The Everyday Designer #12 — We made it through a full year...

I can’t believe I actually stuck with something for a year. To some it may seem normal, to others it may seem impossible, but for me, as I close out the year with this last post, I can tell you now…it’s possible, I did it and you can too!

I am currently in the process of finishing up a landing page for www.alexpresa.com so stay tuned for that when I announce the site is live and on that landing page will be a full summary of my year, but I wanted to give back in the form of a reflection that anyone reading this can use to look back on their own year and see things from a “10,000 feet above” view looking down on their own life, cause maybe it’ll get you to start moving in the direction you want your life to go to. Or it may even cause you think about if you’ve ever even given thought to what your direction in life is. So without further ado, please feel free to copy and paste the following questions (P.S. I will be answering these myself before the end of the year is up and leaving them on a blog post on my website)

21 Questions for the New Year

Looking back / looking forward

Think small. Think graceful. Think hopeful. Encourage yourself like you would a dear friend. Some are repetitive, but repetition is good. Add questions/reflections if you want. Copy & paste as desired.

1. Celebrate 10 (or more) things you’ve accomplished/that have happened in the past year:

2. What worked this year?

3. What didn’t (quite) work?

4. What worked in a way you didn’t expect?

5. Is there a way to make that grow intentionally this next year?

6. What’s something you can do every day to help yourself stay spiritually alive?

7. What’s something you’ve been meaning to do this year, but haven’t? Is it worth pursuing this coming year? Is there a mini-version of it you could do in the meantime?

8. What is a big picture goal/dream you made progress on this past year?

9. What are some physical things/accomplishments you’re thankful for this past year?

10. What’s at least one physical thing you want to work on this coming year?

11. What’s a dream you have that seems humanly impossible?

12. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this new year?

13. Name a few people you want to mentor/love/give to/encourage more intentionally this year?

14. Who are some people you want to be mentored by next year (even if you don’t know them)? What do you want help with/to learn from them?

15. What are a few things you could act on that would help build/maintain community/friendships this year?

16. What’s one thing you plan to do next year that will matter most in ten years?

17. What dream do you hope to see realized next year?

18. What’s a way you grew spiritually/emotionally this past year? Maybe a situation you’re proud of how you handled? (If you don’t have one, what’s a way you could have responded?)

19. What’s one spiritual/emotional thing you want to work on next year?

20. What’s a skill you want to grow in this year? A curiosity you want to learn about?

21. What’s something you did this year that made you feel alive/real joy? How can you pursue that next year?

If you wanna write more about any of these topics (or anything else) that you feel like you didn’t get into above (hopes, etc.), do it here:

Work:
Money:
Living Environment:
Personal Growth:
Health and Recreation:
Community:
Family:
God/Spiritual Life:

Don’t give up

It truly has been a journey of discovery, of will, and of determination. To stick through with something, to get back on the saddle, to reconsider all possibilities. I hope you take the time you get this season to reflect, to calm your mind, to enjoy the moments given to you. Most importantly though take charge of your life, as a designer, you have the creative abilities to redesign your life and own it. Enjoy the life you’ve been given, take risks, get messy, but don’t do nothing. I hope you can hear the passion behind these words that I am writing to you with. Its coming from a place of wrestling with my own limitations that told me, I wouldn’t stick with it. That I would give up. I didn’t, and you don’t have to either. This could only be the start of something wonderful.

Final thoughts

As I wrap up the year in more detail on alexpresa.com later, I am excited to dive into my plans for next year for this project. I originally started this Everyday Designer as a way to help other aspiring and current designers grow in their craft and in their character. I realized a few months later that that is no easy task to accomplish. Creating resources takes time, writing meaningful and value-filled articles take time. Finding guests who are willing to write and contribute, takes time. All worth the effort, but time-consuming. So I am taking the rest of December(with relaxing too) to plan out the next year and get a head start on some value-making. I hope you stick around for the journey cause it’s all for you guys at the end of the day!

If you’ve read this far, first of all…thank you. It means a lot to know that these words can impact even one of you reading this. Second of all, would love to know if you read the whole thing, by leaving a lil lil “❤️” emoji in the comments or tell me the most exciting thing that you did this year. Looking forward to hearing it!! 🙏

🌊 Currents

I thought I’d mix “currents” up a little bit for the sake of brevity and also to remind you all of the wonderful Designer’s Christmas Gift Guide you can share with your loved one’s so you make their lives easier for you this year ;)

🤔 Currently reflecting: the year of 2022

🫠 Currently nervous/excited about: the potential of 2023

🎄🎁 ICYMI 🎁🎄: 2022 Designer’s Christmas Gift Guide - Gone are the days where designers get forgotten or tossed to the side for Christmas. Here are 50 good gifts to give your designer friend, this holiday season. Check it out, send it to a family member or friend, and you will NOT be disappointed this Christmas. You can thank me later 😉

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