2023: Year in Review

Can you believe that 2024 is just around the corner? I know I can’t. 2023 was an absolute whirlwind filled with personal and career growth, travelling, and moving to a different province. Now that the year is drawing to a close, I wanted to review some of the highlights of the year (as well as some of the not-so-fun parts). Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Career

2023 was my first full year as a freelance writer and it exceeded my wildest expectations. While the first quarter of the year was relatively slow in terms of income and projects, things exploded in April and I ended up earning double my previous clinical dietitian salary in May and July.

By August, I was consistently earning about 20% more than my clinical dietitian salary. If all my outstanding invoices are paid on time, this will be my highest earning year since 2019, when I was working 40 hours a week at a bariatric surgery clinic.

But money wasn’t the only career success that I enjoyed this year (although it was definitely nice). I only worked an average of 20 hours per week, even during my busiest times. I also took a total of two months off to travel and move to a new province. In other words? I managed to work half the hours and take twice the vacation days, all while earning my previous full-time dietitian salary.

The time freedom I’ve experienced since I started freelance writing has been one of the best parts of letting go of my clinical job. I now have the mental space to do the things I enjoy once I’ve finished work for the day. If I’m having a rough mental health day, I can usually move things around so I can take the rest of the day off to focus on self-care. I get to spend more time with my husband. Getting my time back has been so valuable and one of the best parts of being a freelancer.

Here are some of my work-related highlights from 2023:

·      I started writing for several large news outlets, including Forbes Health, Well+Good, Everyday Health, and Livestrong.

·      I continued to write for Nourish, an amazing company that wants to make dietitians accessible to all.

·      I worked with some incredible RDs to boost their online presence through blogging and social media.

·      I gained confidence in website copywriting and completed four website copywriting projects.

·      I was a guest on Julia Zakrzewski’s Freelance Dietitian podcast.

·      I was featured in Amy Ragland’s “How I Freelance” series.

I don’t know what 2024 will bring career-wise, but I’m hopeful that I will be able to continue working with my amazing clients and hopefully start writing for some new outlets. Onwards and upwards!

Relationships

2023 was a year of trying to be more intentional in my relationships. That meant texting friends, organizing hang-outs, and Facetiming when meeting up in person wasn’t an option.

I’m an introvert at heart, so socializing can feel very overwhelming with me. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Facetime dates I had this year. My friend circle is small, but the friends I do have are some of the best, most supportive people I know, and I’m lucky to have them in my life.

Greg and I have been exploring Langley through its restaurants, which has made for a lot of lovely date nights. A nice perk of moving! Greg is the reason I am where I am in my career, and I am so grateful for his continued love and support.

Health

I won’t lie, 2023 was not kind to my mental health. I naively thought that leaving my clinical job would magically melt away my anxiety, and for awhile, it did. But after a couple of months, the “honeymoon phase” wore off, and I had a whole host of other things that started causing me anxiety.

I still see my psychiatrist once a month, and medication continues to be a key part of managing my mental health. Of all my mental illnesses, anxiety is the one that causes me the most grief. I’m a perfectionist (I’m working on it!), and I’m constantly worrying about whether my work is “good enough” for my clients. My goal in 2024 is to try and separate my sense of worth from my work so that even if I do get constructive criticism on something I’ve written, it doesn’t cause me as much emotional pain.

My last appointment with my psychiatrist is in two weeks, and after that, I’m on my own while I wait for the referral to the new psychiatrist goes through. I’m incredibly nervous about managing on my own (I’ve been seeing my current psychiatrist every 2-4 weeks for 10 years), but I’m hoping the referral will go through quickly.

In terms of physical health, 2023 was pretty good. I continued to use my Peloton several times a week and in general eat pretty well. No complaints here!

Travel

We had the most amazing trip to Costa Rica in March! Our first stop was the Royal Corin Thermal Water Spa and Resort. It had a series of natural hot springs on site and was the perfect place to relax. We also did a chocolate and coffee tour while we were there, which was a huge highlight for this chocolate and coffee lover!

Next, we went to the Rio Perdido Hotel and Thermal River. Aside from the abundance of butterflies (which terrify me), this was probably my favourite stop of the trip. There was an amazing thermal river about a kilometre away from the hotel and it was so relaxing. We found our own little pool and sat in it for hours. I would definitely go back!

Our last stop was at an all-inclusive resort on the coast. Unfortunately, I came down with a stomach bug on the drive there, so the first couple of days there were a bit miserable. However, I perked up after the second day of feeling sick and was able to enjoy some quality time by the pool.

We also had trips to Yellowknife and Vancouver to visit with friends and family and find a new place to live. Our house-hunting trip was a blur, but luckily we were able to find something that worked for us in the competitive Vancouver housing market.

Hobbies

I had grand plans for my hobbies this year, but they definitely fell by the wayside. I invested in an Apple Pencil in January and was convinced I was going to teach myself to make cute stickers. I think I used it for about a month, then gave up when I realized I was no good at it.

I crocheted a lot at the beginning of the year and even made a blanket for one of my close friends. I’m excited to crochet more in the new year!

I read some great books in 2024, but my favourite was Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. It had everything I want in a book – drama, tension, action, and of course, enemies-to-lovers energy. I also had the privilege of reading a book written by my brother. It’s the longest book I’ve ever read, and even if it never gets published, I feel lucky that I got to enjoy the story.

What’s Next?

As the year draws to a close, I’m filled with gratitude and awe at how much I was able to accomplish despite dealing with very real, very challenging mental illnesses. Part of me still doesn’t believe that I actually DID all of this.

Moving into 2024, here are a few of my goals:

·      Facetime with friends at least once per month.

·      Continue to have date night with Greg at least twice per month.

·      Earn 25% more than I did in 2023.

·      Start writing for three new retainer clients, with one in the B2B healthcare space.

·      Post on LinkedIn at least two times per week.

·      Continue working a maximum of 25 hours per week.

·      Have four-day work weeks during the summer to facilitate more time spent at the family cabin.

·      Read 30 or more books.

·      Use my Peloton a minimum of three times per week.

·      Cook dinner at least two times per week (I hate cooking and this burden often falls to my husband, which I feel bad about!).

Phew! That’s a lot. But I know I can accomplish these goals if I set my mind to it.

What were the highlights of your year? Do you have any goals for the new year? Let me know in the comments!