As the year winds down, I find myself reflecting on the experiences that I have had in 2023. It has been a year of highs and lows. Each moment has its own moment that makes the year 2023. 

I started the year by going on a heartwarming journey back to the motherland. I celebrated Chinese New Year with families I hadn’t seen in years. The trip was filled with laughter and adventures. This was definitely one of the most memorable moments of this year. Each reunion reminded us of the love and the bond we share for one another.

This year was definitely the year of nature and numerous adventures. My family and I got to go hiking through serene trails and experience all of nature’s beauty. I got to continue on traditions with friends, hanging out, sharing special moments of weddings, welcoming my best friend’s newborn baby, celebrating my first anniversary, and going to various live concerts to see and hear my favorite artists. I am so grateful and blessed to have all these special moments with family and friends. 

With so many great memories, there are also down/low moments. Moments where I felt lost in myself, lost in what I was doing, fear of the now and the future. I question sometimes if what I’m doing is enough for God’s standards and others. I still find myself seeking others’ approval and what others think. This struggle has always been there and I’m sure it will still linger since we are human. But I hope it can get better as I read into the Word, trusting it and having the faith and knowledge in knowing the truth of who God says I am. I believe if I can change from within and truly be at my best, it will show outwards and may be a blessing to others. 

Looking at and reviewing my 2023 goals, not all my resolutions were met with success. My aspirations for self-growth and personal improvement, which I intentionally set at the beginning of the year, remained partially unfulfilled. It is always hard for me to tell myself that it’s okay and not to be so hard on myself. But I’m hoping in 2024, I will learn to let go and be easier on myself. To push myself to do things that I’ve always wanted to do or am afraid to do. To always have a humbling reminder that growth is a continuous journey, not just only written words on paper as yearly goals.

Looking ahead, I embrace the unknown with faith and hope, ready for the new experiences, challenges, and joys that 2024 will bring. For in each moment, I am reminded that life, in all its complexity, is a precious gift to be cherished and lived fully.

“In these unmet goals, I see not failure, but the unfurling path of learning and self-discovery. Each step, whether forward or seemingly backward, is part of a larger plan, one that I trust is guided by a higher purpose.” -Unknown- 

“9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

Colossians 3:9-10