2020 - The Year of Perservance

Instead of creating resolutions, I come up with words to describe the type of year I would like.

2017 was the year of the bucket list. In August of 2016, I had lost my sister. She was a hermit of sorts not leaving her apartment that much. Tanya had traveled a little and all of it had been with me. I decided in 2017, I needed to cross off items on my bucket list. I traveled to western New York; Charleston, SC, and Pittsburgh, PA during the year. Plus I got my first tattoo during the year.

2018 was the year of getting healthy. I had a health scare at the beginning of November 2017. I needed to make sure I got myself healthy. The health scare ended up being gallstones that needed to be taken out with surgery.

I didn't have a word in 2019. Or at least, I don't recall creating a word. 

2019 ended up being good for the first half of the year. Then the tornadoes rolled through. Even though I was not directly affected, I was indirectly affected because the neighbor I teach in was hit with one of the tornadoes. 

My husband's and my life changed in August of 2019 because he went back to college. 

Then the worse thing possible happened in October. My mom died. I found her on the morning of October 12. She had died probably on the 7th or the 8th.

I went from having a mom and sister in August 2016 to having neither of them by October 2019. Now I'm an orphan. One of my friends has stepped up to be my chosen sister so I'm not totally alone in this world.

I've been through so much in the last 3 years. It's time to get me back. I need to persevere and not only get me back but a better version of myself.

How am I going to do that?

1. I've started to go to Water Aerobics. I need to take care of my body and mental state. Water Aerobics does both for me. (Mom and Tanya died of heart-related conditions. I've always been more active than them but have never really exercised.)

2. Reading the Bible this year. I would like to read through the entire Bible. I'm currently in the middle of Genesis. Plus I follow Sweet Blessing's monthly writing plan. You write a few verses a day based on a theme. The theme for January 2020 is God's timing.

3. Taking care of my mental state. I've started attending a Celebrate Recovery group at a local church. I need to get over my past and the grief I've been feeling in order to persevere. 

4. When I was on my bereavement leave from work, I was sat down by my husband. He told me that I needed to write whether it was to publish or just for myself. So I want to continue to write the book.

My family needs me to take care of me. If I don't then, I can't give them my full self. Instead of being connected to them, I will become isolated.

So join me on this journey of me persevering and becoming a better version of myself.

Traci