In my experience, 2019 was a year filled solely with lessons. At times, I felt as though I could never catch a break due to a continuous shift in almost every aspect of my life. In 2019, I felt that I experienced a great deal of loss - the loss of a pet, the loss of my parent's marriage and my childhood home, the loss of a toxic relationship, and a few friendships along the way. For a long time, I felt like I was losing my connections with all that brought me what I thought to be happiness, and eventually, I started to lose myself. For months on end I was bitter and heartbroken, and took to acting in ways that were not a reflection of my true character. It was then that I learned the lesson I never wanted to think possible - I did not like the person that I was becoming. In the spirit of hope for this new year, I plan to carry these lessons with me so that I may change my direction in life and continue to work to find my own happiness:

Not everyone is going to like you, but the opinions of others do not define you. Not everyone is going to trust you, regardless of the constant loyalty you show them. Yet, that does not mean you stop being loyal. Instead, you reevaluate and share your loyalty with those who truly value and deserve it. Not everything will go your way, but that does not mean you sit around waiting for a better opportunity to fall into your lap. Instead, you come back ten times stronger and fight for what you want. Not everyone is going to honor you the way you honor them. If something feels one sided, be brave and communicate. If nothing changes, leave it behind. If you are not happy with the person that you are becoming, it is no one else's responsibility to fix that for you. Get in touch with your emotions, confront all that is standing in your way, and break free of the chains that are holding you back. Though you may be selfless, it is time to value yourself in all ways possible, because no one else will do it for you.