Despite the fact that the current events in the world have taken a dark turn, 2017 has been one of the most critical years of my entire life. This year has been an emotional one bursting with growth, new experiences, and new adventures. There were challenges where I made the decision to power through and come out the other side as a brand new person. Many things happened this year, so here are some of most important from this year:

Womxn’s March

What a weird time this is now. The only good thing that came out of the devastating results of the 2016 election was seeing practically the whole city band together for the Seattle’s Womxn’s March, as a demonstration of resisting our current administration. It has made me more focused on current events, because now more than ever, it is so important to be in the know.

The Birth of Coming Full Spiral

My blog came to life in March of this year! I have been a visual artist my entire life and decided to try my hand in writing and social media. This meant learning WordPress, the platform on which the blog is run on. Learning the ins and outs of this complex platform definitely led to some all-nighters. Like any new thing, experience grows the more you practice something. I have even started a new Instagram and Facebook page for this project as a way to gain experience with social media. I will always be an artist. It turns out that I also have a knack in writing and documenting.

Selling My Car

A necessary thing to do before traveling was to sell my beloved Nissan Sentra I had since I was 16. It was the first and only car I have ever owned. It made many things possible in my life. That car got me across the country, which was a 3,000 mile drive, to start a new life in Seattle. It safely got me to Burning Man and back four times. I have given many rides and have made many friends in that car. And now it’s time to move on. I can always get another one. The last time I heard about it, the new owner has been enjoying the ride.

Being 30 Years Old

I start my age with a 3 now. Where most people dread becoming older, I gladly embrace it. The clarity that comes with age is worth the aging of physical appearance. I tore through my manic-depressive twenties like a whirlwind, so my 30th year was welcomed with open arms. To celebrate, I spent my birthday week in Iceland, where I frolicked around Reykjavik. So far, being 30 has treated me well. There’s a sense of confidence and ease that can be absent when you’re younger. I am looking forward to what life is like at age 40.

Circumnavigating the World

What was once an insane idea beyond my wildest dreams 2 1/2 years ago manifested into reality on April 19, 2017. The purpose of the trip was to confront my PTSD, Avoidant Personality Disorder, and social anxiety by circumnavigating the world solo. Upending the stagnation of my existence in a life overhaul was no easy feat, and it took a lot of planning, coordination, and bravery in the face of many anxiety storms. Starting in South Africa, I kept working my way east to Southeast Asia, before making the final stop in New Zealand. Upon completion, I emerged as a brand new person on the other side. The journey had many firsts, many realizations, many new friendships, many accidents, broken ribs, and an earth-shattering heartbreak–all of which spurred changes and growth in me. It was the journey of a lifetime which I look back very fondly, including the bad parts. Those are just as important, because they help build character.

Cheering on Alexis, Because Fuck Cancer

Halfway through my trip around the world, I received devastating news that my best friend, Alexis, has Stage 2 breast cancer. But her tenacious optimism and fighting spirit have gotten her through the completion of chemotherapy. Witnessing her unwavering positive attitude was inspiring, and it served as a reminder that we all have a choice on our attitude to what life throws at us. The good news is that her prognosis looks good, even though there will be lots of monitoring and tests in her future. We are all so, so very happy for her recovery.

Slowly Dipping Back into Visual Art

My entire life, I have been a visual artist before starting this new blog. So, my art making has been put on hold all year, until fall rolled around. And so, I participated in and completed Inktober, which was doing one ink drawing a day for all 31 days of October. I also painted a cupcake and submitted it to Ghost Gallery for their annual miniature art show. It was the only painting I completed all year. I learned a couple weeks ago that it sold!

Running a Half Marathon

I have been running for most of my life, and lately my long runs have been at near half marathon distance. So, I decided to sign up for the half version of the Seattle Marathon. The winter blues had really gripped me, and although doing races isn’t the most cost effective method for fighting them, it was something I wanted to do. Was it getting the finisher’s medal in the end? That’s part of it. It was also the camaraderie that I have missed, being part of something that everyone else is going through and cheering each other on.

Witnessing Visionary Artist, Alex Grey, Paint Live

Since about age 16, the visionary artist, Alex Grey, has been one of my inspirations to me. While I couldn’t quite understand it at first, it eventually led me to embrace my own voice and style as a psychedelic surrealist artist. Alexis and I saw Alex Grey and his wife, Allyson, give an artist talk about their creative processes and the spiritual transcendence capture in their work. A smooth transition gave way to a magical dance party filled with live art, DJs, and performances. While the two artists painted on the stage, Alex turned around and we locked eyes. I smiled and it was as though he could see right through me as he returned one of the warmest smiles expressing full acknowledgement. To quote The Great Gatsby of what that was like:

He smiled understandingly–much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced–or seemed to face–the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey.

I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions anymore, even though I’m pretty good on keeping most of them. This year was focused on turning a new leaf, and the lesson I have taken from it will continue to be applied into the future. It has been a strange and wonderful ride, filled with elation and heartbreak. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Here is a sound track from 2017 that can be played on Spotify. I curate one of these every year.

2018 will be built on this new person I have become. I can feel it.