I’ve spent the last 8 days at home relaxing and it’s given me a lot of time to look back on the last 12 months of my life. 2019 holds one of the happiest days of my life (our 10/24 engagement!), but even aside from the engagement bliss, I’ve loved everything about this year.
In 2019 I’ve felt more balanced with life and work than I ever have before ~ and I believe that has SO MUCH to do with your overall happiness. I ended 2018 and started 2019 with a pretty big reality check that I couldn’t keep living life at 100 mph. Long story short (but if you want the long story, read about it here) I realized that no amount of success or achievement can truly make you happy. A healthy balance is the key (like most things in life), but the hard part is finding that balance.
That reality check set me up for one of the best years I’ve ever had. This year I learned there’s no point in working your butt off if you’re aren’t able to take a step back from it all and enjoy the life you’ve made for yourself every once in a while. Life will pass you by pretty quickly if you don’t take the time to admire it as often as possible.
I did some reflecting on the last year and read through everything I wrote about on my blog this year. I NEVER go back and read old blog posts, so this was a fun trip down memory. I rounded up some of my most read and most important posts from the year (in my opinion) and wanted to share them here.
1. I moved to New York towards the end of 2018, and then official moved out of my Chicago apartment in the middle of 2019. I loved every minute of making this little nest in the clouds feel like a home:
2. Then, spent the rest of the year organized every inch of it:
3. I started eating much healthier:
4. I really slowed down & took a step back. I started going to bed earlier and stopped working like a crazy person until 1 AM:
5. I focused on my mental health:
6. And my faith:
7. Fell in love with NYC. Really experienced NYC & marked 1 year any:
8. Traveled to Italy for the first time & took an awesome trip to Turks & Caicos with my work wife:
9. I got engaged to the love of my life!
I’m so thankful for each experience, person, and lesson this year brought me. I’ve loved reading every message you guys have sent my way, even if I can’t respond to every single one. I love your feedback and sharing these moments with you. And even though a lot of us have never met, you all feel like close friends 🙂
I spent a lot of time with my family and made a point to get on the phone with long distance friends as often as I could. Con and I cooked a lot at home this year which I personally thing created so much more balance (and saved money!). I had the chance to partner with so many of the brands I love and help share their mission with the world. Sometimes life is bitter and sometimes it’s sweet, but this one was a sweet one for sure. I can’t wait to spend 2020 planning our wedding day and officially becoming a wife in September. Life is good!
A few other most-read posts from 2019:
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2019 was great! I got engaged this year too 🙂
Brianna | briannamarielifestyle.com/