I’ve been trying to absorb and breathe in this transition from 2019 to 2020, to take a real pause and reflect. Turning the page on a decade brings a sense of gravitas to the new year — both in looking back and trying to look forward.
Ten years ago, college had barely just ended, I had finished an internship abroad, and was working at a magazine in Atlanta. I was engaged to my college sweetheart and love of my life. I had so many questions about where I’d be, what I’d do, how my life would unfold, completely preoccupied with trying to figure out who I was.
Now, I’m married to that same sweet man, coming up on our 10 year wedding anniversary and have gone through so many important moments and gained so many memories with him. Within the past decade, I’ve gone from adopting my first puppy, to loving my “senior” General Gazpacho. I’ve gone from playing house, to having a mortgage. I’ve gone from trying to “figure out” who I am to trying to just let myself be and embrace whatever that is.
I know that this decade is going to feel different: it already does. While I’ve always tried to be thoughtful about what I do, what I buy, and how I spend my time, I feel the urgency of taking some of that from thoughts to action.
In a general sense, I want to do less comparing and more being comfortable with who I am. I want to judge less and accept more. I want to embrace myself as I age rather than wish to stop time. Have that glass of wine. Light that candle. Only keep or invest in the things and the moments that truly make me feel comfortable and joyful. And in turn, create as much comfort and joy as I can for the people I love the most.
I hope you all do a bit of that for yourselves, as well.
xx.
(images right to left, top to bottom: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 )