Wow, I cannot believe it is 2011 already. This past year has just flown by. I have spent the past few days reflecting on 2010 and how my life has changed for the better. When last year began, I made a few resolutions. I wanted to continue living a healthy lifestyle, finish graduate school,find a job, and reevaluate what relationships in my life were truly important and worth keeping. I have continued living a healthy lifestyle, most of the time. I work out six days a week and try to watch what I eat. I have this insane love of running and my goal this year is to run some 10K races and I have a roommate who is trying to convince me to give a half marathon a try. We will see what happens. When I get the chance I like to go to Zumba classes. I love Zumba. Zumba is basically an aerobic Latin dance class. It is so much fun and a good work out. And so who cares if I do not have the best rhythm, it is a real great work out.
I graduated with my Master's in May. I was so happy to have finished my degree. It was two years of hard work, but it was worth it. After graduating, I stayed in Boston as I looked for a job on the West Coast. While I loved my time in Boston, after much prayer and contemplation, I realized that I needed to move back home for awhile as I looked for a job. While it was hard to leave behind my friends, I knew this was the right move for me. And by following this path, my life changed for the better.
Returning to California, I applied for every job out there in my field. One day, I came across this position working for the LDS church. After spending a day thinking about whether to apply or not, I finally submitted my resume. All I thought was this is never going to happen...not in a million years. So one day while I was babysitting my two little nephews, I received a call from a Utah number and a message was left that the church would like to interview me for this position. I could not believe it. After talking with the man who is now my boss, he persuaded me to come up to Salt Lake for an in person interview. I left this interview knowing that I had made it to the second round of interviews. Than before I knew it I had gotten the job with a little hitch. They wanted me to start my job in a week. I had a week to pack up my life in Cali (honestly, most of my stuff was still in boxes) and get to SLC. So I had a job with great benefits, but no clue where I was going to live. So on Saturday, after my job offer, I found a place to live. Everything just worked out so well and the silver lining, I now live in the same town with my sister.
It is funny because a year ago, I never would have imagined that I would be living in Salt Lake City, Utah. I would have told you "no." I thought I would end up back in California, but that was not part of the Lord's plan for me. He needs me here. I need to be here because this is exactly where I am suppose to be. There is no doubt in my mind. Things are working out as they should be and I love all the possibilities that lay before me.
The last resolution on my list was to reevaluate that relationships in my life. Honestly, I have been doing this for the past two years. I realized there was many relationships in my life that had just emotionally drained me. I went to a place that scared me...With the help of some incredible people, I pulled myself up when I finally figured out that I needed to have healthy relationships in my life. I needed relationships where I was treated with love and respect. I realized for this to happen that I needed to change myself, which began with finally standing up for myself and telling people that "hey, you cannot treat me however you want" because I deserve so much more than that.
I have incredible parents, who love me unconditionally and would do anything for me. They want the best for me and believed everything would work out for me even when I had lost hope. Thanks Mom for never giving up on me and knowing that it would all work out in the end. Some days, I wish I had your faith. My sister is my best friend and I love her so much. Her husband is not that bad either. Just kidding! Lewis, you are a great brother-in-law. My brother and his wife are amazing. Laurel is a great sister-in-law and I am grateful for the friendship we have. She is a great mother with the two cutest boys, who I miss everyday. I miss my games of tag with Eli and West. I feel like I have really strengthened these bonds with my immediate family.
Through this time, I have developed a close relationship with my cousin Jessica. She is an answer to a prayer. In times when I have struggled, she has provided me guidance that I so desperately needed or just send me a card that made my day. I have shared all my highs and lows with her. It is funny how our lives have paralleled each other in so many ways. Thank you for everything Jessica and thank you just does not seem like enough. I have loved sharing these past few years with you and look forward to sharing everything else that is to come with you. I could not ask for a better cousin and friend. I hope to come visit you one of these days and play with you cute kids. It is one of my resolutions for this coming year.
I am still in this reevaluation process. It is not easy and some days, it is a struggle. But I want to move forward on my own terms and not on the terms of others. When I tried to live according to the terms of others, I lost my way and became a person I did not like. I now try to live every day according to what makes me happy and by doing this, I have found who I truly am. I love who I am. It may have taken me years to get here, but it is through these trials and triumphs that have made me who I am today.
I view this next year with great hope and faith. Good things are coming as I continue along this path the Lord has set out for me. My main goal for this following year, is to be happy.
