I’m not really a resolution type of girl, but at the beginning of 2022 I made a promise to focus on myself and on things that will better my life and my family – which meant putting some focus on my mental health, my career, and my relationships with people in my life. So, I started by talking to my doctor about my current state of mind, followed by doing a lot of deep digging about my career (which I wrote about last month). But, through all of it, self-discovery was the theme – and, I’m pretty sure I’m only at the tip of the iceberg.

I knew that I needed to take a look at how I viewed various relationships in my life – friends, family, colleagues. It wasn’t all working. I needed to learn how to set boundaries with myself and with other people. Unfortunately, this meant facing the reality that some “strong” friendships, weren’t going to hold up under the pressure of my journey. This was something I didn’t want to face, and recognizing broken relationships that couldn’t be recovered was heartbreaking. But, on the same note, I know it’s better to know.

I’ve had a lot of toxic people in my life and it’s been so liberating taking the steps to separate myself from them. I’ve been working hard to hold on to the mantra of “bless and release” for situations out of my control – which include how people behave on the other end of a friendship. No matter what, I will always care deeply. I come from a long Line of empaths, so it’s in my nature. But, I am learning to not let others consume my feelings. No one is allowed to live in my head rent free – though I still have some squatters in there every now and then.

But – it’s not all bad. I am more in touch with my appreciation for those in my life that I know are my “ride or dies”. People I know I can count on and trust. People I know will always be there – whether we talk every day or every six months. People I can trust to always be honest with me – even if it means we disagree. I am so thankful to be where I am right now – and I truly feel like I am more open to change and new friendships.

So, here’s to 2023, where my journey continues. I can’t wait to continue getting to know myself better and see what new (positive!) relationships I forge.