A year in review / Today I turn 32 / No one told me how awesome your thirties could be / I bought myself a watch for my birthday

A year in review.

When I was 31 years old I did the following:

• Stayed sober.
• Married my best fucking friend.
• Went to Mexico.
• Swam in the ocean.
• Saw the American south.
• Bought legal weed.
• Took a vacation and didn’t feel guilty about it.
• Put up some really difficult but important relationship boundaries.
• Was a better sister than ever before.
• Successfully became a full-time freelance writer.
• Doubled my savings.
• Grew my embroidery and creative writing work.
• Submitted fiction and nonfiction writing to publications.
• Didn’t cry when they got rejected.
• Earned my first live lit Chicago performance spot.
• And then got more!
• Stopped getting so homesick.
• Embraced impermanence.

A plan for next year.

I hope to say I did the following when I was 32 years old:

• Stayed sober.
• Stayed married to my best fucking friend.
• Didn’t smoke any cigarettes.
• Made healthier food and sleep choices.
• Swam in the ocean.
• Took a vacation and didn’t feel guilty about it.
• Was a better sister than ever before.
• Successfully stayed a full-time freelance writer.
• Doubled my savings.
• Submitted fiction and nonfiction writing to publications.
• Got accepted!
• Finished my second book, the first book I truly love. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
• Presented my first gallery show of embroidery work. (!!!?!!!!!!!!!)
• Found more time for myself/ made that clock’s-a-tickin’ a positive.
• Check my watch, not my phone.
• Embraced finiteness.