Giving Myself Grace
I think I write some version of this post every year, but I'm going to keep writing it until it doesn't feel necessary anymore - either as a reminder to myself, or to anyone reading.
On Dealing with Burnout
I have really been struggling with burnout lately. This is definitely not the first time I'm mentioning it here - I think it's been almost weekly at the point in my Friday Favorites post - but it really has been hitting me hard lately! I love blogging and sharing on Instagram, and I love my job too, but sometimes trying to do both of them at the same time can be really hard. We've been working on launching a new project at work, which is really exciting but also stressful, and working on that while also trying to keep up with my posting schedule here has really been testing my limits.
2023 Goals
Just like I haven't always been a "word of the year" person, I similarly haven't been a New Years resolutions person, either. But I do think there is something to setting goals in January to help guide and direct you through the rest of the year. I am careful when I pick my goals, though - I really only focus on things I'm actually passionate about and feel really strongly about trying to achieve. I'm not going to pick a goal that I feel like I "should" have on my list - it's more about things that I know I want to work on all year long because they add value to my life. So with that in mind, here are my goals for 2023.
Word of 2023
Picking a word of the year is something that's relatively new to me, but it's something I'm really becoming a fan of. I think it's less about the word itself but more about the process of taking the time to really think about what the past year was like, what I'd like to year ahead to look like, and what I need to do to make that vision a reality. I'm someone who finds a lot of comfort in routines, and that's what this feels like to me - setting myself up for the year ahead. So after doing that, the word I've picked for the year ahead is adapt.
Being Disabled in College: Living on Campus
I meant to get this post out earlier in September, a little bit closer to the "new school year" timeline, but it's still September so I'm saying it still counts! It has been quite a while since I was a college student - I graduated in 2010, which I know is (somehow) over 10 years ago now - but I thought it could be interesting to share a little bit about what it was like for me going to college as a disabled woman. After I started to write this, I realized it was getting long very quickly! So today I'm just going to focus on what it was like living on campus.
I’m 34!
I'm 34 today! Last year I talked about being more comfortable in myself and my life the older I get, and that's still true. But I think that the word that comes to mind this year when I think about me and my life is content.
Being Forced to Rest
I've mentioned before that in my day-to-day life, I don't actually spend that much time thinking about my disability. Because it's the only life I've ever know, it really is just second nature for me, for the most part. But sometimes, though, something happens that forces me to confront my disability and all that it entails.
Gratitude List
Mondays are always rough, and today is a Monday after a time change, when we "lost" an hour of sleep. So it seems like a good day for me to make a gratitude list - just sharing the things that I'm feeling thankful for right now.
I’m Speaking at the Pittsburgh Humanities Festival
his post is a bit of a "pinch me" moment. I shared the good news on Instagram earlier this week, but I'm so, SO excited to share here that I'll be speaking at this year's Pittsburgh Humanities Festival at the end of the month!
Surrounding Yourself with Supporters
I know that there's so much going on in the world right now - lots of very heavy things. But that doesn't mean that my life has stopped, and I've had some good news lately. It feels strange in some ways, to be celebrating my own wins when there's so much bad all around. But I think it's important to celebrate the wins whenever they come, big or small, and in whatever form.