2014 At A Glance

So its quickly come round to that time again where we begin to look back and reflect on our year, on ourselves and what we have achieved or maybe the things that we haven't achieved.  Mostly I find the end of another year to be a bit of a bitter sweet moment: I'm excited for the new year ahead and for the prospects of a fresh start and new ventures that lie ahead but I also find it quite sad that another year of my life is about to end.

I've long since abandoned New Years Resolutions, and because I'm usually always thinking way ahead of myself,this year I decided to set a sort of bucket list of '25 Before 25' instead. I definitely found this a more fun approach to setting myself goals as it wasn't like resolutions where you basically just set yourself up for failure year after year.

And so when I think back on my 2014, I have to say that it was certainly a successful, healthy and eventful one. When you can glance back on a year and honestly say to yourself that you achieved something, were fit and healthy and did things that made you happy I think its safe to say it was a good year.

The game changer? Qualifying in my profession, starting my own business, quitting a job that made me miserable and starting one that brings me such an amazing sense of satisfaction and purpose. Doing a job that I enjoy and can be proud of has changed so much for me. I feel at ease and like my life is finally going down a path that it was made for. I'm more confident in myself, my abilities and I've done things this year that I never would have dreamed of doing before. I feel grateful to have had the support of everyone around me in my ventures, in letting me take a few risks and hopefully continue to watch them pay off.

I was lucky enough to go on two holidays this year, it was the first time I had been abroad since getting the dogs in 2011! I also got to see Taylor Swift perform her Red Tour at the 02 back in February - I LOVE Taylor so that was amazing. I spent quality time with my loved ones, celebrated quite a few big events with my family over the course of the year, dad won some money on the lottery in January and took us all out for a lovely meal, then my mum turned 50 in the summer and we also had a pearl wedding anniversary in 2014.

Something I never imagined I would be able to do, but did this year and that was learn to crochet. I've watched my mum crochet on and off all of my life and have always thought it beautiful. Over the summer and thanks to much patience from her, this cack handed leftie somehow managed to pick up the art of crochet. It was so rewarding when I finally got it - I've loved making things for myself and to give to other people its been a really lovely skill to learn and hopefully it will be something that sticks with me.

I know that sometimes its easy to take things for granted, but looking back at this year has made me realise that I have so much to be thankful for. I wish that I could learn to better appreciate every single day the health of my loved ones that are all at arms length to me. Next year may not be so smooth sailing, but I will try my hardest to remind myself of the enormous sacrifices my family are about to make. I live in the hope that my parents' utter selflessness will be worth it in the end.