My Only Goal for 2016

My strategy for success in 2016 is simple, to not lose my mind. Overall, 2015 has been a year of accomplishments, but it has also been a year of closing chapters–especially this final quarter.

Last month, October 2015, my grandmother made her transition to the afterlife. In September, I went home to visit her because the universe told me that this time it was serious, so I went. Since her death it has been a long journey of “I’m not in denial, I’ve faced it.” Exactly how many days have I taken off work? Zero. How many of my colleagues know that my grandmother transitioned? Zero.

Some people will look at that and say “wow, she’s so strong.” Do you know the level of compartmentalizing it requires to pull such an act off successfully? Too much. So either I have powered up, or reached a new level of detachment and insanity–I guess 2016 will confirm which.

This year has also brought about the end of the longest nonfamilial relationship I’ve ever had. In fact, I’m not sure I have even fully processed what that means for my life to be able to explain it now. However, I do know that the two things tying me down emotionally to Chicago have both exited my life. So yeah, holding on to my sanity in a sea of forthcoming challenges and changes in the new year will undoubtedly be the goal moving forward.

How do I plan to do that you might ask, well, that is the challenge. I think one key way will be by ending this year reflecting on all of the positive things I’ve changed, and build on that moving forward. Isn’t that all any of us can do? Learn where the areas of improvement are and mend them? I think that’s the key; finding my fractured places and helping them mend, even if it is piece by piece.