Goodbye 2017 (I'll Miss you), Hello 2018!

Part One. My bookish resolutions will be shared tomorrow.

The new year is fast approaching. I know I keep saying this, but time flies! However, before jumping into 2018, I've two words for you, 2017,

For all those who dom't know, 2016 catastrophic the year was for me. I lost my fifteen-year old cat Mufasa to cancer, I didn't get the job I was waiting for (or even the job of my dreams with a publisher). It was year full of disappointments that I don't wish to talk much. Unfortunately, all these disappointments culminated in a nervous breakdown. Luckily, a few months after I started my master degree and my tired mind had something to focus on than loss and failure.

Then 2017 came. And, unexpectedly, there was joy.

That sense of loss and failure still lingers inside me, but this year didn't make me feel so bad about myself. It's true that there were still tears and disappointments; worries and stress. But all was worth it! I didn't have to say goodbye to anyone I cared about and I didn't feel like I failed everything I did. I can look back and I can say that I reached some goals that I never expected to.

 On Real Life 

🌟 Finished my first year of master degree with flying colours. I was scared of taking this step (especially after a dark period of my life; I spent the summer in such an anxiety state ) and in the end everything turned out a lot better than I expected.

🌟 Won a scholarship to be part of a investigation team. It's stressful and I'm probably hating this experience, but it will look good on my CV. 

🌟 Wrote 50K words for my NanoWriMo project. All my life I've been dreaming of being a published author. This was my I-can't-recall-remember-how-many-steps-already-were step to meet this goal. Some scenes may still need to be written and my project needs to be polished, but I wrote 50K freaking words in a month!

On Bookish Life

📚 I became a physical books rep for Blaze Publishing. When I read my name on the list they sent announcing their new physical books rep, I could not believe it. I never thought it would happen since I'm an international blogger and shipping can be expensive.   

📚 I was chosen to be a three months rep for Mini Backdrops and a July month rep for Owlcrate (it was a birthday gift since July is the month were I was born...I share my birthday with Victoria Schwab).

📚 My Lovely Secret went through two makeovers (I'm still unsure about how the blog looks now, but I'm warming up to its new look) and for the first time in years it as new followers.  

I didn't read the seventy books as I wished to or read more classics and contemporaries or even read 50 pages per day. And, I still suck at managing my personal time and balancing everything in my life.

But that's okay. 

I met wonderful people, both bloggers and bookstagrammers. I finally feel part of a community that I never felt I did. Last year, I wrote about how difficult is to be part of a book blogger community (especially when you have social anxiety and feel you are being shunned away because no mater how hard you try people seem not to notice you). Today, I'm part of The International Bloggers Group and The New Bloggers Support Group, in the latter I'm an expert blogger. If is there anything you'd like to ask, don't hesitate.

Thank you for making me feel welcomed and part of a community.

Goodbye 2017 💖