What do you hope to achieve this year?

Leah | Te Tai Poutini

Leah reflects on the importance of perspective in relationships and self-appreciation, focusing on finding fulfilment in what she already has, particularly the love and support of friends and family.

“I guess I came to terms with me just wanting to be me and not trying to fill a void that doesn’t really exist.

In the past, I feel like I’ve found myself, but I also felt like I needed to search for something to feel fulfilled – or that there was something else I needed to make my life feel complete. However, I guess there comes a time when you realise that you’re searching for something, and then maybe you get it and it’s not what you think it is. Then you realise that what you had was literally there the whole time.

I feel like that’s what happened to me. I thought I wanted something, and when I had it, I realised I didn’t want it, and then I understood that what I had was already there – I just wasn’t looking at it the right way. Perspective is a big thing.

It was a relationship, which I feel like many people can relate to. My relationship with relationships has been that I thought if I had the right person, then everything would fall into place and life would be amazing. But I’ve really taken the time to appreciate myself for who I am, enjoying my own company, and doing what I want to do.

I just hope to be fulfilled with what I have around me already. I’m trying to focus on and be grateful for what I have, especially my friends and family, who are the most important things to me. I feel so lucky to have them around, and recently, I’ve been so excited about the people in my life, really taking my appreciation for them to the next level.”