As another birthday comes along and I shift into the age of 23, it is also time to reflect back on my past year.

If I were to have to say, this year was probably one of the better ones in my history. It was a turning point in many ways, as well as an opening to try new things and different experiences.

One of the biggest changes of the year has been physically. This past year I lost a total of 45 pounds, which is a significant amount of weight. I’m not quite at my goal but it’s still a major accomplishment in any standard. I still have a long way to go, looking to lose at least additional 45 pounds to reach an early goal, and that will be completely doable with enough motivation.

New friends have been a major impact on my life this year. I started the year knowing very little people, but now I can say that I have some great friends who have been there for me quite often to help cheer me up when times are bad, or celebrate with me when things are good. I’m very grateful for every relationship I formed this year, as it helped me progress further as an individual and allowed me to learn far more about myself than I thought I could ever know.

With new friends also comes new experiences. There are many new things that I did this year that in previous years I thought I would never do. It was definitely a “Year of Firsts” for me, first time attending a convention, first time going to a party, first time drinking with friends, first time going to a pride parade, and even first time marching in said parade. So many new experiences that normally would have left me shaking in anxiety that I managed to overcome.

My confidence levels have skyrocketed, my ability to get out and do new things has improved vastly. I’m feeling better than I have in years past, excited about what the future holds. In fact, looking towards the future, I can barely hold my excitement. New friends, more new experiences, as well as old friends that I get to see again and experiences that I get to relive for a second time. 2013, you’ve been a great year for me, through the highs and the lows, so thank you for the great year. 2014, you better be nice or I’ll kick your ass, let’s see how age 23 goes for this feline.