Thank you, 2015 – My Most Important Moments
Happy New Year everyone! Just getting back into the blog after a relaxing few weeks spending time with friends and family over the holidays. Later this week I’ll share my goals and what I’m most looking forward to in 2016, but for now I’m reflecting on the most important moments of 2015 and what I’m most thankful for in the past year.
My Marriage.
Our wedding was surrounded by so much love and joy – it was the most perfect day for us. It was very stress-free and every part of the day was planned by us and had special meaning, from the vows we wrote to each other to impromptu dance party to Turkish drums before the reception. But the most wonderful part of 2015 has been our actual marriage and how we live our day-to-day lives as partners. I can’t wait to experience how we grow together and continue to support each other in 2016, especially with several big changes ahead of us – a new job for me, most likely selling our current place and buying a new place, and potentially moving out of DC (whether that means the DC burbs or a different city remains to be seen!).
Honoring my Grandmom.
We had to say goodbye to my beloved grandmother this summer – it was one of the saddest and most difficult experiences of my life, but I will never forget how much love surrounded her in her final days and the way my family came together during that time. We were so fortunate to have had the opportunity to have several days to say all of the things we wanted to or needed to say and to demonstrate our love for her – not everyone has that chance, and I’ll forever be grateful for that. Since her death, I am trying to be very intentional about honoring my grandmother by spending more time with family and treating others with the same love and kindness that she had for everyone.
Traveling.
My husband and I love traveling together, and this year was one for the books. We have done a lot of international travel together, but this year was all about continuing to explore the U.S. – there is so much to see in this amazing country and it’s my goal to see at least one or two new places domestically each year. We spent our honeymoon in Hawaii (Kauai and Maui) and it was hands-down the best 16 days of my life – lounging, hiking, swimming, snorkeling, and EATING (the food in Hawaii is absolutely incredible). We also took a short trip to the Pacific Northwest (read more about it here) and recently went on a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway in Northern, Central, and Southern California. We’re still figuring out where we’re going to travel in 2016, but for now we have a trip to Panama on the books for our dear friends’ wedding later this month!
Taking a Leap with my Career.
I will always remember 2015 as a pivotal year in my career. I got promoted, I worked on exciting projects that challenged me immensely, I had the privilege to lead and learn from several teams of really amazing and brilliant people, and I had many opportunities to learn from my mentors and leaders. Most of all, I built my confidence and trusted myself to follow my heart and take a pause from “big consulting” to explore the next phase of my career. 2016 is full of opportunity for me, and I am excited to see where it takes me and to share this journey with you all!
What were the moments or experiences in 2015 that you are most thankful for, and how are you carrying what you’ve learned into 2016?