A Year In Review

2021 Round Up

This has been quite the year. So much so, that it’s hard to even think back to January 2021 and remember what I was doing or how I was feeling. It feels so long ago that we were saying goodbye to 2020, and ringing in a new year, and a fresh start.

It was a year filled with so much love, joy, fun, accomplishment, and pride. I graduated from Fordham with my master’s degree, I accepted an exciting new job opportunity, I found my wedding dress, and I ran a marathon.  2021 brought me some amazing memories. I enjoyed all these wonderful moments and learned to be grateful for the simple pleasures and less eventful breaths between them.

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It was also a year with grief, anxiety, and sacrifice. I lost my beloved family dog, said goodbye to a job and colleagues I loved, pushed myself through a few challenging months of training, and stumbled through the stressful period of learning a new role. I learned some difficult lessons along the way, including the importance of slowing down and prioritizing my own needs. I learned to not take health for granted when you have it, and how precious life can be.

Life is not just pure bliss, it’s messy and complicated. I like to think that this is the recipe that creates gratitude. I usually refrain from sharing these thoughts here - after all this blog is called Sunny In The City and I started it with the goal of spreading some positivity. When I started suffering from migraines last month and needed to limit my time on the computer it caused me to stop writing for the blog. And I’ve missed that a lot, but I put my health and work first. As much as I would love to do this 100% of the time, I always have other commitments that pull me away from this hobby I find so much joy in.

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I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. Like 2020, 2021 certainly had its ups and downs. Over the course of this year life has changed a lot, and I have grown and changed as a person. I guess that’s what is so sweet about reflecting on a new year – you can be honest with yourself and move forward into a fresh start. With New Years on the horizon I keep thinking about this prayer and I feel it’s the perfect reminder going into 2022.

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”

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Sights on 2022

I am so excited for what 2022 has in store. With our wedding and honeymoon less than six months away I know it will be a busy time, but a year filled with so much joy and excitement as well! Despite the current Covid 19 surge I am staying hopeful and optimistic that the warm weather in the Spring will provide some good fortune for our wedding celebrations.

I’m also thrilled because I finally have travel to look forward to again this year! After a long six months without it I can’t wait to get back on a plane and go somewhere new. Starting with Cabo San Lucas in February for one of my closest friends bachelorette parties, Austin for my own bachelorette, and spending two weeks in French Polynesia including Bora Bora and Tahiti for our honeymoon. We also have ten weddings across the US in 2022 so I’m looking forward to lots of fun weekend trips and celebrating love!

Though I may not have gotten to travel as much as I wanted to in 2021 I was able to squeeze in a few amazing trips - Napa Valley, Scottsdale, Delray, Cape Cod, Nantucket, and some other fun beach weekends along the East Coast.

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Thanks for reading my last post of 2021. I’m so grateful to each person who has followed along the blog since I launched it, and it’s my goal next year to keep sharing all the highlights here more regularly - the trips, the adventures and life’s big celebrations. Sometimes I don’t know how to do that here when there are other big things going on in life, but I’m working to find that balance.

I’m an extrovert, long winded, and a chronic over-sharer in casual conversation. So it may be surprising that I can also be very private about what I choose to share and with who. But I love getting to share some of my favorite parts of life here though.

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Before I wrap this up, I just had to say that I sometimes feel compelled to write when I’m happy, when I’m in a good mood. And today was just so good. I left my family last night to come back to the city after a few wonderful days together at home, and I was sad. But I got to fall asleep in my own bed and Ry woke me with Starbucks. I had a productive day of work and cleaning the apartment, and then spent some time this evening walking around the city with my cousins enjoying the final days of Christmas spirit in New York. Ryan and I cooked dinner together, watched TV, and after feeling so cozy I fell asleep on the couch next to him. I’ve been sitting on the couch appreciating my adorable Christmas tree, the warm lights around our apartment and the flame of our pine scented candle. The peace and happiness I feel today made me want to pull out my laptop and write. I’m hoping for many days like this ahead.

Cheers to 2022. Wishing you all a Happy New Year!

Xx Gab