Best Of – Page 12

Categories: Best Of

Best of 2016 | Blog Posts

This was quite the year of blogging for me. I wrote 106 posts, consistently increased my monthly pageviews, and toyed with the idea of monetization by writing sponsored posts and using affiliate links. (In the end, I decided the monetization route just isn’t for me. Even affiliate links make me feel icky.)

I’m really proud of the writing I did this year. My goal was to write a lot more personal essays and to really put a lot of effort into the posts I was publishing, and I think I did that. I wrote posts that I was scared to publish, either because the topic felt a little controversial or the post made me feel super vulnerable, and that’s always a sign that I’m writing from my heart.

The top reason why people find my blog is still people searching for information about being an introvert with social anxiety, and I’m happy to be a voice for those who want answers. (I’m planning on writing a lot more about this topic in 2017, so get ready!) And a blog post of mine was picked up by a very popular website, and I can’t wait to share that with everyone soon! (I’m still in a state of shock, so bear with me.)

As I have done for the past three years, I wanted to share some of my most favorite blog posts from the year. It was really hard to narrow this list down to just eight posts because I felt like I wrote some really strong personal essays this year (#humblebrag), but here’s the list!

1) My favorite post was Healthy Living Shifts and Changes

“I just want more from my life. Food is meant for fuel, but it is also meant to be enjoyed. That is, essentially, what it is biologically designed to do. When I’m counting calories or measuring out specific servings, food becomes less about enjoyment and more about punishment. It turns eating into a moral dilemma, and makes me feel as if I’m being a good, disciplined person when I eat healthy foods and a bad, unmotivated person when I opt for the more fattening or carb-heavy foods.”

2) My most popular post was Chronic Singleness, Shame, and Accepting What Is

“Perhaps my reason for being chronically single is that this was just the path I was meant to take. Maybe it’s as simple as that. It doesn’t mean anything about me personally. Maybe I was only meant to have one or two serious, long-term relationships in my life and it just hasn’t happened for me yet, but it will in the future.”

3) My most helpful post was Lessons Learned From Writing 1,000 Blog Posts

“Rules don’t exist. Your blog can have a niche, but it doesn’t have to. You can write five days a week, or you can write whenever you feel like it. You can make perfect Pinterest pinnable images for every post, but it’s not necessary. Follow the rules that feel good and authentic to the type of blogger you are and forget the rest.”

4) A post whose success surprised me was A Week Without Dairy (<– received the second-most page views of posts written this year! WUT.)

“Last week, I eliminated dairy from my life and it led to some really interesting epiphanies on my end. First of all, I never realized how much dairy I consume on a daily basis.”

5) A post I didn’t feel got the attention it deserved was 5 Lessons Learned from Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

“It’s very hard for me to separate who I am from my writing, because I often feel that I am my writing. But that’s not true – I am so much more than my writing. My novel is not my baby. I do not need to place my work on this pedestal, believing it is the best thing that could possibly be written. Because what happens if someone suggests a change? Or it gets rejected? Without understanding that this novel is just a novel – it is my novel, yes, but really, it’s just a novel – I won’t be able to handle that.”

6) My most beautiful post was For the Love of Writing

“What makes me more of a success: not writing because I’m scared I’ll never get a publishing deal thus rendering all my hard work meaningless? Or writing and working hard and chasing after that dream and living life full-out, knowing that it is all too possible that I’ll never get the publishing deal I want?”

7) The post I was most scared to push publish on was Motivation is a Myth

“And isn’t it interesting how we’re always waiting for motivation to just… show up… to give us permission to do the thing we want to do? If we’re not feeling motivated to do that thing, oh well then! Guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

8) The post I am most proud of was Sad, But Not Defeated

“But let me be clear: I am not upset because a Republican won. I am upset because hate won. I am upset that someone who ran on a platform of bigotry and hate, someone who thinks sexual assault is a joke, won. I am upset that he won.”

Categories: Best Of

Best of 2016 | A Month-by-Month Review

It’s amazing how quickly a year passes, isn’t it? I feel like it wasn’t too long ago that I was ringing in 2016 and hopeful for what this year had in store. And soon, we will ring in 2017 and my hopefulness remains. I can’t wait to see where this next year takes me – new travel locales, career growth, better health, exciting romance? Who knows. I’m just going to buckle in and enjoy each and every loop the year takes me through. That’s all we can do, right?

Last year, I looked back on my year with a month-by-month review and I had such a fun time doing it, I knew I had to bring this back again for my “Best of 2016” series. Here’s what 2016 looked like in my world:

In January, I was social

I rang in the new year with friends, champagne, and sparklers in downtown Tampa, and then spent most of the month busy with outings and events. At the end of the month, I developed an awful head cold that laid me out for two days straight (wherein I watched fifteen episodes of Gilmore Girls back-to-back), which was my body’s way of telling me to slow the hell down.

In February, I was anxious

It was a tough month, and I was sad for the majority of it. I was living inside my anxiety for most of the month, unsure of what caused the episode or how to drag myself out of it. I was also continuing to deal with my chronic congestion, which I had been struggling with since October, and ended up going dairy-free for a week to see if that was the culprit. (Verdict: no.)

In March, I was delighted

I took a weekend cruise to Mexico with my best friend, mom, and stepdad where I had the most amazing snorkeling experience ever. I went on some great dates (nothing that panned out, but it gave me feelings of hope and happiness!) And I celebrated International Women’s Day with sangria and tapas with my girlfriends.

In April, I was busy

April was the month of all of the plans. I had a writing sleepover with a friend, painted a house for a family in need with my coworkers, spent a long day in Orlando with friends, instituted weekly date nights with my roommate, and saw a ton of movies. At the end of April, I was grumpy and overstimulated and needed some serious downtime.

In May, I was frugal

I took on a no-buy month in May, only spending money on necessary expenses. I was successful and ended the month feeling really proud of myself for finishing the challenge. I also walked a 5k in Lakeland with my mom, enjoyed a brunch potluck with friends, rode in a surrey downtown, and celebrated a friend’s birthday.

In June, I was introspective

June was the month for writing, and I wrote a lot of deep, introspective essays that I’m really proud of. I wrote about chronic singleness, motivation when it comes to our goals, and the benefits of alone time. I also had lots of heartfelt conversations with friends, opening up about my social anxiety and shyness. In June, the Pulse shooting in Orlando happened and that rocked me to my core because it happened so close to me. I participated in a painting night at my local Painting With a Twist that benefited the victims of this horrific massacre.

In July, I was stressed

My roommate had decided to move in with her boyfriend, so I made the decision to move back to St. Pete and to an apartment of my own. I never really enjoyed living in Tampa and just wanted to be back on the “right” side of the bridge. I had a little less than two months to find an apartment, but I knew exactly where I wanted to live and it was a stressful time waiting for an apartment to come available and snag it in time (the apartments in this complex are usually gone within a few hours of being posted!). I also started hustling after freelance work to help pay for the move, which was also pretty stressful. All in all, July was a tough month.

In August, I was productive

August was a busy month for me! I spent it decluttering my apartment and preparing for my move. I also did a lot of shopping because there was so much I needed for my new apartment. In addition, my freelance business picked up so any extra time was spent working on writing projects. I was invited to join my work’s fantasy football league, which I happily joined, and had a Mary-Kate & Ashley Movie Night with some girlfriends.

In September, I was happy

I moved into my own apartment in September, a move that was seamless and easy in ways I could have never predicted. I had a lot of help from my family, which was much appreciated, and settled into this new life quickly and happily. I took a break from blogging and being on social media, celebrated a ton of birthdays, and signed a regular freelance client.

In October, I was absorbed

I started a huge writing project that entailed spending most of my weeknights and weekends working, leaving me in a state of frenzy and stress. My mom had a few minor medical procedures that required anesthesia and me taking care of her. Thankfully, all of her procedures were just normal exams to make sure she was healthy and we received no bad news from them – whew. It was a stressful time, but I was really glad I could be there for my mom afterward since her husband was on the road at the time.

In November, I traveled

I took two trips in November: a girlfriends’ weekend away in The Villages, a retirement community in central Florida, and a five-day Caribbean cruise with my mom. Both trips were so very needed and so very fun. I turned 29 while on my cruise, celebrating on the beautiful island of Grand Cayman. I also enjoyed Thanksgiving with my extended family, feeling filled up with warmth and love.

In December, I was content

December was a busy month, as it always seems to be. There were tons of Christmas parties to attend and shopping to do. But even in the midst of the crazy, I was content. I felt happy with my life and the way 2016 was ending for me. I had a low-key Christmas with my family and plan to ring in the new year at home. Other good things about December: winning my fantasy football league (what?! Li’l ole me?) and my beloved Dolphins clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2008. Wahoo!

What were some of the emotions you experienced in 2016?

Categories: Best Of

Best of 2016 | End-of-Year Survey

Hooray! It is time to look back on the year with my “Best of 2016” posts. This is the third year of doing these posts and it’s just so fun for me to put them together. I’m kicking off the series with an end-of-year survey that I completed last year. I love filling this out and thinking back on the high points and low points of the year. I have to say: 2016 was a pretty good year for me. There is very little to complain about, which is the first time in a very long time that I can say that. I hope this is just an upward trend and the years get better and better from here on out.

1) What did you do in 2016 that you’ve never done before?

I lived on my own. I love my little apartment and love that it’s a space that is totally and completely my own. I can be as messy or as neurotically clean as I want to be; there’s nobody to answer to. It’s really fun!

2) Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

No, not really. I gave up on them about halfway through the year. And yes, I plan on making a few resolutions for 2016. Can’t stop, won’t stop, with new year’s resolutions!

3) Did anyone close to you give birth?

One of my good friends did – her baby boy arrived the day after my birthday, so we’re basically twinsies.

4) Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully.

5) What places did you visit?

I went to Cozumel, The Villages, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. I didn’t do a ton of travel this year, but it was enough for me.

6) What would you like to have in 2017 that you didn’t have in 2016?

I’d like to have romantic love. 2016 has a lot of painful memories regarding dating and romance, and I’d like 2017 to be vastly different.

7) What dates from 2016 will be etched in your memory forever?

September 2 – the day I got the keys to my very own apartment

8) What was your biggest achievement this year?

Moving into my own apartment and handling the transition from living with a roommate to living alone with grace. I’m so, so happy to be living alone!

9) What was your biggest failure?

I don’t feel like I made enough impact with my finances. I wanted to have a $1,000 emergency fund saved up and I wasn’t able to do that. Also, didn’t lose the weight again. Womp.

10) Did you suffer from illness or injury?

I got sick a few times over the course of the year, as well as dealt with chronic congestion for the first quarter of the year. No injuries, though!

11) What was the best thing you bought?

Probably my coffeemaker! It is just one of those standard, 12-cup coffeemakers and was, like, $17. It has brought me so much joy, though!

12) Where did most of your money go?

It went to moving costs and new things I needed for my apartment. This was the exact same answer I gave last year, so my hope for 2017 is that I can change this answer to something more exciting, like travel.

13) What did you get really, really excited about?

Dating. I had some really hopeful dating experiences this year that gave me lots of butterflies and happiness.

14) What song will always remind you of 2016?

Meh, I don’t know. I’m not a huge music person.

15) Compared to this time last year, are you a) happier or sadder, b) thinner or fatter, c) richer or poorer?

I am happier, not thinner nor fatter, and richer.

16) What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I had traveled more or had at least visited one new U.S. state. My travel inside the U.S. is abysmal and I want to change that.

17) What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worrying – about finances, about dating, about my future.

18) How did you spend Christmas?

I had a very low-key Christmas! I spent the night at my mom’s house (my stepdad is currently on the road). We slept in, opened presents around 10:30, and went for a long walk. Around 2, my brother and his family arrived. There was more opening of presents, playing of toys, and a light dinner of sandwiches. I left around 6, took a bubble bath, and then watched the Sunday Night Football game!

19) What was your favorite TV program?

My TV watching tapered off once I moved into my apartment since I don’t have cable. Thankfully, my mom does and she saves some of the shows that she knows I like so I can watch them with her later. I think my favorite new TV program is This Is Us, my favorite sitcom remains Life In Pieces, and I’m still as into Big Brother as I always have been.

20) What was the best book you read?

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. I had the best time reading that novel.

21) What did you want and get?

My apartment! I am so happy that I was able to snag the exact apartment I wanted in the complex I wanted to live in. I have zero regrets, only pure joy.

22) What did you want and not get?

A tattoo. I just never went ahead and did it! I know I want one, and I know where and what I want. I need to stop being a baby about it and effing do it!

23) What was your favorite film of 2016?

Zootopia. I didn’t see a ton of movies in 2016 – maybe five in total? – so there’s not a lot to select from. But I saw Zootopia with a friend and adored it. It had such a great message!

24) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 29 on my birthday and I celebrated in Grand Cayman! My mom and I took a cruise for my birthday and we had a stop on this island on that day. We did a low-key excursion where we laid out by a pool at a resort and had a delicious meal. Later on, the fab wait staff sang “Happy Birthday” to me in the dining room. It was a great day!

25) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I wish I had found true love. I dated more in 2016 than I have in previous years, but nothing that lasted for more than a few dates. There was potential with some of the guys I dated, but in the end, I’m ringing in the new year alone. I hope 2017 is my year for love.

26) Who kept you sane?

My friends. I don’t know what I would do without them. They are the ones I go to when I’m downward spiraling about some silly thing and need to be reminded that all is okay.

27) Who did you miss?

I missed my grandma. I have a few photos of her on my fridge and they are equally comforting and upsetting. There are times when I stare at her pictures and waves of sadness and anguish come over me, knowing she’s no longer on this earth anymore. It’s just not fair.

One of my favorite coworkers left our company early in the year and I missed him, too. He was such a fun person to work with and I miss our conversations.

28) Who was the best new person you met?

The only new people I met this year were through work! We had a lot of new people join our company and I’ve become good friends with a handful of them. I love the people I work with so, so much.

29) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016.

I deserve to be a priority. I remember complaining about this to some girlfriends in regard to the men I was dating. I just felt like I was never a priority for them. I was an afterthought. I wasn’t important. Maybe that makes me sound needy and demanding and I don’t think I am; I just want to be with someone who takes the time for me. I deserve to be someone’s priority.

30) Show us one of your favorite photos from the year.

I was so, so proud to vote for Hillary Clinton for president. I was so, so sure that the rest of America would follow suit. That hate would not win. That people would put aside their political affiliations and realize we could not let a racist, sexist, xenophobic bigot into the White House. How wrong I was.

Even still, it does not take away the feeling I had as I carefully filled in my bubble and voted a woman – an incredible woman – for president. What an honor.

What’s a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016?

Categories: Best Of

Best of 2015 | Reviewing My Goals

Happy New Year’s Eve! I am most likely third-wheeling to a party a coworker is throwing with my roommate and her boyfriend, but I think I will have fun. As much as I’d like to stay home, I’m trying to remind myself of all the lonely NYEs I’ve had where I’ve been alone and sad. A little perspective never hurt anyone.

To conclude my “Best of 2015” posts for this year, I wanted to review the goals I set at the beginning of the year. It’s blowing my mind that I set these goals a year ago and now I’m here, thinking about what I want to accomplish in 2016.

Let’s take a look back at the goals I set, shall we?

1. Complete the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge (and read 52 books).

This year, I ended up reading 90 books! That’s one of my highest totals ever. (I read a ton of books in December, ha!) So I definitely blew my goal of reading 52 books out of the water completely.

My other reading goal this year was to complete the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, and I completed all but two categories. I have no desire to read books in those categories anyway, so I am counting this goal as complete. Yay!

2. Get a tattoo.

Nope, I did not complete this goal. I want to get a tattoo, but I’m also encountering some inner resistance that has me hesitating. And until I can figure out what is causing the resistance (do I really want a tattoo, or do I just think I want one?), I don’t want to put such permanent ink on my body. One day, though!

3. Move into my own apartment.

Yes! I am typing up this post from my apartment in Tampa, which I share with one of my best friends. This was my biggest goal for 2015 and I am so happy I made it happen.

4. Put 20% of my income towards savings/debt each month.

Uh, no. I forgot I even had this goal. This year was a strain on me financially between moving and some traveling and car repairs. And I just chose other priorities rather than focusing on this goal (let’s face it: I did not need half the stuff I bought for my new apartment).

5. Travel to a new state.

Nope – the only traveling within the U.S. I did was to St. Augustine and Savannah.

6. Race a 5k.

Yes! At the end of March, I completed a 5k in Savannah. It was a beautiful race as we ran through the historic squares and Forsyth Park, but it just affirmed how very much I hate running. No more races!

7. Master the 80/20 rule for healthy eating.

Not even close. Eating healthy on a consistent basis continues to be an area of immense struggle for me.

Okay, well, in terms of my 2015 goals, this year wasn’t too successful. But even though I love to set yearly intentions and strive to achieve them throughout the year, I don’t beat myself up too much about not marking everything as complete. That’s not exactly the point. The point is to have a guide for what I want to accomplish.

I am making goals for 2016, as I am hoping this is a year of immense change – with my health, my finances, my relationships, my writing. I will be finalizing them over the weekend and sharing them on the blog next week. I love setting yearly intentions, to visualize how I want my life to look like a year from now and setting goals to make that dream life happen.

How do you feel about yearly goals – yay or nay?

Categories: Best Of

Best of 2015 | My Top 10 Books

It’s one of my favorite things to review every month and it’s most especially my favorite thing to review at the end of the year: what I read. I am an obsessive reader who would honestly always choose a night in with a good book over a night out. (Like, right now, my roommate wants me to come out with her to a NYE party and I honestly just want to stay inside and read a really fun romance novel. The heart wants what it wants?)

Reading is my favorite pastime and I make a ton of time for it. When I’m sad, it’s my comfort. When I’m happy, it’s my treat. When I’m anxious, it’s my calm. When I’m angry, it’s my escape. Reading is my safe place. It’s where I learn and grow, where I find my center.

2015 was an exceptionally good year for reading, and I’ll most likely end the year with 91 books read. What can I say? I like big books and I cannot lie. (Yes. I went there.) Today, continuing my “Best of 2015” series, I want to detail my top ten books of the year. Enjoy!

10) Room by Emma Donoghue

Publication date: 2010
Number of pages: 321
My rating: 4 stars
Reason for reading: 2015 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge

Why I loved it: The book was much, much different than I expected. It was haunting and sad, but there was something sweet and simple about reading the story through the eyes of five-year-old Jack. It unfolded in a way I wasn’t expecting, and I found myself easily falling into the story, unable to put it down until I finished. I read this to fulfill the “award winner from the last decade” category for the Book Riot Read Harder Challenge, and I’m so glad this reading challenge pushed me to finally pick it up.

9) The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

Publication date: 2012
Number of pages: 320
My rating: 4 stars
Reason for reading: On my TBR list

Why I loved it: I think I enjoyed this book as much as I did because I listened to it on audiobook and the reader was just wonderful. She had a calming voice that really brought this sweet novel to life for me. I loved the setting, the characters, and the slowness of the plot. The novel followed the lives of this little family that lives in a picturesque college town as their three daughters reunite for the first time in years. The novel is not a page-turner, but it made just feel so happy that I had to include it on my list.

8) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Publication date: 2008
Number of pages: 274
My rating: 4 stars
Reason for reading: Recommended by a friend

Why I loved it: A coworker that I chat with about books recommended this novel to me since it is her favorite novel. I had never even heard of the title before (where have I been?!), but I trusted her rec and finally downloaded the novel onto my Kindle in December. The story was a little slow to start off with, especially because it’s written in epistolary format and that usually takes me a while to adjust to, but once I delved deeper into the novel, I was enraptured. The characters were funny and fun and authentic, and the novel just felt fresh and new and different. I always love reading stories about WWII and this one chose a really unique backdrop, which I appreciated.

7) The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

Publication date: 2014
Number of pages: 272
My rating: 5 stars
Reason for reading: For book club

Why I loved it: There is something so sweet about reading a book about books, and this one was no different. Our entire book club loved the novel (this rarely happens), and it’s one I ended up recommending to the bookworms in my life all throughout the year. I was thoroughly charmed by this novel, from beginning to end.

6) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Publication date: 2013
Number of pages: 477
My rating: 4 stars
Reason for reading: 2015 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge

Why I loved it: This book was heavy and dense at times, but I felt like I learned so much from it. One of my biggest takeaways was learning the difference between African-Americans and African immigrants to America – there really is such a cultural gap between the two, something I had never taken the time to think about before. I love it when a book makes me think! It’s a long book; it’s not a quick read by any means (it took me two weeks to finish). But I found it to be such an important read, and I feel better for having done so.

5) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Publication date: 2014
Number of pages: 460
My rating: 5 stars
Reason for reading: Recommended by a friend

Why I loved it: This book was just plain fun, but it was also a book that carried incredible meaning and power. It is not your average chick-lit novel by any means. But it also is chick-lit so there’s a lighthearted attitude to the book, even as it dealt with heavy topics that were very close to my heart. It’s a long book, but I found myself happy to take my time with it because I never wanted my time with the characters to end.

4) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

Publication date: 2014
Number of pages: 292
My rating: 5 stars
Reason for reading: On my TBR list

Why I loved it: There was something so poignant about this novel. It was sad and heavy and hard to read at times, but I also couldn’t put it down for anything. It’s really a study into how race and culture affect family and parenthood. It’s about how the weight of others’ expectations can either drag us down or lift us up. The beginning of the novel reveals that the revered daughter of a well-to-do family is dead, but we don’t know how and we don’t know why. Throughout the novel, bits and pieces of this girl’s life, and the lives of her parents and siblings, are revealed.

3) In the Blood by Lisa Unger

Publication date: 2014
Number of pages: 416
My rating: 5 stars
Reason for reading: For book club

Why I loved it: Ooh, this book was so damn good! It’s hard to talk about the novel without revealing specific clues about the novel, so suffice it to say that this book had so many twists and turns that I was kept guessing right up until the end. It’s a psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat, with a narrator I didn’t quite like but didn’t quite hate and a plot that didn’t stop moving. This is a must-read for those who love a good thriller novel!

2) Pointe by Brandy Colbert

Publication date: 2014
Number of pages: 352
My rating: 5 stars
Reason for reading: On my TBR list

Why I loved it: This book was beautifully written and the actual plot was completely different from what I was expecting. For one thing, this is not a book about ballet, even though the title and cover may fool you. It’s a book that has a much deeper and darker meaning, and that is what makes it one of the best books I’ve read this year. There is such an important message to the book, and Colbert really gets this message across in a powerful way.

1) The Martian by Andy Weir

Publication date: 2011
Number of pages: 369
My rating: 5 stars
Reason for reading: 2015 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge

Why I loved it: Ugh, this book. It’s right up there with Me Before You and A Thousand Splendid Suns as one of my all-time favorite reads. And it’s science fiction! I don’t read science fiction! But damn if this book didn’t grip me from the beginning with a main character that was so well-written that I cannot believe he is not a real person. The voice of this novel is so unique that I had a book hangover for a month after I finished the novel. I just wanted all of my novels to have this same voice, but it’s very hard to do so. I’m already planning on rereading this novel.

What was the best book you read in 2015?