2019 Recap | Shikha la mode

Hi y’all! I’m back to share my 2019 recap.

IDENTITY

2019 has been an exhausting, revolutionary, relentless, and transformative year—for the world and for myself. The US contorted in fits of racism and nationalism. In India, a similar trend followed.

For the first time, I thought deeply about what it means to be a woman and a person of color. How can I be stronger and lift up others? How can I educate others and myself?

I turned thirty this year, and then realized that can mean whatever I want it to. So for me, it’s meant:

A deliberate career move
Buying too many plants (and harvesting my own pineapple!)
Running the NYC Marathon
Getting 8 hours of sleep a night
Starting to write a real, official cookbook (due in spring 2021!)
Visiting some amazing places—Costa Rica, Sayulita, Peru, Bolivia, LA, Atlanta, Palm Springs, Paris (again), Burning Man (again), NYC, San Luis Obispo, and soon New Zealand
Moving in together with my boyfriend, Orlando

Throughout all this, I started thinking beyond medium-term and into long-term…which is hard! What kind of life do I want? What do these new phases of friendships look like? How do I continue to grow?

CREATIVITY

This year, I took a break from blogging. Blogging has been a huge part of my identity in SF. Through blogging, I’ve explored the world. I’ve made best friends and eaten the best food of my life. But priorities shifted, and I no longer feel like it’s is the optimum creative outlet for me, so I allowed other doors to open. I became a better writer. I’ve cooked more than I’ve ever cooked before, and I did it for myself, not for the gram. I got the opportunity to develop recipes for an ice cream cookbook, which has been exciting and challenging.

I learned that I don’t need to be the best, or even really good, at something in order to do it. I’ve never been a star athlete, but I’ve always wanted to run the NYC Marathon and so I did. I was quite slow and man, it was difficult, but it was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life. After running 26.2 miles, I feel like I can do much more than what I think I’m able to achieve.

RELATIONSHIPS

A big piece of slowing down on blog life was a commitment to deepen my relationship to my partner, Orlando. I confronted what my needs are as well as his. I separated myself from my upbringing, culture, and friends. To truly stop comparing and instead look inward has been terrifying. But the outcome—a loving partner, an apartment we call our own, and lessened anxiety—has been unparalleled.

WHAT’S NEXT

In January, I wrote down some words that I wanted to embody in 2019: Involved. Attentive. Confident. Lifted. Bursting. Calm. Inspired. Sore. Humbled. Full. Pretty accurate!

While I don’t know yet what my 2020 words will be, I have some ideas on the processes they will represent: