In The Blink Of An Eye

 Kia Ora Whanau, Kaja nga ai I, Ming Galar Bar and Hello 

I trust you are doing well. If you are not… I am sending you love, prayers and a big healing hug on your way. 

The year 2022 felt like it flew by rather quickly. Can you believe it's Christmas once again? Because there are so many social events happening all over and everyone is eager to finish their Christmas shopping, December normally goes by quicker. It is, without a doubt, a hectic month of the year. And just like that, 2022 will be gone in the blink of an eye. 

I'm taking a moment to be grateful for both the highlights and lowlights, as well as to reflect on both minor and major victories in 2022. Despite another challenging year, I enjoyed all my experiences, both good and bad, and I am proud to say that I have no regrets (except the parts where I ate too much and needed to unzip my pants and felt super uncomfortable hehe). All jokes aside, I am incredibly appreciative of how far I have progressed over the past few years in terms of my academic, professional, and personal development. I'm grateful to have the freedom to follow my passions and the luxury of doing so. 

All I can say is that I am extremely blessed and grateful for the opportunities that have come my way, as well as the unexpected detours in life that have shaped me into the person I am today. I can now recognise the difficulties and obstacles in life as opportunities to grow and learn. So, if I had to sum up 2022 in one word, it would be ‘BUILD’. I’ve had new jobs, new experiences, made new friends and developed new goals. How about you? What would be your word? 

Even if it all seems very fulfilling, there were moments and days when I had to miss class or call in sick because I was unable to manage it both physically and mentally. I'd feel unmotivated and drained, and I'd want to avoid any social interaction. I used to put so much pressure on myself to force myself out of that mental slump and move on with my life. But now, I see it as a quick break and a crucial self-care ritual from my busy life. I used to define myself by my productivity and achievements, but man do you know your worthiness doesn’t come from external sources. I repeat ‘your worthiness doesn’t come from external sources’. Let me take a min to let that sink in. 

Although I have remained optimistic in this post, I acknowledge that we all make mistakes, and all have shortcomings. Allow yourselves to learn from your mistakes and emerge stronger and wiser. As I have said many times in previous posts, be your own cheerleader and your own best friend. Also, if you have any suggestions for how to hype yourself up, please do share them with me.

As the year 2022 ends and the new year approaches, I hope you can take a moment to count your blessings and remain optimistic for 2023. This may not be your year, but I wish you well in the coming years as you heal, and have amazing experiences. 

Just on a side note: Let’s remind ourselves that there are people who do not have anyone to celebrate Christmas with and say ‘Happy New Year’ to on New Year’s Eve, so please reach out to them if you can and share the joy of togetherness. 

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Stay Safe from Covid (yeah, those are still around so please keep washing/sanitizing your hands. Thank you)

Ciao and Aroha Nui...xoxo