Hey all! Hope everyone had a wonderful holidays and New Years! I’ve been M.I.A. from the blog world for the past two weeks, as you may have noticed. I have been keeping up with everyone’s blogs, but obviously not commenting as much. I’ve had lots of new and exciting things come into my life this month. Things have been busy, but I’m so ready for the changes that are brewin’!
Generally I’m not a huge fan of the “Year in Review” blog posts, because I’ve probably been following your blog for the past year, and already know what you’ve been up to! (Hey, just sayin’…) But after reading through a couple review posts, I realized how awesome it will be a year from now to compare my 2011 to my 2012. So for purely selfish reasons (and because I haven’t been blogging since the beginning of the year, so you probably don’t know what I’ve been up to) here is my 2011 in review.
It hasn’t been the greatest year for me. I went through a loss, a layoff, and a lot of job unhappiness. But there were some positives and definitely a lot of lessons learned!
~~~
January
– After a terrible snowboarding accident, and what seemed like a successful recovery, my family loses my uncle to a pulmonary embolism. It is the first time I truly see my dad devastated. I spent a lot of the past year (2010) wondering what was the reason I had ended up back home when I hadn’t planned on moving to my hometown after graduating nursing school. I realize that maybe I was meant to be close to home when this happened so I could be around to support my family.
– To deal with my own grieving and the increasing stress at my job, I start practicing hot yoga every single day.
February
– Lots and lots of work stress. There is talk going around the office about an impending layoff. We are all waiting with bated breath.
– I am one month into my everyday yoga practice. I swear this was the only thing keeping me sane at the time…
March
– The rumors are true. We receive one month’s layoff notice at work, with potential for a layoff extension. Wonderful.
– I complete a 60-day hot yoga challenge. I am exhausted, but in great shape!
– I make a quick trip back to Kamloops to visit some friends.
– I run my first trail race, and end up falling into a cactus. I finish the run with spines sticking out of me! Then, a day later, I experience an allergic reaction where the spines punctured me (mostly on my arm).
– On the last day of the month (and the day our layoff notice gets extended by three months), I decide to walk away from my position. I am devastated, but know I can’t continue working in a toxic workplace.
April
– I don’t work for most of the month, but I quickly get hired at a new workplace in a similar position to my last job.
– I run the Vancouver Sun Run 10K. Unfortunately, my Kamloops ex beats me by a couple minutes. Friendly competition.
– I turn 24, and celebrate at Chippendales. Yup, classy 24th…
– I travel to Vancouver Island with two of my university professors to do a presentation to nursing faculty from all over BC and up north. Exciting stuff!
– I buy my first brand new vehicle!
– I make the decision to not proceed with starting graduate school (Masters) this year, and instead pursue my dreams of Medicine/Dentistry.
May
– I start my new job.
June
– I move into a brand spankin’ new apartment.
– My friend and I spontaneously go to a Rihanna concert, and have the best time rockin’ out to RiRi!
July
– I fulfill one of my life’s dreams of seeing Britney Spears (and Nicki Minaj) live in concert… Don’t judge. I was emotional and ecstatic. It was an awesome night!
– I reunite with some friends from nursing school at my old roommate’s wedding in the city.
– I go on a whole slew of very interesting dates. They all made for some very interesting stories, and made me realize I’m in no rush for a relationship at this point in my life.
– My brother moves in with me.
August
– I head out to good old Nelson, B.C. to see my little cousin get married! The best part of the trip is getting to road trip with my mom and realizing that we are finally starting to develop a friendship.
September
– I start my Chemistry course.
– I go to the hot mess of a Ke$ha and LMFAO concert. That’ll be my first and last time attending one of their shows… Sorry that I’m not sorry!
– I get “officially” accepted into university, to start full-time studies again in the Winter 2012 semester. Here we go again!
– I get hit with tonsillitis, but recover very quickly (as I always do).
October
– My brother gets a position up north and moves out. I’m on my own again!
– I attend an out-of-town work conference and come to a few disturbing realities about my job while there. I leave pretty devastated, but knowing I have very legitimate reasons to make a change so I can be happier and healthier in my working life.
– Run a 5K race with my best friend!
– I make the decision to give my notice at my apartment for the end of November to move in with a couple friends. I make this decision so I can (a) save money and afford school, and (b) so I can work towards a job change.
November
– I run my first half-marathon… While injured. However, I’m not acknowledging my injury at the time because I’m so determined to run this race. Not really smart, but I finish!
– I run another 10K and set a PR… Ya! While injured.
December
– I move into my new place, and am adjusting (to a lot less space).
– I am now dealing with a severely injured foot and ankle. I start intensive physiotherapy.
– I celebrate my one year vegi-versary! I’ve actually been a vegetarian for longer, I just never stuck with it as seriously as I did this time. I’m so happy being veggie and plan to never turn back!
– I get hired for not one, but two new positions – one RN position, and a care director position. Whoohoo! Things are a-changing!
– I spend Christmas with my family, minus my brother who is stuck working up north. We celebrate Christmas over webcam.
– I get hit with gastroenteritis thanks to new job.
~~~
Reflecting on the past two years, I realize that I have gone through a lot of hurt and loss. In 2010, I had some of the most significant relationships of my life breakdown. I also went through the loss of finishing nursing school, moving out of a city I’d lived in for the past 4 years, and leaving friendships behind. In 2011, I went through losses with my family and my job. I processed through many feelings of anger, betrayal, broken heartedness, sadness, and depression. But through it all, I’ve come to realize that as humans, we all go through pain. Going through my own painful times has made me more compassionate towards others. I want the theme of this year ahead to be “peace and kindness.” Inner peace with who I am and what I’ve gone through, and moving forward without any ties to the hurt and pain of the past couple years. And in regards to kindness, I just want to treat others kindly. Not that I don’t, because I like to think I’m generally a good hearted person, but in stressful moments or moments where I’ve been hurting, I’ve sometimes been too self absorbed to be there for others. One of the greatest gifts you can give someone is to act kindly towards them. People remember kindness.
Also, keeping on the theme of kindness, I have decided to stop eating fish. Fish is the only animal flesh I have continued to consume, and I’ve decided (for many David Suzuki reasons) that I want to omit it from my diet now. It’s a personal choice for me, and I have nothing to say to any fishy eaters out there other than *pretty please* do your research around sustainable seafood! Let’s make sure we keep our friends in the ocean around for a long time.
One of my own fish friends.
I’m ready for 2012. I feel like this year and the next couple years have the potential to be some of the best years of my life. I’m moving forward without fear in the direction of my dreams. Life is good.
Chasing After Dreams 