I’ve been struggling with how to go about writing this 2021 reflection for weeks.

Taking time to reflect as the year draws to a close has been a regular practice for me for…well, years. I find the practice therapeutic.

Writing things down helps me process my experiences. It helps me make sense of things I go through.

It helps me move forward.

It’s not surprising that this 2021 reflection didn’t come easy. Because for all the good that came out of 2021 — and there was a lot of good — there have also been challenges that required significant processing.

So, after several weeks of writing and rewriting, here’s my attempt at doing some of that work (and a preview of what’s ahead).