Reflecting On 2016

It’s hard to believe we have just waved goodbye to yet another year, seemingly faster than the last. It’s been a year of new things for me and I feel it has given me some of my greatest achievements and in doing so catapulted me head first into becoming a fully fledged responsible adult! There are three main personal achievements I feel very proud of in-particular and want to mention in this post as I reflect on my past year.

My partner, Jack and I had already bought our first home in 2015 but it required some work and we decided to completely strip it back and re-do it to our own liking. It took a little while to get there and by the beginning of 2016 it was finally habitable! Hallelujah! Our exciting moving in process wasn’t as it should have been however as Jack was offered a job in Texas which he accepted, meaning I pretty much moved in by myself with our dog. He worked away for the remainder of the year leaving me to keep the house standing! I am happy to tell you I was successful at keeping myself and the dog alive and the house house is still standing. My main achievement and stark wakeup call to the world of responsibility, home owning and bills! Not to mention all of the adult jobs that go with it, like mowing the lawns, gardening and catching my own spiders! It hasn’t been without its difficulties and stress but overall making the transition to home owner has been 100% worth it and I’d not change it for the world.

My next big personal achievement came from Jack relocating to Texas as I initially flew out with him in February. Alas flying home alone… for the first time. ever! I struggle with flying, and that is putting it mildly! It is one of my greatest fears, it’s entirely irrational and turns me into a complete basket case. From the second I have a flight booked my anxiety gets increasingly worse, I have nightmares almost every night on the run up, regardless of the length of time until the flight. I even get anxious seeing planes in the sky, and as I type this I am feeling really unsettled at the thought. To allow me to fly I take valium, more than I should, and I also drink to increase the effects of the tablets despite being advised not too, yet the very sight of the plane and I feel stone cold sober! I do not remember a time I didn’t feel this way about flying.

I knew when I decided to go to Texas with Jack I would need to fly home alone. This added even more stress to an already stressful and taxing situation for me. On our outbound flight, the first of two I was already in tears before the wheels were off the tarmac! The second connecting and long haul flight was worse again, we hit a patch of severe turbulence and that was it, I was a hysterical wreck convinced we were crashing. It was the worst flight I’ve experienced, even after it passed just because of how worked up I’d gotten myself. Naturally I felt nothing but dread for my return flight home alone. I decided to tackle it without any alcohol or valium for fear of being too incoherent to successfully get myself home. It was a quiet flight and relatively smooth with very few bumps. I did keep the plane stats on my TV screen in front of me for the duration of the flight, keeping a watchful eye on the altitude to make sure all was well. For me, personally to do this was a huge deal, I feel really proud of myself and in September I visited Jack in Texas again flying both outbound and inbound flights alone.

My final big achievement of 2016 was taking the decision to change my lifestyle to a healthier one with a good diet and regular exercise. I maintained it well and with surprising ease, and for longer than any other time in the past as I didn’t treat it as a diet, but a conscious lifestyle change to becoming a better me. I lost over 20lbs by doing this and I have never felt better for it. It really changed how I feel and think about food and I have a much better relationship with it. I’ve learnt a lot about myself on my journey and how much better my body feels, and looks, even my skin and hair appear healthier, it improves everything. It increases productivity and I find I am more likely to succeed while in that mind-set. Of course over Christmas it has been more relaxed but my goal is to be happy and to let myself enjoy the food I like too. I have found the right balance and I don’t feel that I am unable to have the naughty treats I sometimes like. It works the best for me and I can’t wait to see the continued difference and change in me throughout 2017.

Alongside those main achievements I was fortunate enough to go abroad three times in 2016, twice to Texas, and also a family holiday to Tenerife in July. I was also lucky enough to go on a day trip around the beautiful Kent countryside onboard The Belmond British Pullman, complete with an exquisite five course lunch set in their 1920s themed carriages. In October I decided to take the leap into the world of blogging and set up my own blog and I am so glad I did. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting so many lovely people in the blogging community, I cannot wait to continue in 2017 and meet even more amazing people.

What are you most proud of yourself for over the past year? I’d love to read your achievements in the comment section below.

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