New Year, New Me: The Tale As Old As Time

By Elessandria Smith

“New Year. New Me.” If I had a dollar for every time I heard those words, my student loan debt would have been paid off a long time ago.

I’ve lost count of how many times I have gotten extremely motivated, grabbed a piece of paper and pen to jot down my New Year’s Resolutions, only to have an epic list of awesome just sit– unfulfilled – and eventually forgotten.

But in 2018, something unexpected happened. I moved to Phoenix. That doesn’t sound like it is all that cataclysmic, but for me, it was. I literally knew nothing about Phoenix. I always knew Phoenix as the city, castaway in the desert, where I had spent a couple weekends back in High School competing at basketball tournaments. I only got to experience Phoenix from inside the hotel and from on the court. But, January 28th, 2018 marked a change. My job relocated me to out to the desert, to a city I knew little about. In this desert city, I found myself anonymous. I knew no one, and nobody knew me.

It was too good of an opportunity to pass up. I pressed the reset button. I decided that this year was going to be “The Year of Me.” A year to learn what makes me me, because, for the first time in my life, I’d be completely on my own. No roommates to make spontaneous plans with, no brother to influence my music tastes, and no sisters to be the voice of reason. As the youngest of 7 siblings, who’s never had anything that was 100% hers, I had the rare chance to become completely and utterly independent.

I had one goal: to get to know myself by removing the lense of others. I decided to make me a priority. I started focusing on my health and wellness. I started eating right and caring about what I was putting inside the one body I’m given in this life. For the first time in over 8 years, I’m at a healthy weight. I’ve lost 20 lbs since the beginning of the year and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Now, 8 months into “The Year of Me,” I am still actively and consciously learning my likes and dislikes. I moved into my first apartment… solo. I’ve hiked the Grand Canyon... on purpose. I’ve gone to multiple yoga classes... voluntarily. I was even vegan for 3 months and just finished Whole30. Pretty impressive, I know ;)

If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that the only thing that was keeping me from living my best life was me. Not my circumstance. Not my environment. Not other people. Just me. Once I took my own fears out of the equation, I ended up having the best 8 months getting to know the most badass person I know. I’m proud to say that badass is me.

(One of my favorite scriptures that empowered me along this journey. - Luke 10:19)