Embracing Personal Growth in my 34th year: Only UP from here.

As we step into the month of February I inch ever closer to my 34th birthday. It’s a perfect time to reflect on my past and set new goals for personal growth, professional growth (coming in a later blog) and overall self-improvement. For many of us, the past 3 years have been challenging in many ways. I am looking at 2023 with so much optimism. This will be my best year yet!

In 2023, one of my personal growth goals is to spend more quality time with my close friends and family members. As you all know, I lost my father on January 5th of this year. He passed away suddenly from a heart attack in his sleep. It has been difficult to process for many obvious reasons, but many reasons you may not know. My father was my biggest fan. He taught me work ethic, empathy and the ability to connect with anyone. He was always my first call when something was going south… “Hey dad! I’m running around here like a one legged man in an ass kicking contest” and always my first call when I had something to celebrate “Hey Dad! We opened location number 12 today, it was a great turn out”. He was truly my best friend.

Losing someone suddenly puts life in a whole different perspective and has made me want to prioritize my loved ones more. I will be honest, until now I didn’t always make this a priority. In the past 7 years work has always come first. It’s time for a change. I know I can balance both in a way that gives proper attention to both. In our fast-paced lives, it’s easy to get caught up in our responsibilities, but it’s crucial to prioritize the people who matter the most to us. I plan to schedule more regular catch-ups, phone calls, and even trips with my loved ones to strengthen our bonds and create lasting memories. After all, you don’t know how long we have with each other.

Another one of my personal growth goals is to maintain my recent weight loss of 62 lbs. This was a significant accomplishment, and I am determined to continue this journey towards a healthy lifestyle. Through my two pregnancies over 3 years I gained a significant amount of weight. Since my husband and I decided that we will not be having any more children I knew it was “go time”. I lost 62 pound in 11 months and I am now happier than I have ever been with my body. I know that my life is beyond demanding and stressful but it is completely up to me to maintain these results moving forward. Being the best version of me will always help those around me.

I know I touched on being more present with friends and family but I also wanted to take it a step further. I want to be more present when at home with my children. I am so guilty of being physically present in the room but not actually engaging with them. With the ever-increasing demands of work, which will only grow larger with the launch of 2 new companies in 2023 (I’ll tell you about those soon!) It’s easy to become distracted and miss the precious moments with our little ones. With Melania being 3 and Orlando being 1 I know I will never get to experience these moments again so it’s time to soak them in. I plan to put down my phone, turn off my laptop, and be fully present and engaged with my children, creating meaningful experiences and memories that we can cherish forever.

Lastly, I also want to elevate my fashion sense and style. Fashion is not just about the clothes we wear, but it’s a form of self-expression and can boost our confidence and mood. This year, I plan to invest in some timeless pieces that complement my personal style and make me feel good about myself. I already have started with our latest trip to Toronto! I had so much a wonderful time bonding with my husband and shopping in Yorkville. It was a great start to the year. You will never regret looking and feeling your best.

With such a tragic end to my 33rd year of life I know I can only go up from here. Losing my father not only left a hole in my heart, but it gave me the opportunity to take a moment and think about what’s most important to me. My family, my health and my personal happiness should always come first. Although I lost my biggest supporter I know he will be watching all of my wins and growth this year. Next up on my blog list is my professional goals in year 34. Stay tuned!