Put yourself first because no one else will.

This year has flown by... I have not written a post in almost 8 months! And in just a couple of weeks we will be turning the page, closing this chapter and starting a new one. While I have never been the type to write down New Year's resolutions, I certainly appreciate being able to reset my mentality, re-shift my focus, and reevaluate my priorities. I also take this opportunity to look back and analyze my accomplishments as well as my mistakes.

In 2023, I obtained my English <> Spanish Legal, Medical, and Business Translation Certificate from the University of Arizona, I was promoted from Translator to Web Translation Coordinator at Dallas ISD, and I was able to continue improving my French. While I will not be able to obtain the DELF/DALF certificate before the end of the year, I am very proud of my progress and see myself taking the exam and becoming certified in 2024. I also started working for two new freelance agencies on top of delivering work for my clients on Upwork. It was a wonderful high-achieving year, but life is full of uncertainties... a couple of months ago, some changes in my personal life led me to leave my full-time job at Dallas ISD. It was a hard decision, and while I hope to go back at some point, I am so happy that I have the opportunity to focus on my personal goals.

Fortunately, I will also continue to stay relevant in the translation sector since I will continue to work as a freelance translator. I am also very lucky since most of my personal goals overlap with my professional ambitions, such as improving my Arabic fluency and spending more time at the Alliance Française as both an employee and a member to expand my French-speaking circle. Basically, even though leaving my job comes with financial and professional consequences, I choose to see the beautiful blessings that comes with working from home and making my own schedule. I feel like I have more control of my life and my daily routine, and while I do plan on going back and working full-time sometime soon, I am not in a rush. Therefore, I will only accept a role if it aligns with and respects my values and priorities.