new year, new blog

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Happy New Year to my OG blog readers!

I have a great feeling about the year ahead. 2018 was certainly one for the books — we laughed, cried, worked hard, and played harder. Going into 2019 we are better and wiser people, thanks to all the experiences and memories we’ve made. We're more prepared than ever before for what lies ahead.

On a more personal note, 2018 was a year of surprises for me. I learned a lot about myself, and a lot about life in general. I went through trials in my academic career as well as in my personal life. I worked hard to begin the process of overcoming these trials that the universe threw my way. I discovered the true meaning of friendship. I met new people, tried new things, and most important of all: I learned how to be my own best friend.

For most of my life I struggled with self-acceptance and self-love. I would put other people’s wants and needs before my own — which isn’t necessarily bad — but I wasn’t caring for myself or thinking of my needs. My mother would always tell me, “you can’t pour into someone else’s cup if your own cup is empty”. Of course I dismissed this and tried to prove her wrong.

But last year pushed me past my limits. By the end of spring semester I was running on empty. Life had forced me to learn a crucial lesson… I needed to take care of myself better, because at the end of the day, I’m all that I’ve got.

Summer consisted of much-needed time at home, radical self-care, therapy, and growing in my faith. Trusting God’s plan for my life was much easier said than done — I’ve always been afraid to fail somewhere along the way and “mess up the plan.” But I finally learned to alter my perspective… after all, failure is a subjective concept. As long as you do your best and work hard, then you’ve done all that you can. Stressing over imperfection won’t fix mistakes of the past. Learning from one’s mistakes and moving forward is much more productive. Nobody’s perfect, so instead of being upset over it, I decided to turn my frustration into motivation.

At the beginning of fall semester, I vowed to work harder than before, and I reminded myself that slow & steady progress is okay. No one’s timeline looks the same. We move at our own pace, so if you need to slow down, that’s fine.

Allowing myself to look after my own needs and desires this semester has been so liberating, both mentally and emotionally. Not only do I feel more at peace, but I had the pleasure of meeting my amazing boyfriend. Our past few months together have been filled with Gator football games, study dates, brunch, day trips to Orlando, and of course celebrating Chanukah and Christmas this winter! I couldn’t imagine ringing in the New Year with anyone else.

All in all, 2018 started off rough, but it proved to be full of discovery, growth, and self-love. I have a good feeling that 2019 will bring about change, positivity, and adventure!

I am SO excited to see what’s in store this coming year. My New Year’s resolutions include:

• increasing my GPA

• learning a third language

• improving my time management skills

While writing your New Year’s resolutions, remember that good things take time! Make the most of it by being proactive and working toward your goals today!

...Or tomorrow ;)

’Till next time,

Caro ♥

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P.S. remember to SUBSCRIBE to my blog to get updated on my adventures this year!