Calabrisella Mia

I should start out by saying that I almost wasn’t going to write a post this year.

Why? Well, because I struggled to wrap my head around this year. And that is exactly why I sat down and started to write down all the thoughts in my head – as messy as they might be.

And, I guess, that is the word I would use to describe this year – messy.

Yes, this year things got messy, and let’s be honest, it happens to the best of us. We avoid things, push them aside, or procrastinate to the point when all the disorder and clutter make it hard to focus.

I spent this year trying to get things in order, and while I was busy juggling, shifting, and trying to find a place for everything, it all came crashing down. The time came to choose what I wanted to pick up again and what I needed to leave behind. Easier said than done.

I made choices, some easy, some scary. And even though it seemed like I was making progress – moving things around, reorganizing, and finding a place for everything – things still felt messy. But messes are like that sometimes – things get messier before they get better. And I think it’s safe to say, that’s exactly how 2023 unfolded.

It took some time, but I slowly started cleaning out the dark corners and decluttering all the things that I was holding onto “just in case”. It’s still very much a work in progress, but as messy as this year was, it taught me a lot and I’m happy to say it’s ending on a high note.

So what am I taking away from 2023?

Emotions are Tricky.

Emotions can be difficult to navigate – they are often complicated and seemingly irrational. Let’s add to that the fact that I’m a Scorpio and, well, you can see how things might get tricky.

Have you ever felt completely excited about something while at the same time feeling scared and anxious? We tend to categorize emotions into “good” and “bad”, but emotions are not necessarily one thing or the other. That’s why emotions are tricky, we need to allow ourselves to feel them, acknowledge them, and more importantly, try to understand where they are coming from instead of suppressing them.

Midway through 2023, I made the decision to change career paths and took on a full-time position at My Bella Vita Travel. I had been working towards this for many years, and when the time came, I was ready…and worried. But what was I scared of? This move meant stepping out of my comfort zone and leaving a job I had been doing for over a decade. But I knew I needed the change because I was not completely happy – I had gotten too comfortable. I began to see the fear as a good thing – it wasn’t there because I was about to do something wrong. It was there to show me how much I really wanted this new job to work, and to focus my energy on doing whatever it takes to learn and grow and be successful in it.

Give yourself time to truly feel your emotions (good or bad), they are there for a reason, but we are often so quick to react to them or suppress them that we don’t always get (or comprehend) what they are really trying to tell us.

Remember Your Worth.

How many people struggle with this? I know this is something I need to work on. I’m constantly giving my energy to things and people who probably don’t deserve it. Not every one that crosses my path is here for the long run, and that’s perfectly fine. The key is to recognize who merits my time and energy and who doesn’t – I still haven’t quite figured that out.

Some people will come into your life to teach you something, while others will be drawn to your energy and use it (intentionally or not) to feed their needs/voids. Time and energy are precious, wouldn’t you agree? That means we should decide who is worth investing in and who isn’t. I have started to surround myself with people who are adding to my life and not just sucking me dry. Just like a car can’t run on empty, neither can I.

I want to be around people who appreciate the value of spending time together, lifting each other up, and supporting each other in times of need. Don’t waste your energy on people who make you feel like you are not worthy of love, respect, or happiness.

Don’t Stop Living!

I spent most of 2023 feeling like I was just existing. I was going through the motions, doing what I could to keep things moving along, but for what purpose? At some point this year, I lost my passion for life. Things got so disorganized and out of control that I stopped focusing on living and went into a sort of “survival” mode. I stopped doing the things that made me feel inspired, that made me feel alive. Is that any way to live? I don’t think so!

But things took a turn towards the second half of 2023 when new possibilities opened up, and new people entered my life. The spark that had almost completely gone out was finding the fuel it needed to burn bigger and brighter.

Feeling that burst of energy pushed me out of the mundane day-to-day rhythm and motivated me to explore new things. As fate would have it, I was contacted by someone about doing a collaboration to promote Calabria. I will admit I was skeptical at first, but I gave it a shot. I’m glad I did because that person has become a friend, someone who has supported me in more ways than he’ll ever know and has shared his creative energy and passion for Calabria, and life, with me. We have done a few YouTube videos and Instagram reels together, which you can check out on the Akalabria YouTube Channel and Instagram Page. But this is only the beginning: we have fun things planned in 2024 and can’t wait to share them with you.

With 2023 coming to an end, it’s time to set our sights on the future.

I want 2024 to be a year of growth…

I want to focus on my personal growth by embracing change, trying new things, and becoming a better person.

I want to learn new skills and grow in this new career.

I want to travel and seek out new experiences to grow and become more knowledgeable of the world and its plethora of cultures and wonders.

I want to feed and nurture the amazing relationships I’ve created over the years so they can grow even stronger.

The next chapter awaits amici….let’s make it the best it can be!

If you want to find out what I’m up to, you can keep up with my daily life and musings on the Calabrisella Mia Facebook Page and Instagram!