Hello, beautiful bibliophiles!
I know it's been quiet on the home front here, but it's been a big year of adjustments (already) and I'm just trying to keep my head on straight. I know I've been really candid with my mental health journey, and let me tell you, this year has been slightly insane.
The biggest adjustment has been to new medications that have had some odd side-effects. I think I've finally found a point of balance and I'm probably the happiest I've been in a long time. There have been big steps taken with understanding myself at my core, and opening up to family and friends about the struggles I've internalized for years.
I haven't read as much as I'd like to, but as you may recall, one of my goals was just going with the flow and doing what I want to do in the moment. Reading. Video games. Crafting. Whatever. It's been a good year of practice for listening to my body, mind, and soul.
Of course, there's always the temptation to pile more on my plate, and I'm giving myself some grace and lots of fore-thought before diving into things. I've read a few ARCs and I'm working on getting reviews published here, but my drive has been low and I'm just trying to enjoy reading while I muck through the big changes going on in my life.
The biggest change yet is work. I'm settling nicely into my new role with my team, and though the work is very different from what I'm used to, it's also something I'm really enjoying. It's a challenge that is pushing me to learn new things, which is really exciting. I'm still with an amazingly supportive team who encourages me to learn, travel, grow, and connect in any way possible. This means I've already been on a couple of work trips this year with quite a few more to come.
Another huge change is my connection with birth family. I found my birth grandfather! I've even had the chance to meet him and spend time with him twice since the New Year. He's a beautiful soul and a cycle breaker, just like me. Even though it is an amazing experience, it is also extremely emotional and heavy. There has been lots of patience needed as I catch my spinning head.
Authors! I know some of you have reached out directly to me with requests to read and review your books. I am getting through the requests and home to respond to all of you soon. I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself to read and/or review just because I want to give you 100% candid honesty when it comes to your work. I also won't say "yes" to every review request. Trust me, there's been a lot.
Hoping 2023 is treating you well and I hope you've read some spectacular books so far.
Love and light
- B
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