Happy New Year! 2023 🥳🎉

Dang, what a trip 2022 has been! 🤪

Looking back, it had its ups and downs, of course.

But this time, instead of just focusing on the best moments -

- I also want to look at the moments when I cried and struggled

and see them as something that happened for me, to learn and grow.

For example: financial hardship, as stressful as it was (and is sometimes), helped push me to be resourceful.

So aside from my art business and my day job teaching English, I started teaching basic Japanese every Saturday.

I also started reading books on how I can get my finances in order and applying them.

e.g. paying myself first (set aside 10% of your paycheck for your savings/retirement - even a dollar helps) before the bills.

It's not just to have something for a rainy day, but also good practice on valuing myself and appreciating what I have.

And somehow, although I'm not a devout Christian or the type who quotes passages from the Bible,

the psalm "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want" helps me feel better.

It also reminds me that I don't have to shoulder everything on my own.

For this, I'm also thankful to my Patreon fam.

Knowing that they have my back helps take a lot of the worry away, so that I can focus all my energy onto my art.

And as for the best moments of 2022,

one of the highlights is definitely meeting Adèle Haenel and being able to thank her in person.

And showing my art to her!

It's a fricking miracle!! ✨

It's gonna be 2023 tomorrow!

For sure, it's gonna have its ups and downs like the other years...

But let's keep going.

We have the capabilities - let's persist until we succeed!

May you have a new year that's bountiful with joy, good health and wealth. 😌

Sending you a biiiig hug and lots of love!

Rose

This post is brought to you by my community on Patreon! Special thanks to Chok, Big Sis Maryann, Randall and Tresha, Baby D., Ros H., Nina L., Anny S., Natasha H., Mary R., Melissa L., Richard T. ❤❤❤

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