2012 in Retrospect
Well at the start of 2012 I didn’t expect the year to turn out as fabulous as it did. I started the year with no route in my life, like previous years, feeling a bit worthless, like my life didn’t have a path and it was at times depressing wondering where I was going to end up.
But countless chats with family and friends, drinks, catch-ups, meals and texts over the months with everyone made worrying about my future feel unnecessary.
One of the earliest memories of 2012 was having a secret party to wave goodbye to a dear friend Ryan. No he didn’t die, he just jetted off to spend a year in Japan, and it was one of the most upsetting nights of the year, but all of our friends being together to send him off in true style was perfect, we drank, we sang, we danced, we laughed, we cried, we ate cheap pizza and had make shift Japanese signs around the place. It was a brilliant send off and from what we have all witnessed through countless updates from him is that he is loving life.
I’ve had numerous tanning disasters this year, trusting a bottle of fake tan was my downfall as the pictures show at Leanne’s 21st. Looking like you’re wearing a pair of white gloves isn’t the best look.
I’ve witnessed Becki’s daughter growing up into a beautiful infant, a true mirror image of her mother, the cheekyness and the glamour wrapped in one. She’s rarely without a tube of lipgloss! haha
I’ve experienced family worries, seeing my nan become a different woman, but non the less still a true character of the family. We’ve all pulled together to help out in any way possible and she is still beautiful inside and out.
My beautiful sister moved in with her perfect boyfriend and I’ve never seen her happier, he is a true gent and a credit to the family.
I’ve seen my mother turn her life around and become a shining beacon of inspiration. She is the happiest I have seen her in years.
I have settled into a new home, that I couldn’t be happier with, and it’s changed my life in ways I never imagined.
I’ve seen my beautiful friends graduate university and some who are near finishing and their ambition has influenced me a lot in the past year.
In September I put the wheels in motion to change my life and kick start a career with an opportunity through The De Vere Academy of Hospitality, and in the last three months I’ve shined bright, and shown my worth and I am more than pleased with every opportunity that has came my way for taking a true leap of faith.
I’ve now settled into a full time job in a restaurant, learning all the tricks of the trade slowly but surely and making myself proud in the process. It’s been challenging in parts, doing things I’ve never done before, stepping out of my comfort zone and diving in at the deep ends of pools that have only ever seemed distant.
In retrospect 2012 was a challenging but successful year, there’s been hello, goodbyes, and everything in between, but it has been a brilliant year for me, my friends and my family in a lot of ways.
A highlight of the last month though is finding out my beautiful auntie had surprised us all by coming back from Australia, I can’t wait to catch up with her properly!
I always say that I’ll make resolutions to stick to in the year upon us.
But I don’t feel the need to make any this year, because with a little bit of inspiration you can do anything, you don’t have to make lists, and deadlines to adhere to because some things just naturally work themselves out. All you have to have is a little bit of ambition, drive, and creativity and everything else will follow if you put in the hard work.
2013 will be a good year because it’s going to be what I make of it.
The only resolution I will make, is to get a jar and whenever I achieve something this year, I will write it down and put it in that jar, and at the end of next year I’m going to sit down and look at what the year has given me.
That’s a plan.