A year ago today, I was in the mountainous country of Nepal, exploring the capital of Kathmandu and only just getting started on the adventurous couple of weeks ahead. Little did I know that 2018 itself would become the best adventure of my life.
My 2018 in a nutshell:
- Graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University
- Spent two weeks in Nepal volunteering at a deaf school and trekking the Himalayas
- Visited Costa Rica with my friend Alexa, and got my camera stolen because someone decided to break into our rental car in La Fortuna (Story for another post)
- Backpacked Southeast Asia for two months with my friend Sophie and didn’t die (:
- Explored Ireland with my family, and got a tour of the home my great-grandmother grew up in in County Kerry
- Attended the 2018 No Barriers Summit that was held on the USS Intrepid in NYC
- Visited my friend Olivia in NYC for a couple of weekends and went on some crazy adventures
- Finally got my ears pierced at age 23 (already ready for my doubles and cartilage piercings)
- Began searching for a full-time
Basically, 2018 was one big fat vacation for me, and it was easily the best year of my life so far. I had initially planned to blog more, especially when I was in Asia. However, how could I blog when I was having so much fun?! I actually also didn’t blog much after I really got settled into my journey because I created this enormous amount of pressure in myself to make every blog perfect, when it really didn’t need to be. So I just put it away, and focused on immersing myself in the beautiful countries I was visiting. However, I found it so much easier to just share photos on my travel Instagram account (IG handle: deafinitelythriving) than writing and stressing about how perfect each post had to be. Reflecting on my decisions, I know that my writing gives me a voice, and makes me feel like I have a purpose. So, my hope is to blog whenever I want, but lose the idealistic idea that my posts have to be perfect.
Going forward in 2019, my goals are to:
- Explore more nutritarian recipes, and continue eating healthy, wholesome foods
- Be kind to myself
- Read 5 books (bear with me…)
- Land a full-time job, and move into an apartment in either Boston or NYC
- Open up a savings account dedicated to traveling
- Plan at least 3 trips (Coming for ya Alexa, Olivia, and Sophie!)
- Get an original tattoo of a mountain range on my shoulder blade
- Be less indecisive and take chances when it comes to new opportunities to step outside of my comfort zone
While a ton of things are currently up in the air, I am very excited for another beginning, and to continue building off of the experiences I gained in 2018. I am wishing everyone a great start to the new year!
(Featured image: Me sitting on a mountaintop in Vang Vieng, Laos)
Deafinitely Thriving 