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1. Firsts
First full time job, first date... I'm sure there were many more. I feel like 2012 has been a year for me to experience lots of things that I hadn't had the opportunity to in the past.2. Bad choices
I have definitely not made some of the best choices in the last year, some of them resulting in me ending up hurt, down and most definitely feeling very unlike myself. For example, a lovely gentleman who had been pursuing me for a while and I have 'seen' occasionally over the last 12 months has turned out to be the biggest mind melt ever. He's made me feel worthless, cheated and this has to change! In 2013, I am going to be more self aware and try to work things out before I just dive in!
3. Saying yes.
I think this goes in line with first dates. I've said yes to a lot more things over the last year. Partially inspired by Zoe over at Zoella with the linked post. If it wasn't for that attitude, I'd definitely not have had half of the experiences that I have had and you know what? I survived. I find meeting people really hard sometimes and have found this last year and I can say yes and I will be alright at the end of it.
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4. Success
It was with a heavy heart in the summer that I had to say goodbye to a job that I absolutely adored. The problem with teaching contracts at the moment is that it is incredibly difficult to land something permanent. I spent a year working as an Intervention teacher and English teacher and had amazing results. Something clearly just clicked with the children I had and we all just got along beautifully. Luckily, I managed to make an impression on a Headteacher while I was looking around a school and I was drafted in at the close of the year to take over a full time job from Christmas. While this is only until the summer, I am hoping it will be fruitful!
5. Holidays
If meeting someone new terrifies me as I've mentioned above, going on holiday with someone I had met twice must have been something very, very brave! Luckily, J is one of my best friends now and I know I can trust her with anything. We spent a week in Tossa de Mar in Spain. It could have been horrible - we might have fought, fallen out, not had enough in common but honestly? Best experience of my life. Our holiday was so relaxed and just what I needed at the end of a tough year. We did very little apart from soak up the culture and drink cocktails. This needs to be a frequent thing.
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6. Adventures
These MUST continue in 2013. I visited Alnwick (repeatedly), Berwick, York, Durham, Manchester, Edinburgh (twice) and Derby to stay with J. I have 2 favourites of all of these. A lovely day spent at Edinburgh zoo with A and a trip with J to a butterfly garden. I love just randomly getting in my car and driving to somewhere or getting on a train and seeing what happens. This will definitely, definitely still happen. I want to go to Manchester again this year and also visit London. There's usually a trip to York in there too!
7. Health
Last year I finally too the bull by the horns and decided I needed to get a grip on my feminine health. For a while now, I've suspected I had symptoms of PCOS. I manned up and spoke to my Doctor who immediately referred me on for scans and tests. 2013 is going to be a year of health so there are plans for weight loss and generally getting healthier which can help to reduce my symptoms. I really don't know why it took me so long to sort it out!
8. Books
There were so many good books in 2012. Hunger Games trilogy was amazing and I definitely enjoyed the books more than the film... I'll also go on record as saying I have read 50 Shades of Grey and enjoyed all of them. It's not exactly amazing literature but it is nice easy reading. I don't think I read anything absolutely groundbreaking, I held onto my love for Jodi Picoult novels and discovered a love for Diana Chamberlain!
9. Camera
I got a couple of new cameras in 2012. I treated myself to an old school Diana f+ camera. It's been used a couple of times but I spend time just being baffled by it. I really need to take it out a lot more and actually learn how to use it. I also splashed out and purchased a DSLR. I absolutely love this and would say it is the best money I have EVER spent. I've been told my photos are really good and that you can see how much effort I am putting into it. I am going on a photography course later in 2013 so that will shed further light!
10.Dating
Dating is an absolute minefield. While I have spoken to some lovely people this year who I just didn't feel like I could date with the right intentions, I've also managed to date some absolute idiots. The first person I went on a date with, I ended up in a relationship for a while. He seemed really lovely, we clicked... then he turned into a bully. It wasn't my favourite time and left me with some severe doubts about myself! I've also dated a guy who I was with back in my school days. Unfortunately he now lives away and I let that colour my ideas of whether I could be with him. When I look back to it now, I really am thinking that I could have made the wrong decision.
11. Friends
I've discovered some of my most treasured friends this year. They all know who they are and if they don't I need to rectify that. When the chips have been down this year, there have been people I have turned to without fail and I am eternally grateful for all of them. There's been a lot of down moments and the most surprising people have been there. I now consider one of my closest friends to be an ex colleague who I haven't seen since I left my job. We speak every day and very often she really cheers me up. Another is an internet chum who isn't even in this country! I love it when she comes home to visit though. Honestly, I could not be without these people!
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12. Guilty Pleasures
"An internet chum who isn't even in this country"
ReplyDeleteI wonder who that could be? ;-) Love you bub xxx