Reflection of 2022:

Another year has gone by, so therefore I have another reflection from this year of 2022.  Just like every year, there were incredibly high moments and low moments.  There were things that went incredibly well and some things that didn’t.  There were exciting times and there were things that I definitely learned.   If I had to narrow it down to the main ways I have grown, this would be through exercising and coaching, my writing goals, and overcoming my mental health struggles.  

One big highlight was running.  I know that I write a lot about my love of running, but this year I have really developed a deeper appreciation.  I didn’t set a mileage goal, but I ran more miles than last year. My goal this last year was to gain speed and to have better times than I did in previous years.  This was going to be shown in running a 10k in under an hour and to run a half marathon faster than I did last year.  Both of these happened.  I trained for both of these events with a lot of ambition.  I really put the mileage in before my half marathon, so I was able to run my half marathon 20 minutes less than the previous year. 

This last year was also good when it came to coaching cross country.  I talked about this a lot with so many people in my life as well as continuously on my social media.  This includes my blog, but my cross country girls team made it to state this last year.  They worked so hard, and I am so glad that their hard work really paid off.  I am so proud of them.  It was also an amazing opportunity to run with them as often as I did at practice.  I was so happy to run next to them and offer them advice and communication.  The girls and I really became close, and it was an uplifting part of a job (job being coaching and teaching) that can be really difficult at times.  

I have also grown in my writing.  This last year I have written more than I ever have in my entire life.  I spend time thinking about how to polish my writing to make it the best it can be.  I even joined a writing group in order to receive constructive criticism for my writing.  I have the opportunity to read through their entries, so I can give them helpful pointers on their particular pieces.  I have grown as a reflective writer through this process, and I am so glad that I have these other God-fearing women in my life who are also aspiring writers for the Lord to instill wisdom into myself through their writing and constructive criticism.  I am not only learning how to be a better writer through this environment, but I also am learning more wisdom through their individual entries.  They write about the life lessons they have learned and the wisdom they have received from God, which will forever be helpful to me.

One of the main downsides of this year has been my mental health and anxiety struggles.  This last year my mental health has taken a bit of a downward slide.  I can’t say that it is completely because of this particular year, but it has most likely been a culmination of the past few years.  I have always been honest that I have struggled with anxiety.  I come from a family where anxiety and depression run rampant.  I know my family is not the only one.  There are more and more individual people as well as families who are coming out and speaking about their respective mental health struggles, which I do find incredibly helpful to those who do struggle.  I say this all in respect and encouragement to anyone else reading who is in a downward slide of anxiety and depression.  

This year, though, I am trying to find more and more helpful ways to overcome my anxiety.  I have started to go to therapy, where I am able to talk through my emotions and my ever-present and spinning thoughts.  The ability to talk to someone who is there for me, without the personal connection has been really helpful.  She doesn’t know me in real life, but she listens to me, and lets me talk through my thoughts. She wants me to succeed and to see my overall mental health become better and stronger.  I have also walked away from Snapchat.  This is a very new item in my life.  I found that the social media app, Snapchat, was becoming incredibly toxic in my life.  It was starting to only negatively affect my thinking patterns.  It did not provide many positives.  I wanted to hold on to it for the few positives or the potential positives, but I found I could not hold out for the potential positives when there were so many negative side-effects.  

The Lord never promised this world would be easy.  He said there would be trials, but we have him to constantly look to for comfort and support.  Psalm 46:1-3 describes this perfectly: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.” As I am about to embark on the year of 2023, I am hoping to make even better strides in all areas and walks of life.  I definitely need to continue on the pattern of growth when it comes to overcoming my mental health struggles, but I also want to grow financially and speak about my love of Christ to others.  My challenge for you is to spend some time this week reflecting on what God has done and taught you through 2022 and what you hope to accomplish and grow in for 2023.