer, hopefully. For so long I have been “risk taking” and making HUGE changes… Now, for 2018, I have the chance to really dig in and put down some roots. Both literally and figuratively! I am going to start planting in my garden, host a birthday party for my house (its turning 100 this year!), make new friends/ explore new places around OKC, catch some Thunder games, finish decorating my home etc.
I also want to grow my blog. Collaborate more, host more events, post more frequently and better-quality writing, get some kick ass interviews on the books for you guys, launch merchandise, volunteer more, get involved with Oklahoma’s development, and help develop this community of women.
I also want to get out of my shell within my new boundaries – like taking the LSAT, getting certified as a Diversity & Inclusion trainer, running in local races, paying for a new car on my own, and offering new consulting services.
With me staying in one place with my little pup and supportive boyfriend, I know I will have all the resources I need to tackle these new challenges to GROW into the next version of myself. Everything in my 20s has been moving at WARP speed, crazy fast… I am thrilled to have a chance to slow down and focus in.
What I always do is save the document “Resolutions 2018” to my desktop… Then throughout the year, I will open it and think through what I am doing to get closer to my goals/ live out my intentions. It’s amazing how much energy you can derive from reminding yourself of where you want to be, where you’re heading. A lot of people like hanging theirs on their bathroom mirror, so they see their goals daily. Whatever works for you, without putting too much pressure on yourself. It’s important to give yourself room to breathe.
What are you excited about for this year? What goals have you set for yourself? Do you have a focus word?
Tell me everything!
Xx
Antigone
PART 1: Reflections on 2017
At the end of every year, I like to take a moment to reflect on my resolutions I had set and reflect on how things ACTUALLY went down. Some years are rough, others are amazing. 2017 was a MAJOR year for me.
I would say, if I had to pick a word, my word for 2017 would be “vulnerability.”
The two most major things I did this past year were:
- Move in with my S.O.
This was something I FREAKED out over… I always imagined moving in with a boy would be the happiest, easiest decision ever… Which is it really was, once I MADE the decision… But the process of deciding to move in with Deven was actually terrifying. What if something went wrong? How could we unwind/ untangle our lives? I knew it would make breaking up just that much harder if we lived together. But ultimately, I didn’t foresee us breaking up. Also, I had been warned by girlfriends who lived with their S.O.s that the transition can be REALLY taxing on the relationship… A lot of fighting over space, schedules, and such. What’s weird is that just NEVER happened with Deven and me. I think part of what made the transition so smooth and happy for us was the fact that we were doing distance before… Waking up next to each other felt like such a gift! We were constantly in a playful flirty mood for the first 6 months. And after that, settled into a rhythm that met both our needs. But ultimately at some point, you have to assess the pros/cons and take a leap of faith. Luckily, I have amazing girlfriends who talked through it all with me from top to bottom… I was still scared doing it and cried packing up my apartment (it felt a little like the end of my Carrie Bradshaw single-girl days) but it was one of the best decisions of my life and has brought Deven and me closer than I ever thought possible.
- Launch this blog.
Again, this was something that TERRIFIED me!!!! I was so afraid of publicly falling flat on my face. And have there been “oops” moments? Absolutely!!! I was worried about “messing up” on the business side of things… I’ve never filed an LLC or a trademark or business taxes! But figured out each item one step at a time. I am so, so glad I took the risk. Every time I get a message from someone with a question, or saying they loved a post, I know I made the right choice. That the work has been worth it. Helping empower other women is the best gift I have ever given myself – it’s fulfilling and gives each day a sense of purpose. PLUS the feeling of owning your own business is truly like no other… I swear, it’s thrilling! Like the feeling when you step off of a roller coaster – head spinning, adrenaline rushing like, let’s do that again!!!!
Anyhoo – I made a lot of other risky decisions this past year too: quit my job, started taking new medications for my stomach & anxiety, made the choice to stay in Oklahoma (which you can read about here), bought a house, decided to renovate the kitchen (post coming soon on this!!!), hired interns, met Barbara Boxer, took a photography class, signed up for the LSAT, became a brand ambassador, went parasailing on my 26th birthday, attended a wellness retreat for the first time, learned to code, and even went on a spontaneous trip to Paris! I was scared going in to each one of these decisions. But as it turns out, every one of those decisions ended up being AMAZING. None of them blew up in my face. I find this pretty shocking (because it’s easy to get pessimistic these days!) but I think it was like the sayings go, “fortune favors the bold” or “be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.” 2017 was the year I took a risks with my heart and they ALL paid off!
What I learned from all this? Being vulnerable can be SCARY but if you don’t take the risk, you don’t get the reward.
Stay tuned for PART 2 where I will dive into my intentions for 2018 and here’s a hint: they’re NOT about losing weight!
Xx
Antigone