We're bracing ourselves for a huge snowstorm, so I'm hunkered down in my apartment taking a few photos (I love this dark, moody, cozy light) and taking the opportunity to rest and reflect. 

2021 was rough. Not as rough as 2020 by any means, but definitely not as easy going as I'd hoped for after a hellish 2020. I experienced a lot more anxiety than I have in the past, and overall I felt tired and run down. That being said, there was also a lot of joy. A vaccine. The ability to see friends again. The continued health of my family. All in all, despite its rough edges, it was an okay year.

I have a lot of hopes for the year ahead, but my optimism has been tempered by the past two. Lessons have been learned, for better or worse. I have a lot of mixed feelings and fears and reservations about 2022.  But I also have a lot of hope, and a determination to focus more deeply on the small things that bring joy to my everyday. Journaling, reading, travel, photography, music and spending time with those I love. At the end of the day, those are the things that really matter to me. So, I'm hoping for a year of quiet depth and focus, rather than breadth; a year of living a bit more lightly, and stripping away the unnecessary. And as always, I'll be documenting that process here.

Thanks for reading.