Now that the new year has begun, I wanted to take some time to look back on 2022 and see how far I’ve come. I think of the changing years as a time for self reflection, as well as looking for areas of continued improvement and setting new aspirations. I’ve looked back on my 2022 Resolutions and Intentions and – despite this year being filled with a lot of personal changes such as quitting my job, starting grad school, and helping my mom move – I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish! Each year we grow and evolve, so even if I wasn’t able to meet every goal I set, I still learned a lot and developed new skills.

I was pretty optimistic at the start of 2022 but mentally knew that I would have a lot of unheaval and changes in store after applying to grad schools in earnest. There were definitely a lot of highs and lows and stressful/hectic moments, but overall I think having another challenging year forced me to get out my comfort zone, follow my passions, and got me to prioritize the things that bring me joy.

Going through the past year’s resolutions and intentions I set for myself allows me to see how far I’ve come and inspires me to do even better this next year. Without further ado, let’s review 2022!

Resolutions Met:

• Planning for my future and taking my next career step by going to grad school – I’ve felt in limbo for a while due to the pandemic and a stressful job, but took the initiative to apply and get into Georgetown University for a two year program. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished so far and pushing myself to advance personally and professionally.
• Eat out less, meal prep more – An unintentional benefit of quarantine in 2020/2021 was that I was forced to learn how to cook my own meals and I love my continued use of my MarleySpoon meal subscription service that allows me to experiment with new dishes and flavors every week! The past few years have allowed me to feel more confident in the kitchen and expanded my palate! (Let me know if you’d like a code to try MarleySpoon for yourself!)
• Read more books – My reading goal for 2022 year was 50 books, and I’m very proud of myself for surpassing it by reading 55! I really loved the diverse array of literature I read and found a balance between having a few months were I read maybe 2-3 books and a few stellar months where I knocked out 8-9! You can find my 2022 reading list here.
• Experiment more with my personal style (a continuing challenge from past years) – while I definitely fell into a style rut a few times throughout the year, I tried to get out and shoot at new locations with all different fun looks. It’s so uplifting to be able to play around with fashion when life is stressing me out!
• Get physically stronger – thanks to gyms and workout classes reopening back up in 2021, I’ve been able to slowly regain my strength and begin getting back to my preferred fitness level. I’ve always loved exercise as a healthy form of stress relief, so having that balance back in my life is incredible. I’m a big fan of group fitness classes like Zumba, Orange Theory, barre, and SolidCore to challenge myself and diversify my workouts.
• Take weekend trips to new places in the surrounding DC area – weirdly enough, the extended limit on travel actually encouraged me to visit places closer to home. I made a few trips out to Lost Barrel Brewery and spent a lot more time exploring Old Town Alexandria and Tysons this year!
• Be consistent about blogging and engagement – I definitely had months where I was better than others, but overall I’m proud at my ability to stay pretty consistent with my posts this year.
• Connect and collaborate with fellow bloggers – I loved being able to attend DC Blogger events again this year and continued volunteering with this supportive community! I had the pleasure of hosting a Pride event in June and collaborated with my friend Meridith on our Scoprio bithday bash. I love attending local events around the DMV as well as making an effort to get more one-on-one time to make new friends with fellow influencers.
• Visit Israel for Birthright – I was so incredibly happy to finally be able to travel abroad last year! Visitng Israel in September and connecting with my Jewish heritage was such an indescribable experience. (Yes, I will eventually do a blog post about my adventures!)

Areas of Improvement:

• Take time to be creative – I loved to paint and draw and honestly miss the soothing, re-centering effect it has on me. Whether it’s doodling, filling in a coloring book, taking a virtual paint and sip class, or actually devoting an afternoon to designing an outfit, I want to get back in touch with my creative side even more this year! I’m hoping the flexibility of grad school will allow me to turn to my old creative outlets.
• Organize my apartment more often…and keep it organized – organization has always been a struggle for me, and after going through two moves in 2021 and again moving my family’s homes in 2022, I definitely am slacking in the neatness arena. Last year I went through spurts of cleaning inspiration where I’d reorganize a section of my apartment but leave boxes still packed up. It’s definitely something I need to be more consistent about and I want to definitely focus on organizing my closet at the very least.
• Continue Anti-racism work and educating myself – by reading, watching documentaries, and supporting good organizations and causes. I was really dedicated in 2020, and while I did read some antiracist books and watch informative movies the past few years, I would like to do more on educating myself.
• Do silent works of good – donating to charities, volunteering for a cause I believe in, or paying for someone else’s coffee. Doing a small act of kindness could leave a large positive impact on someone else’s life.

Despite 2022 being another tough and challenging year, I’m proud the goals I was able to meet and how much I’ve grown as a person. I hope you’re able to reflect back on 2022 and recognize your moments of strength, resilience, and perseverance as well!

Did we share any resolutions from last year? Let me know your thoughts!

XOXO

Parisa