I have been dancing with the idea about a new year's resolution, but if anyone knows me personally, he or she would know that I often lack the ability to plan. I have become accustomed to numerous twists and turns, so acquainted that naturally I have adapted to being a more reactive and restorative individual. However, I have goals for 2018: financial stability, management training, family connectivity, friendship prioritization, and overall well-rounded wellness.

As I attempted to create more concrete, specific goals for each of the previous aspirations, I became more anxious considering all of the steps that I would have to take. Typically, a layout of methods to follow put people at ease, but I quickly become overwhelmed since I know something crazy will come up at any moment. Honestly, it never fails.

After that consideration, I internalized what I desire to do in the year in 2018, and I tried to find a method that would benefit myself and who I am individually. I thought about what type of learner I am, my personality type, and how I have acted in certain situations. I reevaluated how far I have come over the last year, and what has truly made me happy within that time. I realized that in 2017, I focused on loving myself and leading with that, over the ongoing fear I have of failure. Love guided me to the current position I obtained.

Thinking about how a single word led to so much progress for myself, I realized how I would attain the goals for this new year. Love was the word of 2017, but in 2018, I am going to inspire.

Financial stability is not something that I ever found to be normal, for myself or my family. Paying for college and working full-time hours while simultaneously being a full-time student was anything but easy. I frequently felt left out of social situations because I could not afford it, or I did not have time. Maybe it was the school I attended, or an internal rationality, but I consistently felt a barrier because I was not as wealthy as everyone else. Going into the new year, I do not want to have financial instability in the back of my mind. As I thought about the word inspire, I realized that I have the power to change this aspect of my life. I am in control of my budget, and my past struggles do not reflect my future. I am fortunate for the job I have, and the opportunity for all of the places I can go with the career. For the first time in my life, I feel like I can inspire myself to gain stability through my finances and lessen the stress that it has caused over the years.

Hand-in-hand with financial stability, I never would have guessed that within a year of graduating college, I would have been promoted twice with my career at LOFT. I never expected to end up in retail, but the career will help me attain my other personal dreams, such as living near the beach and supporting my future family. I am young and have so much room to grow, my career has helped inspire myself to focus on my individual needs and personal development. The next year is going to be tough and stressful, but full of management training and a ton of knowledge. I will be gaining the tools to not only for my individual growth, but I will be able to train and inspire other like-minded individuals who want to follow the same path.

Another aspect of my life that I want to improve upon is the connection with my family. We have all been through a tough few years, but somehow made it through together. Because my family are the people who inspire me the most, my goal is to make more time for them. I want to reach out to them when I need help, and also give back for taking care of me for such a long time. I want to be able to take days off to relax, and give them the flexibility to see me too. I want to demonstrate to them how they have inspired me to become a better person, and work hard every day.

Similarly to my family, I also have spent so much time of self-improvement, I have not been able to give back to the people who have helped me through the toughest times. My gratitude towards the people who have let me into their homes, who have given me rides to work, who have surprised me with my furry best friend, and who have done so much more, needs to be shown more. My friends are the people who inspired me to continue to live, and pulled me out of the darkest places. I want this year to also be for them, and my goal is to make sure those connections are prioritized because I do not want to lose anyone who has played an important role in my life.

Finally, I know I can inspire people though sharing my journey. I have taken steps over and over again towards my overall well-rounded well-being, and countless times I thought I was going to quit. Maintaining this positive position in my life and staying healthy shows others that they can do this same. Even though 2017 was filled with self-love, I refuse to let that goal remain in the past. The road to recovery and staying healthy is something that more people besides myself deal with, and I want to be a person that reminds others that struggle is okay. I am deciding to continue to inspire people to grow, learn, and love themselves in the next year.

With that being said, I will continue to be focusing on how I can inspire others with everything I do for the next year. I want to lead with that word because deep down I know how my greatest desire is to leave the world a better place when I leave it.

So here is to you 2018, I am ready to inspire.