Happy Wednesday! Last May I was featured in an article by Voyage Austin that covered my story and background with my creative endeavors.

Last year was the first year I created an inspiration board for the year ahead, and I decided to do the same this year. Creating these boards gives me inspiration and encouragement throughout the year as I focus on what's important to me.

What a year. I knew that it was going to be a big year with college graduation and other milestones. 2022 has been a year to remember with so many moments I will carry with me forever. I don't quite know what 2023 will have in store yet but the possibilities are open. I am entering the new year with my hands open to what God has planned for me and I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen.

View of West Texas on the way to Colorado.

With everything going on in the world right now, many things are screaming for our attention. With what seems like so much negativity around us, it can be easy to slip into an unhealthy habit of letting the negativity take a higher place in our hearts rather than the good that comes from God. I know that when I fill my mind with negative things that I see or hear, it can begin to transform my heart and mind to become more downcast and hyper-focused on the bad rather than the good. When all the negative stimulus around us is constantly bombarding our minds, the same can happen to others, too. So much negativity can lead to a negative outlook on life that takes away from the light that should be in the world. In other words, it can make it harder to be attuned to the good.

This year I made a 2022 inspiration board along with my friends. On New Year's Eve, we presented them to each other to encourage one another throughout the new year. I loved this idea as, in previous years, I chose a word for the year but hadn't chosen one in a while. By making an entire inspiration board for the year I not only could expand on picking a word for the year but I would also have accountability in following through with what I put on it. If you have the chance to create a board for the new year with your friends you should! It's a lot of fun and it's never too late.

2021 has been quite the year and it has come to a close. Before the new year begins with more activities and milestones ahead, here is a look back at what 2021 had in store. It was definitely one of my most eventful years to date and it was a good year overall.