GOODBYE 2019: A YEAR IN REVIEW
It’s that time of year again! When “annual reviews” flood social media as people reflect back on the past year and make declarations of change for the next. I am guilty of “new year, new you” or “this is my year” mantras, but after stumbling upon a list of unfulfilled 2019 goals and a blog post from last year declaring my “resolutions”, it’s clear that resolutions don’t work for me and it’s time to try something different.
So, before I set some SMART goals, I’m looking back at the year for some acknowledgement and soul searching. Let’s take a look, shall we?
The Highlights
At the beginning of the year, we listed our apartment for sale and moved to New Westminster in April. Slowly we’re building our home to our liking and exploring our new neighbourhood.
In the summertime, I saw my brother and sister-in-law get married. Shortly after that, they announced they were pregnant. In 2020, we will welcome the first grandchild in my family.
In the Fall, I travelled to new lands with my husband and our friend. I never considered visiting Ireland and Scotland, but couldn’t recommend it enough to anyone else who is interested in going.
After many years of thought, I finally got my first tattoo! Coming from a conservative immigrant family, personally, this was a pretty big deal. Not only was it a beautiful form of self-expression, but it was also a divergence from my familial upbringing and values. I had a difficult conversation with my parents once I revealed it, I think more difficult than getting the tattoo itself, but it was also very liberating. Being 31, I am obviously an adult, but I don’t think I’ve ever truly felt like an adult until that moment.
In the land of hobbies, I honed my photography skills and brought that more and more into my career as a service offering. I challenged myself with portrait photography, art directing friends and getting a better sense for composition. Photography remains an ongoing passion.
In my career, I felt more established at my company, with greater trust in my voice and with stronger relationships.
The Lowlights
2019 delivered some personal and professional hardships and not everything was Instagram perfect. The closest to my heart was my mother-in-law’s ovarian cancer diagnosis in June. Over the last 6 months, chemo, white blood cell counts and treatment setbacks became the new norm. Needless to say, the process was scary and brought about many questions for our future family planning, answers we’re still working on. I’m happy to say her treatment concluded in December and she has a clean bill of health and we’re hoping it remains that way.
When it came to health, I struggled a little with my body this past year. In June I started experiencing some glute and hip discomfort that I’ve never had before. I imagine it’s from sitting at a desk, so it’s been hard to avoid or completely clear up. In addition, in September, I had to go back to physiotherapy for ongoing shoulder, neck and back issues from a 2015 car accident that totalled my car. It’s frustrating when your body cannot keep up with the demands of life. It has been an ongoing exercise in patience.
When it came to skills and hobbies, I made some pretty lofty goals at the beginning of the year without any real plan on how to accomplish them. For instance, I wanted to take classes, grow this blog and make my photography passion a side gig. Without a plan, my momentum died quickly and it’s not the first time something like this has happened. So, I’m not surprised I did not accomplish much in these areas. Of course, it was still discouraging to not check those goals off my list, but things don’t work unless you do, and I have to acknowledge that I did not put in the necessary work to grow in these areas. I know I need to take a hard look at why I let things lose momentum, and establish my priorities and wishes moving forward.
Forgive, but don’t forget
Clean slates and fresh starts are so tempting because they allow us to forget our failures and forgive our mistakes. But, how do we make real change if we do not carry those lessons with us? This year, forgive, yes, but don’t forget. Remember what worked and what didn’t so you can start fresh, but start smart. Every year is your year, never forget it!
