2019: The Story So Far (and Then Some)

Since January rolled around, I've read several books (not as many as I'd liked), watched some TV shows and movies (more than I probably should have), cried way too often over things not worth my effort or tears, quit a job, got hired at a job, and realized who my friends really were. I've spent so much time on the road going to here and there and everywhere with school and concerts and just killing time. I spent the first six months of the year also trying to find who I am again. I was digging in places I should've been filling in. I was learning what added up to be my full cup and what I could do to help fill it up.

Since January, I finally took the reins of my health and insisted on going to see a specialist about my inability to get over bronchitis or any chest related sicknesses. I finally learned that I do tend to keep a chronic sinus infection due to allergies (hello to being put back on shots). I also learned that I'm an asthmatic. My asthma originated from when I had pneumonia back in the summer of 2012 -- yep, seven years ago. I haven't been breathing the same since. My asthma and allergy doctor thinks that's the beginning of it all, and after I started to college, it progressively got worse. I'm officially on two different inhalers (one is to be used as needed, the other is a daily one) and good ole allergy meds to keep me under control.

During all of this, I also started going back to the chiropractor. I'm a firm believer in that the human body can do amazing things. I saw a chiropractor in high school and then the previous school year while I was living in Lafayette. I'm a believer. Since I've been going, I can tell that I feel so much better. My body reacts to things better and my overall health has improved (in conjunction with my new allergy and asthma diagnoses and care). I've also been able to start sleeping better at night as I go to be adjusted regularly. It's fantastic.

Since January, I had to take a hard look at who I surrounded myself with and who I wanted to surround myself with. I had to learn the hard way that not everyone is who I thought they were and had to make some hard choices about some things that I knew would be better for me in the long run. I finally had to realize that no matter what I had to make sure I did right by myself while doing whatever it was other people were asking of me or expecting me to be okay with.

Taking a step back from several people really allowed a light to be shed on them and the negativity they really brought into my life. As much as I was trying to be that shining light in theirs, I knew I couldn't do it while constantly having their darkness invading my light. Since then, I've been a bit more picky as to who I choose to spend my time with and who I trust. My mental and emotional health has been on an upward slope due to just cutting that source of negativity out.

The first part of this year also brought on my opportunity to be the volunteer leader of the Livestock Club of my local 4-H Club. I've been able to travel to parts of the state to clinics and contests with a great group of 4-H members who really bring out the best in me. They really show what 4-H really means by how they treat others and how they conduct themselves at these events. The parents have also had a positive impact on how that I go about scheduling things for our club to do -- especially over the summer. They're always down to travel and go to things that provide experiences for their children.

January to now wouldn't be completely discussed if it wasn't for me also writing about the job hunt. I want to say this as a disclaimer: Everything I say here is true. I wanted to give up. There, I said it. I wanted to give up on hunting for the perfect job. I was getting tired of applying for jobs in places I really didn't want to move to and to jobs that didn't really fit what I was passionate about in life. I got to the point, I wasn't applying. I'd put it on my to do list to do it, but I never did. It gets exhausting to work and work on these applications to continuously be told by places they don't want you. So, I also cut my looking from once a week to twice a week on the Extension websites and certain counties I was interested in.

Finally, a job in my hometown got posted that I was qualified for (thanks to taking and passing the 6-12 English Praxis back in January). I put my name down. I filled out an updated application and resume and submitted it. Lo and behold, y'all, I got interviewed and got the job in here in June. I'm so excited to say that I'll be beginning this school year in August as an English teacher at the high school I graduated from. (Side note: It's honestly a big relief and dream come true into one, because since I'll be graduating with my Masters in December, I'll be able to have an income that I can pay on my student loans with before I officially have to start making payments this time next year.) It's going to be a great school year.

The first part of this year has been pretty good to me in a lot of ways (don't get me started on all the concerts I went to), but there are so many things I wanted to do that I didn't do because I just wouldn't make the time for myself to do them. That's about to change.

Yep, you read that right: July 1, 2019 was the day I decided to have a mid-year resolution brainstorming session and come up with better ways to make the rest of this year the best one yet.

The best one I came up with? Make everything a routine. If I'm wanting to read three chapters a day, make it a routine. If I'm wanting to write a blog post three times a week, make it a routine. If I'm wanting to work out three times a week, make it a routine. Once it's a routine it become something that just is the way it is in my life.

There are so many things I want to make a routine in my life that I've wrote down daily lists on my Happy Planner task sheets I bought at the Walmart of the same things every Sunday-Saturday of things I know I want to make routine for each day along with date specific things as well. I also put my to-do list on them and fill in my hourly things on the hourly schedule side to where I can check things off and feel super accomplished by the time they're completed.

Another item for my resolution that I'm taking initiative of is this: Don't do everything at once. I'm currently listening to Rachel Hollis's "Girl Stop Apologizing" on Audible. She talks about making a list of priority things and focusing on one of those at a time along with focusing on one goal at a time. She's 100% correct. If I'm really wanting to do these things I need to make the time to do them and to also focus on that one thing instead of trying to do them all at once and ultimately not get anything accomplished.

Overall, I'm just hoping for the second half of this year to be even better than the first and for me to do the things I keep wanting to do. (Like, for my to do list to finally reach an end. It'll be a wonderful day.)

How has your 2019 been so far? What are some things you want to change for the second half of this year? Comment those below!