As we closed out 2018 and jumped into the new year, I was asked the same question by person after person,

“What big adventures do you have planned for 2019?”

I answered that question the same every single time. First with a big laugh and then responding “nothing really!”, but I realize I’m writing this post as I sit on a plane on my way to Puerto Rico. For 48 hours.

The more that I was asked that question, the more I reflected on the year that had just passed, and holy crap, it was a CRAZY year! I visited six other countries, plus countless trips within the states. That makes SEVEN countries! I took four international trips spread out through the year, for a total of over two months out of the country. I rang in the new year in Sydney then traveled around Australia and New Zealand. I spent part of the summer in the Dominican Republic. I spend a couple weeks in the fall in India and Thailand. And I kicked off the holidays in the UK in November. And that’s only my travels out of the country! I also spent time in Houston, Chicago, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Dover, Washington DC, and Miami, some for work and some for fun. By my count, I spent time in 26 different cities.

But that isn’t all that happened! I also attended the beautiful weddings of six happy couples, still missing out on the celebration of two other friends. I saw my sister graduate from the University of Richmond, bust her butt studying for the CPA exam to pass all four sections on her first try all in four months, and then move away to start her career in a new city. I worked the hardest busy season of my career, made manager and started a rotation that is giving me incredible experiences. We got to see my Packers play when I attended my first NFL game AT Lambeau. I volunteered with my company and friends and gave back to the community in a fun way. I focused on my fitness and taking care of myself. I started this blog.

I had SO MUCH going on in 2018, it’s exhausting to even think about. On top of it all, I kept committing to more and more. I wanted to read more books, cook more frequently and better keep in touch with friends. I didn’t get to spend as much time doing some of the things that I wanted (this blog is a prime example), but I also realized that is okay. I saw a huge shift in myself over the past year, as I started better managing my expectations of myself. I realized it’s okay to commit to do 100 things, but it’s also okay to stop and take time for yourself, doing nothing. I started better balancing my commitments (both to others and to myself) the second I started taking the pressure off myself. I still have so far to go, but I made some critical first steps in 2018.

It was definitely a hard year for many different reasons, but it was an unbelievable year filled with amazing experiences surrounded by friends and loved ones. I absolutely couldn’t have done it all without the support of Brandon and our families and I am so grateful.

So what does this mean for the coming year? If 2018 was my year of travel, 2019 is my year of adulting.

I wasn’t lying when I responded I didn’t have much planned because I really don’t have any big adventures planned this year like the past year, BUT I do have a few non-traveling plans for the year that I’ve been getting ready for over the past several years. I am FINALLY getting lasik on my eyes, after talking about it for ten years. I am planning to redo the bathrooms in my condo, which are the only things I didn’t fully renovate when I moved in. I am also buying a new car once my rotation is over, and you best believe it’s going to be a Wrangler. Talk about adult purchases! And most excitingly (100% kidding), I get to fulfill my responsibilities by doing jury duty. I’ve been assigned the month of August, so I really can’t plan anything since I have to be available every Monday during the month, and if I get called in, who knows if it would extend longer than a day. Yay!

With that being said, the travel won’t stop because that would be like a piece of me stopping. I’m still finishing out my rotation and will be traveling for work through the next six months. Rather than taking a couple of long vacations, we’ve planned a handful of weekend/long weekend trips for the upcoming year to better work with our schedules and other commitments. As I mentioned earlier, I’m heading to Puerto Rico as we speak. We have a wedding in Portland and another in Charlottesville. I’ve got a weekend getaway in Denver planned with friends. We’re taking on the music festival scene again with a weekend at CMA Fest in Nashville and also heading back to Dover, Delaware for Firefly. I’ve made promises to other friends to plan weekend trips, so who knows where 2019 will take us!

I’m excited to see what the new year has in store and can’t wait to do it with my love by my side ❤️❤️ 2019 – show us what you’ve got!