Personal & Bookish Reflections on 2016

Hello 2017! Goodbye 2016! As the new year begins, I’d thought I’d take some time to reflect on 2016 on a personal level, share some highlights, and discuss my bookish habits of last year.

Personally, 2016 was a good year for me. As with every year, it definitely has its ups and downs, but for the most part, the general consensus is that it was good. I feel blessed and am excited to experience a new year full of opportunities.

As for the presidential election… well… there are too many things to discuss about that in one post, but I and many other people are still reeling from the results. Everything is still sinking in for me, and to be honest I’ve never felt so terrified for the future that lies ahead after an election. I know I can’t change the results, but now more than ever, people need to become proactive in their local and federal governments.

On a more positive note, though I didn’t get to do as much traveling as I wanted to last year, I found the time to explore the places around Metro Detroit which I feel so much love for. I strolled through the food stalls and stores in Eastern Market, dined in Greektown, and even visited some of my favorite museums such as the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroit Historical Museum.

I finally got a new job and I’m not working in retail anymore! I’m enjoying having weekends to myself once again. I am so grateful for a new opportunity to be able to learn some new skill and meet new people. I now work in the circulation department in a public library and I love it! It’s a bibilophile’s dream come true, and the patrons and my co-workers are awesome!

In early spring, I visited one of my best friends from college (Stephanie) who lives in the Chicago area. While visiting, we shopped at outlet malls, dined at local restaurants, and had a chance to catch up with each other. I hadn’t been to Chicago in while and it was nice to see all the new places to visit while revisiting the old. My friend also showed me around different towns in Indiana and one of the highlights was getting to visit Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore park. Though the water was too cold to swim in, I still was able to dip my feet along the shoreline of Lake Michigan.

I also knocked another item off my bucket list which was learning hula dancing. It was a bit intimidating at first, but after I began to warm up to my new classmates and the welcoming environment, I got the hang of it! I met some amazing people and even got to participate in a recital. More on that to come in a separate post!

I also ran (actually jogged) in my first 5K in June at the Rainbow Run in Ferndale, Michigan. I would definitely do it again since I had so much fun. Part of the reason that I liked it so much was that it was non-competitive and that I got to run through waves of colored powder. My shirt was completely tie-dyed by the end of the run and though I’m not in the best physical shape I still handled myself well.

As for my bookish reflections, I did complete my Goodreads challenge of reading 100 books (contrary to the image depicted below). I’m always forgetting to add books that I read, but didn’t review on the blog. In 2017, I’m aiming to read 120 books and I think I can do it.

There was a lot of discourse throughout book Twitter and though it’s not always easy, I’m glad to see that we (readers, authors, publishers) are having a more open discussion about diversity and other issues that have risen over the years. I want to continue to read more #ownvoices and diverse lit in 2017 and also read the books that are strewn throughout my room and over-cluttered bookshelves. I need to cut back on buying books drastically!

I’ve met so many and made connections with awesome book bloggers and it makes me so happy to meet and talk with such awesome people. If you have been following my blog since the beginning or more recently, thank you for your readership and support! It means so much to me and I look forward to bringing new content, reviews, and a new look to the blog this year!

Last but not least, a reflections post wouldn’t be complete without some goals that I want to achieve throughout the year:

• Work on time management skills
• Give the blog a new design
• Work on eating healthier and exercising more
• Continue to expand my reading horizons
• Focus on having a more positive attitude
• Budget money more carefully
• Practicing more self-care

What are your reflections on 2016? Have you set any goals for 2017? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!