A note to the reader :
I publish this piece in the beginning of april, though the majority of the writing was done in my personal journal closer to January. As I finished the initial frameworks of this website, I felt the need to be vulnerable and share the more personal aspects of my life.
Inspirations for the yearly rebuild.
I draw many inspirations for this annual project.
I’m inspired by one of my longtime mentors, Whitney Johnson, who instilled in me the value of annual reflection and goalsetting. She, during our team meetings, had us pick our word of the year. Over many teary-eyed meetings with her, we set goals together, and reflected on my past.
I’m inspired by the University of Houston’s chapter of the American Marketing Association. An organization that rebrands itself with each new officer team. Their rebrands, sometimes hits, sometimes misses, provide a valuable lesson on design and self-improvement. Regardless of its success.
I’m inspired by the several rebranding efforts I’ve led. Rebrands that had me reflect on the core purpose and mission of the organization.
I’m inspired by my friends and colleagues who, despite the coronavirus pandemic, rose from the ashes of uncertainty and rebuilt themselves. This rebuild made us all tougher.
By rebuilding myself every year, I’m using this opportunity to reflect on the previous year, close that chapter, and open the door to the new year.
The Word of the Year.
In one of Whitney’s group meetings in December 2019, we were tasked with choosing the word of the year for 2020. A panic intensified within me as my turn drew closer. I could not think of a word. Then, when it came my time to speak, I blurted “present.”
That year, I’d felt absent. My mother was undergoing chemotherapy, my grandmother was ill. I felt disconnected from my father, and my academic performance wasn’t as good as I knew it could have been.
What happened next, we all know. Throughout 2020, I carried that word with me. Being present meant being there for my mother until her last breath. Being present meant taking my academics seriously, and putting in effort to continue my connections with friends. Being present meant being there when I was needed the most.
I did not have a word for 2021. Perhaps if I had one, in reflection, it would have been something like “respite” or “restore.”
That year, I was off-balance. I’d developed an eating disorder and spent the majority of my time feeling guilt for many of the wrongs in my life.
This year, my word is:
Intention.
What being intentional means :
Until now, I’ve lived sporadically. I joined organizations because they were free to join, not because they interested me. I did things that were not self-serving.
I just went with the flow.
Don’t get me wrong, going with the flow is great. Going with the flow is fantastic, until the currents get rough. Until you’re up to the edge of a waterfall and see that the flow only goes into a sharp, deadly descent.
Going with the flow is great until the flow no longer flows as smoothly as it had before.
The flow of water is life. We’re all on it. Some of us, on yachts, others hanging on to floating logs. Tenacity keeps us floating. We’re all technically going with the flow here. (think: covid) This year, however, I’m adding a sail to my raft. The sail gives me direction. The sail is intention.
