In 2021, I graduated from college, moved into a beautiful new apartment in NYC with my best friends from high school, launched a podcast, made some really extraordinary new friends, and watched some of my dreams come true. I’m, of course, proud of all that — but this video above doesn’t (and can’t) show my proudest achievements of the last year. 2021 was a year, for me, of entering adulthood — of trying to really thoughtfully build a life for myself. In 2021, I was less reactive, more patient, and more “me.” I think this year was the first time I’ve ever felt like I had no longer had anything to prove to anyone — and even starting to feel that way has been radically empowering. I don’t know if I’ve fully internalized that quite yet, but that’s my biggest goal for 2022. 2021 wasn’t all shiny highlights either — it was also hard nights, sad moments, painful interactions, and overwhelming feelings. I think I was kinder to myself about all of the above though — and am even currently taking time off from work for really the first time ever thanks to my amazing team who is beautifully steering the ship without me. I’m prioritizing rest, reflection, and myself not just in rhetoric — but in action. 2021 was a year of realizing that there is a life for me beyond running on this metaphorical hamster wheel — and in 2022, inshaAllah, my goal is to, of course, keep running — but not without breaks for water, without knowing where I’m heading, and without the wonderful people in this video right there alongside me ❤️