We are firmly within the New Year now and I am taking some time to reflect on the year past and to dream about the next 363 days ahead.
Reflections
Every year brings different gifts. Sometimes these gift are hard to see because we need time and patience to unwrap them and appreciate what they have brought to our life. With some distance, and the date marker on my calender now firmly sitting in 2015, I can reflect on the gift that 2014 brought: self-awareness.
Self-awareness is something that I will continue to work on for the rest of my life, but 2014 brought many opportunities to learn that I need to listen to myself – my body, and my heart. I started the year having my body breakdown on me, and going through having my gallbladder removed has made me super aware of what is going on with my body, and learning to take heed if things don’t feel quite right, or take things up a notch if I am feeling great! Earlier this year I also made the decision to leave university with my graduate diploma (I graduated in December) rather than pressure myself to complete my Master’s thesis while also trying to work. Once the decision was made I felt lighter, freer, happier and I have been able to devote myself to my other passions (like my blog) and watch them grow.
This gift of self-awareness has also made me pay attention to how I react when I am in a overly-anxious, highly-stressed, or uncertain state. I have learned that when I feel this way I need to step back, take a breath, take a break, go for a walk, take a nap – do something kind for myself and restful for my brain. I need to just leave the situation and come back down to normal. The personal journey of this year has also made me aware of how I feel about my relationship with Chris: I am so lucky. 2014 has made me aware that I am lucky to have found someone who makes me a better version of myself, someone who is my friend as well as my partner.
2014 has brought me the gift of self-awareness and I am grateful.
Goals from 2014
At the beginning of 2014 I set myself three goals to achieve:
- Run the Cadbury Half Marathon
- Finish my Master’s thesis (get that cap and gown ready)
- Move into our own home with Chris (time to find our own little cottage)
Unlike other years where I have set myself long, long lists of goals, I actually achieved all of these (with some minor adjustments). I ran the Cadbury Half Marathon in January in 2:21:38. I was super happy with that time. I finished university with my Graduate Diploma, and Chris and I bought a house! Tick, tick, tick. I am so happy that I was able to achieve these.
Goals for 2015
I’ll be honest, I had no resolutions or goals ready for the New Year when the clock struck 12 and the fireworks started. In fact, I was already tucked cosily into my bed and slept straight through the merriment. So, I have given myself the last two days to have a think about what I would like to achieve over the next 12 months. At the risk of exposing myself too much, here for the whole internet to see, here are my goals for this blessed year 2015:
- Travel to the USA with Chris
- Submit a manuscript for a book
- Complete the Atlas Multisport 10km race series
- Move into our own home
For now, I’m going to put my feet up and get to planning how I am going to achieve these goals.
Have you set yourself any goals for 2015? How did you go with your goals from 2014?
