Thank You, 2013… Ready for 2014!

How are you doing? I’ve been trying to avoid spending too much time online this week, and it’s been a surprisingly effective way to relax and reset.  Well, it may be obvious for other people, but novel for me!)I set out at the beginning of 2013 to focus — both by focusing on things that would help me reach my career goals and by focusing on being present to my family. Does that sound like a tough order? It sure was.

As 2013 draws to an end, I’m looking back at the year in pictures. Here are some of the high points…

 

March: I travelled to Washington D.C. with Moms Rising and We Belong Together to cover women’s efforts for immigration reform on Capitol Hill.

Then, I went with my family to Taiwan — including a week with just my kids and my dad.

April: I spoke on a panel about mixed-race identity and relationships at the North American Taiwanese Women’s Association (NATWA) conference.

June: Joined fellow bloggers on a panel about kids and social media at the V3 Digital Media Conference.

Image Credit: Danielle Tsi Photography

 July: Looked my body image demons in the eye and walked the runway at the BlogHer ’13 fashion show.

August: My last trip of the year was week in New York City for the Asian American Journalists Association conference and the Executive Leadership Program.

It has been a busy year, and I’ve tried to stay focused, which has proven just as tough as it sounds. When I set out in January 2013, I had the notion that I’d like a life in which there were no wasted efforts, that I would be able to magically know what to spend my time and energy on, and what to pass on. Let me tell you, even when one is consciously trying to make meaningful choices, it simply isn’t always easy to do. I’ve achieved a lot and also had some swings and misses. As the year draws to an end, I’m learning that that’s okay. Sometimes you need to throw some spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks.

Will I have a word for 2014? I’m not sure yet.  I’m constantly re-evaluating where I’m going, both with HapaMama and with life in general. I hope you are, as well.

Happy New Year! See you in 2014!