Immensely Grateful

OUTFIT DETAILS
Jacket: Torrid (Gifted) | Dress: Torrid (Gifted) | Hat: Love Your Melon | Shoes: Converse | Earrings: Nasty Gal

My life is constantly moving a mile a minute that sometimes I forget that there is so much to be grateful for. This year has been one of self-discovery - learning more about myself, my boundaries, my capabilities, and my heart. As I look back on the year and look forward to what remains of it, I am reminded of the immense growth, healing, lessons, and blessings that have come out of 2021.

The biggest blessing we received was getting to adopt our sweet Maxie. Kevin and I had been wanting to adopt a dog for a few years now, but never felt it was the right time to do so. One weekend we decided to take a leap of faith and submit an application, and our life has never been the same since. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be a good mom (a true fear of why we haven’t started trying for a family yet), but Maxie showed me that despite my imperfections, his love is unconditional. Even when we don’t get along, he still always comes back to me, and that fills my heart more than anything.

I still can’t believe that we’ve gotten to travel as much as we have this year, especially while we’re still living in a pandemic. We’re vaccinated and have still been as safe as we possibly can while we’re away from home, but it blows my mind that we got to go to Orlando, Vegas, Oahu, Cabo, Joshua Tree, Maui, and coming up soon… Houston! I’m hoping we’ll continue our adventures in 2022 with the trips that were canceled in 2020, so fingers crossed we’re able to make it out to Australia (so I can finally see my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew!) and Paris (to visit my last international Disney park).

There is more good news to come, and I’m really excited to share it with you, but I have to wait a few more days before I can do so. Stay tuned there!

And now for the lessons - I’ve always been a people pleaser, so naturally, my sense of what my boundaries looked like was slim to none. This year, I’ve really made it a point to take care of myself - because otherwise, I know I won’t be able to give to others in the capacity I want to. I’ve learned to say no, whether it’s because I don’t want to do something or because I’m feeling overwhelmed and can’t handle it - and being able to say no has made a huge difference for my mental health and stress levels. I’ve learned to stand up and fight for myself, because I know my value and that I’m worth it. It has taken a lot to get me to this point, and I’m darn proud of how far I’ve come.

I’ve also healed quite a bit, but I know I still have a ways to go. I’ve accepted that healing is not linear, that there are days I’m going to revert back to my old ways, but I just need to pick myself up and try again. I’m still learning that it’s okay to let go and to forgive, and while it’s hard, it’s a choice I have to make every single day.

But truly, I owe it all to my amazing support system that has stuck by me through these periods of change and growth. My relationships and friendships have grown deeper, and while it took me a really long time to see it, I finally understand that they are enough for me, just as I’ve always been for them. They were the ones who reminded me of who I am, especially in the dark times when I hated myself and questioned who I was. All I can hope for is that somehow I can return the favor to them, because without them, I can confidently say that I would not be the person I am today.

Here’s to what’s left of 2021 - I’m ready for whatever it throws my way.

xo,
Keshia