the book is called opportunity and its first chapter is new years day.

Welcome 2024! Somehow, a new year has arrived, but today, I am taking a moment to look back at the year that has ended. What a year it was. To be honest, I can't say that 2023 was my favourite year ever, though there were certainly some highlights. Generally speaking...it was a mixture of good and not so good. The good? Seeing Clay Aiken in Niagara Falls, a vacation to Montreal, a special getaway with my husband in the fall (there were Halloween events and even a spaceship themed hotel room), and getting a new pet fish. The bad? Getting COVID in the summer (I was down for the count for about a month), the end of a longtime friendship, lots of anxiety, losing even more faith in humanity, and many of my loved ones getting COVID riiiiight before Christmas. Yeah, 2023 was a lot. Needless to say, I am looking forward to 2024. I am hoping for a better year.

At this time last year, my wish was for 2023 to be "a year full of joy, wonder, and growth." Though there were certainly many moments of happiness, it wouldn't be a year that I described as joyful or full of wonder. As for growth? There was definitely some of that. I stood up for myself more and continued to fight against injustice, both online and offline. I also did my best to learn, grow, and become a better person. It's funny...I used to think that in order to be a good person, I had to be bubbly and positive. Now, my view is very different. Being a good person, to me, means pushing back against harmful narratives and standing with survivors. It means being someone with strong ethics. It means caring about other human beings on this planet and fighting for their safety. There were so many times that I tried to silence myself in the past. So many times I bit my tongue. Kept it inside. Pushed down my discomfort. After all, I wanted so desperately to be liked and accepted. If nothing else, 2023 was the year that I decided to stop trying to be accepted by others and start accepting myself. There are many days that I struggle with confidence and self-esteem...but there are also many days that I realize I like who I am becoming. 

As I look ahead to the next twelve months, my heart is hopeful. Yes, despite the ups and downs in recent years...my heart is still hopeful. I have a list of short-term and long-term goals that I plan to tackle strategically. I also plan to continue working on myself by learning more, journaling lots, and remembering to speak my mind. In the words of my personal hero, "My voice forever remains the most valuable asset I have." Here is to a 2024 where we will focus on justice, truth, and using our voices. 

What do you hope to see in 2024? How will you make the world a more beautiful place?