I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I’ve been doing a lot of self-reflection as we enter the new year. I’ve talked with friends and read social posts from people who struggled last year or had very personal challenges pile up, but I have to say, I had a pretty kick-ass 2018.
2018 was my first full year of living in Los Angeles and I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone.
I wrote in September about some of the amazing experiences I checked off up until then, and I am proud to say that I was true to my goal in doing something new every month of the year.
- Universal Hollywood’s version of Halloween Horror Nights was very different from Orlando’s, so I am totally counting it.
- Then, in October we road-tripped to Portland, Oregon, traveling through the California Redwoods along the way. It was the most amazing trip I’ve had in a long time, so I will write more on that one later.
- In November, I drove down to San Diego for Thanksgiving with my family and visited Old Town, the U.S.S. Midway and took a boat around Mission Bay.
- Finally, at the end of December, my sister and I visited The Getty Museum, which was so much cooler than I expected and I plan to return ASAP.
For 2019, I want to continue finding new local experiences every month. Additionally, my sister asked if we can go to a new museum each month, so I am very excited for that mission.
Living in California and going on these adventures has really put a new sense of adventure into my life that had been stagnant for a while. Of course, I loved to travel, but doing all of these things on a regular basis has keep me motivated and challenged. Who knew I’d have fun camping? I feel so energized for to keep up the momentum this year, even if I have a smaller budget to work with (my move and my traveling has finally caught up to me… credit card debt, be gone!).
In addition to exploring the west coast, I had an incredible year of professional growth.
In February, I was promoted to Account Manager! In July, I joined the Women@Disney Leadership Team! And then, in October, I took on two interns who report directly to me, as well as two additional clients and new responsibilities for the Communications strategies of all of my client groups. Through all of this, I’ve been pushing myself and can really see the growth in my abilities and confidence at work. I am so proud of all of the responsibilities I’ve taken on at work and excited to see myself continue to thrive in 2019.
So, cheers to the end of 2018! You treated me kindly!
What was your proudest moment or fondest memory of last year?
Jule Gamache 