Winter Is Here

The last time we left off, fall was about to begin. And now the first days of winter are here. I’m in that weird spot where September feels like lifetimes ago, but at the same time, I’m amazed it’s already December.

After growing up in the Houston heat and spending years abroad in a country situated right on the equator, I welcome winter with open arms. However, I don’t blame you if you hate it. Winter is polarizing: harsh but calm. Festive but deadly.

2020 makes it even harder to feel joy this winter. If you’re in America, it’s not just the bare trees outside, shorter days, and spending more time indoors. Covid rages on, and people continue to suffer.

My theme for 2020 was to be unapologetic, and when I turned 35 this year, I told myself, “Promise me no promises.” Based on my situation today, I believe I followed through on that theme and continue to live by that mantra.

I find myself in the job I have today because I stepped away from jobs I knew weren’t going to be a good fit. I presented my true self for every interview and took no offense to those who directly told me, “No.” And for the ones that I felt strongly about, I made extra efforts to demonstrate why I was the best candidate. Even though those opportunities didn’t pan out, knowing I left it all out there gave me the closure I needed to move on quickly.

Being unapologetic also led me to be kinder to myself. I bought the things I deprived myself of when I didn’t have a steady income. I stopped feeling guilty about the way I parent Xavier. I cooked and ate what I wanted and didn’t worry about my weight. (For the record, my jeans still fit me, and that is all the validation I need.)

2020 also reminded me of what I can achieve when I apply myself. In addition to landing a full-time role, I still maintained the side gigs I had before. I continued to invest in myself and put money down for a new domain, michmondodigital.com, where my freelancing work lives.

We all want this year to be over. Still, I am grateful for what 2020 taught me, even though the lessons came in the form of constant rejection, Covid-induced stress, and bad government leadership.

If you managed to read every word of this post and made it this far, I’m honored. Thank you for taking the time not just today but throughout the year to check in on my corner of the internet. And yes, I know I have real visitors – if Google Analytics says so, it must be true. 🙂

I pray you and your loved ones find some aspect of joy this holiday season, despite the doom and gloom of it all.