Well hello strangers, I know… I disappeared yet again. I am determined (for real this time) that I’m actually going to keep this up now. It’s really blooming hard trying to find the right balance in life but I’m getting there!
So, I wanted to have a chat about the best bits of 2016 first.
- I got back on the fitness wagon! I lost a stone (only intended to lose about 8lbs) and I toned up – only issue is I then went on holiday, then it was birthdays and christmas and it all went down hill so I’m sort of back to square one now but hey ho! I actually enjoy working out now so that’s the best bit. I have MISSED running?! I never thought I’d say those words! But because of how dark it is in the mornings / early evening I haven’t been able to run around my work schedule but my lovely parents bought me some hi-vis clothing as a christmas present. In the last few days I’ve already done two 3km runs… not as good as before but you have to build up slowly!
- Following on from the above, I completed a 5km race… I never thought I’d do that, my dad always is like come on… do it with me… if I can do it you can etc etc, so I actually did it and I was so bloody proud!
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Here’s a pic of me and dad after just finishing – proud moments! 🙂 3. I left my old job and started something completely new. This was a fricking scary move!! I loved my job when I was doing certain things, however I then got promoted – which was great, but I didn’t enjoy the new role and they wouldn’t let me go back to my old position, also there was always quite a negative atmosphere in the offices – this isn’t something you want to be around when you suffer from anxiety and depression. It got to the point where every Sunday I would get all worked up and upset about having to face work for the next week and that’s not right. I had no idea what else I could do as I went into this job from an apprenticeship, then I saw a job as an admin at an estate agents – mum pointed out to me that that was something I had wanted to do  (not that I remember) and so… I went for it! Low & behold I got the job and I am now so much happier. I absolutely love the guys I work with, even my manager offers to help me when I have a lot of work going on, I cry laughing on a weekly basis and we are a team – that’s the best bit!
4. I removed as much negativity from my life as possible, I try my hardest to focus on the positives and surround myself with people that I love, that love me and that make me happy. If I don’t want to go out one weekend because I’m not a hugely social person – I don’t work myself up about it anymore – I just say no sorry not tonight guys! But more often than not I do go out – and even though I try to keep it for just a few hours I do have a good time. With social anxiety it is very hard because you don’t want to go out but when you’re on your own and all your friends are out having fun it makes you very low – but I can talk about that more on another post!
5. Family time! This year my sister and brother-in-law who live in Australia (but temporarily are now living in Bali – life of luxury, I know!) came over to visit for a month or two as it was my dad’s 50th birthday. For the week of his birthday we all went to Centre Parcs so that’s my mum, dad, two sisters, my brother all of their partners plus myself and Rhys – and my lovely little niece too! It was so nice having the quality time together and we made lots of beautiful memories. The best two memories were going for my longest run so far with my dad round the forests – lovely bit of daddy daughter bonding time! And then we went for a big family meal and it absolutely chucked it down – I have never seen it rain so much in my life – it actually flooded in my hometown, which for Norfolk, UK is quite rare! But yeh we basically got to the restaurant, looked like we had swam through a lake, my dad had to actually ring his shirt out it was that wet… But we all looked a mess together and it was one of those you have to laugh or cry moments but we certainly laughed!
6. Finally – the best part of 2016 is that my gorgeous fella and I bought our first house and I love it! The process was amazingly quick and smooth if I’m honest! We were very lucky. I struggled at first as I was upset about leaving my mum and dad but I was super excited for this next adventure. So if you’re moving out soon and are worried it’s not normal to be upset – it is normal! It’s a lot of emotions to be dealing with! I myself am super close to my parents, especially with the battles that 2015 threw at me – so it was hard, but I think of it as I’m literally a 5 minute drive, one sister lives on the other side of the world and the other lives a 5 hour drive away, so I’m very lucky.
So all in all – on a personal level 2016 couldn’t have been much better. I know there were so many tragedies in the world alongside political madness and I think daily about how I can try to have an impact on those things but hopefully one day we will get there.
How was your 2016? If you had a crap year don’t let it bring you down – 2017 is your time to shine! 2014/2015 almost ruined me but I pulled myself out of it and hey look at me now!!
I hope you all have an absolutely fantastic 2017 and I shall try to keep in touch a bit more regularly this year 😉
Much love xoxo
LJ
ALittleMotivation 