2014: Follow That Dream

2014 was full of big dreams and realities that were even bigger than my dreams. At the beginning of the year, I made it my personal quest to chase my biggest dreams. I had some specifics in mind, as well as some surprise dreams along the way. The year was like an explosion of firework dreams in every color. I loved every second.

Dream: make a difference. 

I was blessed with a couple different jobs (church tech support, preschool teacher) before I landed a dream position as a case manager at Salt Lake's biggest homeless shelter. It only felt like a nightmare when I had to clean up bottles of urine (TMI?) and when I was cussed out. I learned more about life, love, and human connection than ever before. 

Dream: kiss the universe.

I made it a goal to camp every single weekend of my last summer in Utah. While I fell just short of reaching that goal, I spent some of the most memorable days of my life in the wilderness with good humans and zillions of rocks and stars. Adventures took me everywhere from Zion to Naturalist Basin (and loads of places in between). I will never stop praising God for creating such a beautiful earth. 

Dream: do something that terrifies me.

Who ever wakes up one day and decides they want to move to Cleveland, Ohio? Especially when that move means taking on lots of school debt, living thousands of miles from family/friends, and doing homework again. It made absolutely no sense in many ways (fear being the top reason), but my heart kept telling me that it was the right thing to do. So I bought a car and loaded it up with my life, took a delightful road trip across the country with my dad, and started life as a grad student of social work at Case Western Reserve University. This adventure has been full of so many unexpected thrills and humans who have changed my life. 

There were lots of tiny dreams sprinkled throughout (think: micro-nap dreams). Like eating Jeni's ice cream. Or watching people I love get married to their true loves. Or finding the world's best treasures at a thrift store. Etc.

On to 2015: the year of mental toughness & meaningful human connection.