As one year comes to an end and a new one begins, I love taking time to look back, celebrate, reflect, and remember all that happened in the last 12 months.

Here are some of the hits and highlights of my 2018:

my 2018 Bucket list is updated here!

26 Things I learned:

I can tell my story and survive. Turns out, life keeps going! I never imagined I would be able to speak my truth out loud, but I did (by the grace of God alone) and my life will never be the same. Incredibly grateful for His redemptive work in my life.

The Caps CAN win the Stanley Cup! ‘BOUT DAMN TIME.

Weekly counseling and anti-depressants are lifesavers. There is no shame in needing both. God can and will use them as tools to help bring healing, hope, and peace. Also, This thing is a GAME CHANGER. (Mine is 15 lbs)

Cage diving with sharks? As amazing as I thought it would be. Breathing through scuba gear? Way more terrifying than I ever imagined.

Being a good steward of the things in my life is hard, but it’s an important goal, and I’m glad I set “steward” as my word for 2018.

I’m capable of actually sticking to a better morning routine and having daily quiet times. Also, watching the sunrise every morning feels like holy worship, and I’m glad for each time I got to soak it up.

I struggle with speaking kindly to myself (hello, enneagram 1 inner critic!) but spending intentional time writing affirmations, repeating mantras, doing breath prayer, and making eye contact with myself in the mirror (as cheesy at that sounds) helps so much. I’m making progress!

I have the best roommate ever. (Emily — you’re the greatest and I’m so grateful for you.)

Joining the YL oils biz is actually awesome and not weird at all. I’ve been crazy thankful for this community and the additional income!

PowerSheets help me set (and achieve!) goals like no other tool ever has.

Setting healthy relational boundaries is CRUCIAL. People will not always understand why you need to do what you need to do, and THAT IS OKAY.

I love restorative and vinyasa yoga classes more than hot power yoga classes in this season of my life.

I have new favorite pens.

Being a mentor and a leader is a hard, holy, humbling thing. I feel inadequate constantly, but it’s been incredible to share life with my mentees and my small group, and I’m reminded in all of it that He is my strength.

I can trust my gut when it comes to relationships, it turns out! I can tell when things aren’t right, and I should listen to those nudges more. And when I feel the tug to take a risk and reach out to someone new, I should listen to that too! It might just turn into something wonderful.

Vail, CO feels like a town straight out of a movie in the winter. Tubing, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing around the snowy mountains was a blast!

Setting goals and intentions are great, but ultimately, living with an open-handed spirit toward the Lord and His will for my life is best.

I can be truly known and still deeply loved.

“Whatever we give energy to, we empower.” -Melody Beattie

Shark Week just keeps getting cooler every summer.

There are many, many other people who are wrestling with an evolving faith. Gathering with them and getting honest about the journey is wildly encouraging and deeply impactful. Forever grateful for the weekend spent at the Evolving Faith conference with so many of the most brilliant people I know and admire. (Here’s a reading list from all of the speakers that were there!)

Austin, TX is a super cool city. I also LOVE every time I visit Atlanta, and could totally see living there someday.

I have found my people, and I don’t want to ever take it for granted. (It once felt like an impossible thing to imagine.)

It’s freeing to vote for the people you actually believe in and support, even when they’re not affiliated with the party you were raised to believe was best. And voting matters more than ever.

I CAN wear lipstick and not look like a total clown! (Still hunting for my signature shade, though.)

When the Richmond forecast calls for 1-3 inches of snow, you’ll probably get 12+.