Welcome to a fresh start!

2022 was a rough year (and a good one too!). To put it mildly it was a rollercoaster of a year (forgive the overused expression). I hit some big milestones in my career, I experienced growth in some areas of my life, but there were also huge disappointments and heartbreaking moments. Unfortunately, the year ended with a low moment, and that has coloured my overall reflections for the year. I have struggled to remember the good things that God did in me, for me, and through me in 2022.

Two things have stuck out for me about 2022: (1) inner healing is a continuous process; and (2) my default approach is to put myself in the backseat.

I had my first substantive inner healing experience mid-November thorugh Victory Weekend at my church and it was not only life-changing, but it also opened my eyes to the ongoing process of restoration that God does in us. One of the big revelations for me during that weekend was that one of my barriers to forgiving others was that I had not forgiven myself. As I recounted each person that I wanted to forgive, God revealed to me where I was holding onto shame, anger, frustration around those people and situations. Forgiving myself was so restorative – I felt an immediate release of weight in my chest as I let go. It was a truly amazing experience!

2022 was a year where I realised that I put the values of others above my own values. I spent more time on things that mattered to others (externally placed values) than on the things that mattered most to me. Funnily enough, I got this insight during a time management workshop. I was wondering why I was struggling to find time for all the things that God had placed in my heart to do, and I realised that a bulk of my time was spent on either externally-assigned activities, or on anxiety-reduction. In my opinion the mismathc between my values and my actual activities contributed to the anxiety. I have spent a good portion of my 2023 planning focusing on setting up systems to ensure that my activities are better aligned with my values.

2022 Lessons Learned:

1. Don’t take God’s blessings for granted

2. It is easy to lose time while waiting for tomorrow

3. Tomorrow is an abyss with much promise that always builds up to the overwhelm of today

4. Missed opportunities = things remaining in the dream/planning stage for too long

Themes for 2023: Stewardship, Intentional Living, Trust in the Lord

How will I live out these themes:

1. Choose God every day

2. Prioritise spending time on the things I value

3. Prioritise self-care

4. Be more intentional and live in the moment

5. Enthusiastically pursue things that give me joy

6. Do not run away from things that are hard

#newyear #reflections