Wow I can't believe that 2017 is officially over and it's time to dive into the new year of 2018!! I thought it would be valuable to reflect on the last year and make goals/ resolutions for this new year.

Reflecting on 2017:

1. Traveling : this year I had once in a lifetime opportunities to travel to places that I never thought I would have a chance to visit. I have to take a moment to thank my sweet parents for allowing me to tag along on their incredible adventures! Traveling has always been one of my favorite things but this year I have enjoyed it even more than before. It was such an eye-opening experience to visit countries such as United Arabic Emirates, Oman, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. I think experiences are the most valuable "things" in life. They stay with us through pictures and unforgettable memories.

2. Masters : I worked hard to graduate early from my undergraduate career, taking extra credits and balancing it with preparation for a GMAT exam in order to apply to the accelerated masters program that I really wanted to do. A couple years of planning ahead, lots of studying, and endless hours of exam prep, I was excited to get into the program! So far, it has been an incredible experience! I love the things that I have a chance to learn and the people that I met through the program.

3. Friendships : This year I had some ups and downs with friendships in my life (mostly "ups" but there are no "ups" without the "downs")! I think friendships are such a blessing and I truly can't imagine my life without the caring and supportive friends that I have. However, I also learned a lot about friendships this year. I realized that life can throw a curve ball and friendships change and sometimes sadly friends grow apart. But it's just part of life. To me it was a hard realization because I was brought up in a culture were friends are very loyal and life-long friendships are very common. Another lesson, even though I always knew it, it was a great reminder that friendships take a lot of time, dedication and in some cases patience. I will truly miss the convenience of being a college student were so many of your friends live so close!

Goals for 2018:

1. Be more consistent with the blog. Yes, this seems like such a cliche resolution, like "workout everyday in the new year" haha been there done that. But I hope to allocate a certain amount of time each day whether it is to do a shoot, plan a post, collaborate etc.

2. Live in the moment. I am such a dreamer! And don't get me wrong, it's not necessarily the worst thing. But I often live in the future, dreaming about what the future holds, rather than living in the moment and enjoying all the blessings and the people that are in the present.

3. Find a balance in professional, personal, and health aspects of life. This is vague but I want to find a balance in life when it comes to work and rest. Studying/ working and social life. Even time I spend outside each day vs. inside and time I spend on the computer vs. enjoying, and living in the moment (ties in with the earlier goal).

This is a little part of it, but I love reading but haven't been allocating enough time to read for pleasure while in college. So this year I want to be better about it. I am starting the year off by reading You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert. I can't wait to share with you what I think about these books!

4. Find a full-time job that I will love.

5. Say yes to new experiences that might put me outside of my comfort zone.

6. Be more consistent with quiet time. Time to reflect and pray about things and read the scriptures more regularly.

These are just a few of my main goals for 2018 but there are so many more! What are some of your goals for 2018?