The start of 2022 you had it all planned out. And you've honestly accomplished a lot of those goals. But the unknown took some turns, and you were forced to adapt to the change left in front of you. New chapters began as lessons were learned. Your mind, soul, and heart have been at battles, but the joy through it all is that I continued to write my story. Every day was a choice a choice to love, a choice to forgive, a choice to seek career advancements, a choice to be grateful, a choice to be more vulnerable and communicate better with loved ones.

Let's start with your soul. You dug deep this year and learned your core values. You used those values as a compass through life. Honesty and loyalty to myself and others are my core values. Knowing what it is that you need in life is essential to happiness. I also learned that respect, strength, integrity, balance, and patience are important for me to live by. When you find your core values you attract people who will respect those values and create healthy relationships. You learned that your soul needed protection and peace this year from painful situations. Through that you practiced the art of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not for the other person; forgiveness is for yourself to be at peace with the past. To understand that a person can make mistakes and grow just the same way you are. But forgiveness is far from easy when your mind is at war.

You soul searched to take that next leap in your career! You finally did it but appreciate the path it took you on to get here. You didn't rush to figure things out. You learned what settings you enjoyed working in and what you didn't. Don't feel like "I wish i would have started sooner" because sooner was not your time. This is your time. This is where your energy can now be focused on. You weren't ready at the start of 2022. But now you are, and the start of 2023 will have endless opportunities if you keep an open mind and try new things! Be confident in yourself and be confident around those you work with. You are much smarter then you sometimes believe in yourself.

Your mind struggled with constant thoughts, overthinking situations, and anxiety. When you are hurt, our mind and body are affected. When you experience pain, you try to understand the whys. Why did this have to happen. But through the whys you learn the hard truth lessons. Why did my relationship fail? Why can't I leave the pain in the past? Why didn't I start this career sooner? Because the chapter I was in did not end yet. I was still doing the best I could do in my current role until I outgrew it. Until I felt comfortable. Thats when I knew the next chapter was ready for me. We don't continue to grow unless we make ourselves uncomfortable. We cannot always prepare ourselves for the next chapter, we just have to trust the path and timing. Your mind will tell you I'm ready, but you may not know how. Take that path, you are destined for it. It will teach you a new lesson.

The anxieties this year were never ending. Sometimes we try to push off anxiety as if it is something negative and bad. But then it can come back worse because we dismiss it. If we don't accept it, we won't allow what it's trying to tell us, or we won't notice what triggers it. Something my therapist told me is that "anxiety is like a smoke alarm. You can be cooking and have no fire, but the alarm goes off". Just like your anxieties. They can go off without even any stress or negativity, but they can happen due to excitement or readiness towards the next chapter. Learning to understand your anxiety can be helpful and positive, don't run from what it's trying to tell you.

Lastly, your heart little one. Your heart is so large yet so delicate. You are an empath and feel every emotion greatly. You've also learned this year how to be vulnerable and communicate in healthy ways. You gave love a second chance, you followed your heart and no one else's. All because you felt in your heart that there was a future. That people deserve a second chance. You started the year off learning forgiveness towards this person. You even journaled throughout the book and expressed new things you learned throughout it. Being at peace with forgiveness has no timeline. You go at your own pace. It can feel like a never-ending process. You may be able to forgive but it is very hard to forget. The goal is to simply be at peace when the painful situation crosses your mind.

Love is the most precious emotion to feel. It is a journey between two souls who choose each other. It does not happen by coincidence. You are put in each other's lives for a reason, to love. It is the deepest human connection to give and receive. But also, the most painful when you both love each other but respectfully go separate ways. That is the hardest part. Why do two people go separate ways when they tell each other they love them even when breaking up? But that is what gave me the most peace. I truly wish all people can understand that a mature relationship ending does not have to end badly and you can still cheer each other on from a far. That is the ultimate growth to be proud of. To still believe in love.

I hope this last month of 2022 brings you nothing but peace with the unknown why questions that still may surface in your mind. I hope that you are gentle with yourself for the holiday season. Although the holiday season may be bright and cheerful for many, it can also be a remembrance of loss. A remembrance of those who will not be celebrating with us this year. As we are all busy this holiday season, I hope you continue to choose the gift of giving. Giving, kindness to a stranger, helping someone in need, donating warm clothes. And also, most importantly, give that gift of giving to yourself. Give yourself love, and self-care as you reflect on how tough this year has been on you. You should be proud of the woman you are through it all.