Hi! You might know me as the guy who moderates some of StudyUSA’s Facebook Live Sessions — while others know me as a talented musician, and some — as my pursuit to become an MMA fighter. At first glance, you might think I have it all figured out; a young 20-something with grand ambitions. Strip away the facade, though, and you’ll find that I was often more talk than action. 

2023 is only a month old, but for the first time in a long time, this year feels different. What changed? Well, let’s take a look back at 2022 …

A 2022 Retrospective

2022 wasn’t like most years. You know that surge of motivation you get as the clock strikes 12 ushering in the new year? That was missing — and so were the new year's resolutions, hopeful ambitions, and weeks of consistent effort that accompanied it. 

2022 started off as … meh, and it felt like an extension of 2021.

Stop us if you can relate, but it wasn’t that I didn’t want 2022 to be more productive, adventurous, and memorable — I simply had no direction, no vision. I had a million different thoughts wrestling for my attention, and it all felt a bit overwhelming.

Wanting to do everything prevented me from accomplishing anything.

In December of 2022, I felt like I finally had a vague idea of what I wanted to do. My brother was in the midst of selecting where he’d practice medicine after completing his residency. Having spent the past decade in different parts of the world, we figured it’d be nice living in the same state for once. I use the term “we” loosely because he found something better, and I had no desire to live in that state on my own. 

It’s not enough to want to do something; if your foundation is shaky, that’s enough to bring your plans tumbling down. In retrospect, I do believe that everything happened for a reason. I know where I faltered, and I’m entering 2023 with my clearest vision yet…

Making 2023 The Best Year Yet

Coming out of 2022, the one thing I knew I HAD to do was get real with myself. What did I REALLY want out of my life? Who did I want to become? After a “polite” conversation with my intrusive thoughts, I narrowed my vision and that focus turned into this Vision Board for 2023!

I’ll let you in on a little secret — there’s nothing more powerful than waking up and seeing every goal you’re striving to accomplish in the coming year. For the first time in years, I’ve taken tangible steps towards accomplishing my goals — I’ve started a savings account, I’ve used my phone a LOT less, I’ve trained and eaten consistently — and those habits are trickling over to my smaller goals as well.

This vision board has become my daily reminder of the life I envision; I hope it can do the same for you as well. 

Want to make a vision board of your own? Download Study in the USA’s Vision Board Templates today. 

Charles Varghese graduated from Washington State University in 2020 and has since found a fulfilling career as a marketing specialist at Study in the USA. He takes pride in finding compelling student stories — stories of perseverance, growth, and triumph. It’s stories like these that motivate him to pursue his goals whether it be MMA, art, or passing on his love for drumming to the next generation.