I had this vision for how 2022 would begin for me, these big dreams that I thought would maybe *finally* come to fruition. Unfortunately, not everything has gone according to plan — and some goals feel even further away than they did a month ago. At the same time, it’s been a magical/transformative last few weeks, even if sometimes challenging/disappointing. I’m here though because I’ve gotten used to “punting” — convincing myself that I will deal with “that” “when I graduate,” “when I’m settled into my new place,” “when I’m older.” It’s strange though having turned 23 a week ago that I really am an “adult” now, that I am living the “later” of “dealing with that later.” There has also been this implicit assumption though that “later” was also synonymous with “better.” I think I’ve unknowingly embraced this rather toxic mindset that life should be characterized by a constant upward trajectory — that faltering is failing, that stagnating is saddening. I’ve been guilty of looking back at years to track if I had accomplished “more” than in the past year, only feeling “successful” if year over year my life seemed like 📈 (minus the dipping point). In taking this last month off from work though, in some plans that meant a lot to me not panning out, in 2022 being here, in turning 23, in spending time with wonderful humans — I think I’m unlearning a lot of the above. 
 I don’t know if I believe in “new years resolutions,” but my biggest hope for this year is that I allow myself to believe that even if I do “less” this year, this year will not be lesser. I know there are many sexy buzz words attached to the new year, but I think mine for 2022 is “maintenance.” I don’t think there should be shame in sameness, and I don’t think this has to be “my year” — because I think *trying* (even if leading to faltering/stagnating/failing) for *another* year is maybe more than enough.🤞🏽#2022resolutions #photodump