Hello 2024! Happy New Year!!🥂

2023 was more than a bit hectic. My word for the year was GROWTH, and boy did I experience my share of growing pains. It was truly a year that reminds me of a quote I once read about a blade of grass sprouting through a crack in the sidewalk. Some of the growth was good and worthy. Some was bad, but necessary. Nonetheless, the struggle was the only path towards reaching sunlight in each instance. It was stressful, challenging, frustrating, and yet there were moments of reward - some unexpected. For those moments, I am grateful.

The year started out with a beautiful bang; my first "happy new year" post not appearing until April; the delay due to all things positive. A couple of months afterwards, however, things in my offline life became an emotional rollercoaster that lasted several more months into the Summer and then early Fall. It didn't stop me from shopping and being fashionably creative, but keeping up with this blog - in addition to filming, editing, and uploading videos - just wasn't possible.

To my credit, I did get more video content up than I could have imagined. But there was so much I just didn't have the energy to follow through on; outfits I was super excited about, but never got to post or write about, and tips I never got to share. Then, there were the unavoidable disruptions in life that ate up so much of the time and energy I did have. Before I knew it, the year was coming to an end and I, literally, had two weeks before Christmas to decorate my apartment and get a small amount of holiday content together. Again, throughout all of these issues that drained me of energy, creativity, time, and good health, there was growth. The honorable mention word for 2023 was definitely "push-through". I can't recall how many times I willed myself to just...push through to get to the finish line or, like that blade of grass, to reach that first ray of sunlight.

For 2024, I've decided my word is going to be Confidence, with honorable mention going to Joy. I'm physically and emotionally exhausted from the struggle and now that I see daylight, I'm ready to flourish...with confidence and in joy. I'm bogarting a breather and if I do any pushing through in 2024, it's going to be WITH confidence and IN joy...TOWARDS joy. And whatever happens...happens. No more forsaking my health, sacrificing my happiness, and abandoning the things that bring me joy. As a result, this post - albeit still 18 days after the start of 2024 - is being published in the month of January. And, for me, that's a major start in the right direction. Here's to more fashion, more fun, and more JOY!🍾🥂🎆