At the end of last year, I talked the talk regarding mental health but felt I needed to do more. It is entirely different to walk the walk and advocate for a cause than simply saying you support it. In late 2021, I began a job that, in all honesty, did not require much critical thinking. It was (and still remains to be) a remote, entry-level position primarily consisting of administrative work. I took the role to get out of my previously stressful job and have more time to dedicate to school. After I began the job, I found I had too much idle time for my brain to wander. Thus, I started this website and blog. Initially, a podcast was associated with it, but I needed more time to devote to it. However, I plan to continue that in some fashion after I graduate. Stay tuned!

It feels cliché to say I learned a lot this year (especially around the new year), but I really did. I learned that taking care of your mental health and trying to help others can be challenging. I started strong with hopes of revolutionizing the mental health world. To be completely transparent, I feel disappointed. I feel disappointed that this did not go exactly how I wanted it. I had hoped to gain more traction to reach more people. It was never about fame or glory but helping someone who might be too afraid to ask for it.

Additionally, I learned that most people’s goals take more than one year. They say good things take time, and to assume a project of this magnitude would only take a year was naïve. It is discouraging to reflect and not meet your goal. However, we must consider it as adjusting the goalpost instead of failing to meet the goal altogether. We must change and adapt as we learn. More likely than not, it won’t go how we thought it would, which is OKAY.

Don’t worry. This is not a farewell letter, as I am NOT a quitter. I believe it when people tell me not to give up and to follow my heart. It does not mean it will become a trending phenomenon, but it could help someone. At the end of the day, that is what this is intended to do: help others. It is meant to show others that they are not alone and that we all struggle and have similar thoughts and feelings. It is a beautiful thing to feel understood and connected to others. It breaks down the silos and brings us closer together. We learn it is more to our advantage to express our feelings than to keep them inside.

What’s my resolution for 2023? To continue to build this project up to be more robust than before. So while I could be sad or disappointed by this venture, I choose to be grateful and optimistic. I am thankful for all the lessons 2022 has taught me, the people it has led me to, and most importantly, anyone who reads or follows (all 11 of you 😉 ) “A Sound Mind & Body.” As you reflect on 2022, I hope you, too, are grateful for the lessons learned instead of dwelling on shortcomings.

Happy New Year, folks! See you next year!