Thought of the Week:

On December 18, 2022, my Grandma passed away. This is the first time someone has died in my life that I had a relationship with an immediate family member. When I heard the news, there were a lot of emotions. Sadness. Grief. Surprise. Regret. When death happens, we confront the warring feelings we have. My grandmother and I haven’t always had the best relationship. But I never delved into who she was. I had a cursory knowledge that her life hadn’t always been easy, but besides basic historical reasons, I never got her whole story.

On top of working through my grief, I felt guilt. Not being able to get to my family because of how far away I am and the cost of last-minute plane tickets overwhelmed me. Of course, my parents understood, but it took a lot to get myself to be okay with that. Not being able to say goodbye and be comforted by family hurts. So in this reflection on 2022, I’ll say goodbye here. Grandma, I’ve never completely understood you and didn’t take the time to try. I’m sorry for that. However, I am happy that while I lived and worked in Georgia, sometimes, I got to sit, talk to you, and relax watching one of your shows or movies. I thank God for your influence in my life. I love and miss you.

2022 Reflection:

I am going to break my reflection into 3 sections: wins, results, and alignment. I did not come up with those sections. I used Matt Ragland's 2022 Annual Review.

 (Not all of my) Wins:

• Completed PAQ program and outplaced to a new base
• Got closer to my family
• Strengthen friendships
• Paid off some more debt
• Got to meet my goddaughter for the first time
• Moved from the south
• Gained some new perspectives from being in the north
• Built savings
• Launched KWICK 6

 Results:

• I didn't spend consistent time with God. To be honest, I kind of abandoned Him midway through the year. I didn't get closer to God, I seemed to get farther.
• I didn't meet my goal of reading 50 books. I only read 37 books this year with 7 being nonfiction and 17 coming from the library. The move really threw off my reading momentum. I also didn't make as much time to do so. If I add in my Kindle Unlimited reading then I definitely hit my goal of 50 books. I usually don't count them because they are usually short reads for help me fall asleep. However, in 2023 I plan to use KU and Libby more broadly for my reading. I tend to enjoy paperback books but its time to embrace digital books more. I can always buy the book later if it is a favorite.
• I attempted to journal this year. I was sporadic at first and then I stopped all together journaling and answering 3 questions I gave myself. Maybe everyday is not necessary but I should do it at least twice a week on a consistent basis to see how I grow over the year.
• I did not consistently workout this year. However, I will say that besides the weekends, my food is much better. I will say HelloFresh has helped a lot with that. I was able to get a variety of healthy meals and limit my food waste. Still, I have to do better with consistently working out this year.
• Lastly, I was not consistently writing and posting. My consumption of media has been erratic so that has affected my writing. I did not spend a lot of quiet time just thinking. Those spaces were always filled with some kind of distraction.

 Alignment:

In 2022, my actions and habits were not consistently aligned with the person I want to be. While I did make progress in some areas, there were plenty of failures. Mainly, in 2023, I have to be disciplined and consistent with the habits and actions I want to implement in my life.

2023 Goals:

My focus in 2023 is on consistency. With consistency progress will follow. I have 5 categories with goals under each of the categories. I keep my goal pretty broad unless there is something specific I am planning for, such as saving a certain dollar amount for a family vacation in 2024. The 5 categories are: God, health, finances, people, and mindset. While I won't get into all of the overall goals that I have, I will share my goals for January:

• Read 1 nonfiction book
• Read 4 fiction books
• Follow my 2023 budget
• Workout a minimum of 3x per week
• Journal everyday this month using prompts
• Complete 1 digital art picture per week
• Research Masterclass specifically if the writing classes are beneficial

2022 Favorites:

2022 I consumed some great things and I would like to share them with you. For the books the links are to Storygraph but if you want to read the books, check out Libby where you can use your library card.

📚 Books

• How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith - follow Clint Smith to monuments and landmarks across the country to see how they present the past and how they shaped our nation
• Amari and the Night Brothers by BB Alston - middle grade book which follows Amari as she searches for her older brother and attends a magical school while building friendships and enemies
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi - follow a two half sisters and their family through multiple generations from their tribes in Africa to modern day in both America and Ghana
• Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor - journey with a group of friends in Nigeria as they learn their magical abilities and train to go up against a powerful enemy
• Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett - a theif, a soldier, and a cast of characters fight to survive while trying to figure out who wants them dead; interesting magical system
• Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar - learn about Ona Judge and how she outsmarted the first American president
• To Catch a Raven by Beverly Jenkins - historical romance novel following a couple who are forced to act as husband and wife while helping the government catch an official who may have stolen a copy of the Declaration of Independence
• The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray - slowburn; tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, who curated the Morgan Library while passing as a white woman; based off a historical figure while using some fiction to beef up the story
• Tristan Strong Destroys the World by Kwame Mbalia - second book where we follow Tristan back to Alke after his grandmother was taken

 Podcast

• Make it Plain hosted by Phillip Holmes and Taelor Gray - critically examines Malcolm X from the perspective of Christian men
• Thirty Minutes with The Perrys hosted by Preston and Jackie Hill Perry - various topics regarding life and faith
• What a Day - daily news podcast, leans progressive but does a decent job of presenting important news
• The Rise & Fall of Mars Hill - follows the story of Mars Hill, the pastor, and the affects on the community

 Instagram pages I actively seek out

• @jasminelholmes - history specifically black history
• @jackiehillperry - perspective on Christianity and life
• @historywithher - book recommendations

If you need some recommendations, check out my Goodreads or StoryGraph. And then follow me on Instagram and Twitter. One of my favorite newsletters to read for current events is Morning Brew. Check it out.