Starting the new year

I am a wee bit late on this one, but happy new year! January is almost coming to a close! That is insane, at least to me. I started the new year in Hawaii with my swim team. I love vacationing, especially to the beach, so I didn't have much to complain about! We went there for a training trip and was hoping to end the week with a meet but, covid cancelled that. Gave us more time to play around though! We spent most of the time just moving. We'd wake up, practice, beach or adventure, practice again, beach again, dinner, and sleep. For 6 straight days. I was wrecked by the time we got back to real life to say the least.

My favorite things was getting to body surf and waves at the beach and the opportunity I got to go to pearl harbor for the first time. Now that was cool. It is so eye opening to go to places like that and realize what was done for you to have the freedoms you have today. It made me more grateful for every peaceful day I have and the ability I have to chase after my dreams and become who I want. The food was hands down the best food ever. I loved all of it. We got acai bowls a few times, chicken and rice, luau food, and the best fruit in the world. I've been craving the cuisine since the day I left. The practices were actually pretty fun. We worked hard, but being in a new environment made it exciting. The pool was by far the coldest pool I have ever swam in before, like you never got used to it. That sucked but everything else was great.

This trip made me realize I need to work on finding myself. I was having fun with my teammates but I had such a hard time finding my place and acting like me. It kind of felt like I was just trying to fit in. That feeling is not the best, as I assume you all can relate to. I decided to make two words my focus this year from this experience. Those are "confidence and faith". I want to have confidence in who I am. If people like someone I am not, then what have I accomplished. Nothing. People will accept you for who God made you to be. If I keep trying to be like everyone else, I wouldn't be using the talents and personality he gave me. I am supposed to be unique. That is something I am still trying to swallow. With being in the state I have been questioning if I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and if I am trying hard enough. Those two things are taken care of by faith. It is all part of the plan for my life. I want to trust that it will lead me to somewhere I want to be in life. I made these two words my focus instead of New year's resolutions because two things to focus on all year is way better to me than a list of a million to-dos. However, the changes I want to see in my life can happen because of my words. Increase my testimony= faith, listen better to promptings=faith, eat better=confidence, wake up earlier= confidence, make new friends=confidence, etc. The simpler the better!

Thank you for sticking along with me :)

<3

Elliott