2018 was a year of many highs and lows. While I started and ended the year in the same place, the 365 days that passed changed everything.
From big family moves to new friendships, I spent most of my time outside the office becoming more self aware and finding joy in the little things. A hard lesson was learned:
When life gives you lemons, it’s not always easy to make lemonade the first time around. But keep trying, and eventually, you’ll make a perfect batch when you find just the right ingredients.
As I reflect on the year that has passed, it has dawned on me that this year was one of many, many happy and inspiring moments and so much growth. Sometimes you need to take a step back to see how far you’ve travelled!
For me, travelling is when I’m at my happiest. When I’m exploring a new place, I’m learning things not just about the world around me, but also about myself – who I am, what I enjoy, what scares me, and how much farther I can go. I’m inspired by how others live their lives, and how at our core, we’re often more alike that we think. I often find myself terrified, overjoyed, and intrigued all at the same time while pushing myself to try something new and learn something in the process.
In 2018, I visited 18+ cities and 11 countries. 11 of these cities and 4 of these countries were new places to explore; the others, places that I am grateful to have visited again. Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing about my experiences from each of these places, as well as the places that I hope to visit before 2020.
Here’s the full list for 2018:
- New York
- Washington, DC
- Reykjavik
- Amsterdam
- Copenhagen
- Helsinki (though for only 8 hours)
- Islay, Scotland
- Naples
- Amalfi Coast
- Matera
- Lecce
- Gothenburg
- Stockholm
- Florence
- Luang Prabang, Laos
- Krabi
- Bangkok
- Beijing
I’m thankful for the memories and what each of these trips brought to my life in 2018. I hope that as you start your 2019, your travels inspire you as much as mine have inspired me over the past year, and that you also come home with many happy and fun memories!
