Do Something About It

About 3 years ago, I started choosing a yearly motto at the beginning of the new year that would be the ‘quote-un-quote’ theme of my upcoming year. I put the quote as my phone background for the entire year as an everyday reminder. This year’s saying was “do something about it”.

It took me longer than usual to pick this year’s motto and I’m not quite sure why. It could have been because it wasn’t as easy to predict what this year would have in store. For example, in 2016, the motto was (and please excuse my french) “get sh*t done” because I knew that 2016 consisted of me graduating high school, traveling, working, and starting college so there was a lot on my plate that needed to be completed. But for 2018, I struggled a bit, in the beginning, to pick something to focus on for the upcoming year. Finally, the words came to me. 

I had reflected on the year prior and how frustrated and angry I was at times. I had spent many hours in 2017 feeling defeated and completely hopeless because of the things life was throwing my way. And then I started to feel like a hypocrite when others would complain about their life and frustrations and all I could think to say to them was “stop complaining about what you can’t change and just do something about it”. So the words fell right out of me and that was it. 

I’ve spoken of the trials and tribulations I went through this year with my faith and I can truthfully say, I did something about it. I wanted to travel abroad so badly after watching many of my friends experience it in 2017 so I applied and did it. I set goals for 2018 to work in my first internships in my career field and I did that. I wanted to commit more time to all my relationships, including the one with myself, and because the summer of 2018 granted me so much time to be alone, I decided to do something about it. This past year, instead of always saying, “Someday I want to do this,” I finally just did it. 

Like always, I never blog to say I’m completely perfect and have all the answers to solve problems. But I do think this is a useful trick to help in times of despair. Have your moment, be sad—because everyone is at times and those feelings are completely valid—but then instead of sulking in the sorrow and complaining, refocus your energy to discovering what you can do about the situation, no matter how small of an action, to make it better and more productive towards you. With that mindset, there’s nothing you can’t ever do.

So to conclude this post (and this year), here are some moments of 2018 that I was doing something.  

January: Wanted to grow the love and legacy for my chapter, so I helped welcome home 40 women to Delta Zeta.

February: Missed my friends so I booked a flight home to see them in the school musical.

March: Desperately wanted this girl to become my little; asked her on a second date and made it happen!!

April: Watched and adored YouTube for years, so I took a trip to tour the YouTube campus right by LMU.

May: Immersed myself and enriched my faith in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Blog post all about it here.)

June: My siblings were gone for the summer so I spent a lot of time relaxing, reading, and building puzzles by myself.

July: Lizzie booked the wrong flight home from St. Louis; drove 4 hours to spend 24 hours with her in the city.

August: Curious about all my college friends’ hometowns, so I visited Meghan on Long Island, NY.

September: Had Copenhagen on my top places to visit; booked a last minute flight for the weekend.

October: In an attempt to reach 21 countries before turning 21, I traveled to Austria and Hungary to add to the list.

November: Frustrated with the U.S. administration, so I VOTE VOTE VOTED even while abroad!

December: Wanted to be more experienced on the slopes, so I signed up for snowboard lessons.

 

So excited for what 2019 will have in store!! All I need to do now is come up with a yearly motto:)