What are you thankful for?

November is a time for being thankful, and not just on the designated day of Thanksgiving. It's a month for reflection on our lives, counting our blessings, and giving thanks. For me, I have so much to be thankful for and I would love to share with you my year in rewind.

One of the best decisions I ever made started at the beginning of this year, 2016. I quit my full-time job of almost six years, and decided to go to school full-time to get a degree in creative writing. Why you ask? College is something I have yearned for since graduating from high school over ten years ago. It’s taken me this long, but I feel it’s been worth the wait. Since my high school graduation, I have been working and saving money. I knew that when I decided to go to college, I wanted to take full responsibility and pay for it myself. And that’s what I did. I have never been happier than I am now because I am finally where I have longed to be. Every day I am learning and growing as a writer, and it feels good.

I got a new job as an administrative assistant in the admissions department at my school. Though it is only a work study position, the work has been so refreshing and new that I look forward to working every day, or overtime when I can. The administrative duties and responsibilities are quite a handful at times, but I love being able to work with people and help prepare future students for their new home on campus. Also, my boss is a great boss. She is an amazing person and has taught me so much. Her patience and kindness are very admirable, and she is always there to help when I have questions.

Taking another step out of my comfort zone, I took voice lessons over the course of spring up until the start of summer. Music has long been an influential part of my life and has provided inspiration on many occasions for my writing. I have long dreamt of taking voice lessons and I never thought I would ever get the courage to do so, but I did; and I loved it. Not only was I overcoming the threshold of nervousness, but I was exploring what I only deemed as dream, and maybe an unpractical one for me. When I refer to it being unpractical, I merely mean a dream I really didn't see myself making into a long term goal. What I achieved in a few month's time with my singing, I never would have guessed by the end of my lessons I would be singing a classical piece in Italian. My voice teacher has since moved on to fulfill her dreams, but the knowledge she embedded in me has kept the music burning brighter than ever in my life. Thank you, Julie.

Last, but certainly not least, I finally began writing my first book. I am a long ways from being done, but I am determined to see it through. I love how all my writing assignments in school fuel new energy in me daily and drive me to write above and beyond.The confidence I've found in myself and in my writing is ever present, now that I know what I am capable of.

So closing this article, I just want to say thank you to those who have helped shape my course and have given me so much love and support along the way. Family, friends, colleagues, teacher. . . this is for you. Thank you!

Enjoy and stay safe! :)

xoxo