2014 in Review

I have planned to document some detail behind the aims of this year and this journey and I will do shortly. First though I think it’s important to reflect back on last year, as this will help me understand why I am doing this now and more particularly, what I will change and do differently.

For a few years I’ve been trying on and off to eat healthily, exercise etc. And this year I will try again, except I’ll be engaging my mind and so I think that this will make all the difference. I found this great list of 2014 review questions that I’ve been working my way through, and I’m going to share the most relevant ones here now. I believe it will put me in the right mindset to live the best 2015.

What was your favourite place that you visited in 2014?
I went to Hong Kong with my parents this year for the first time. First time to Asia, or anywhere East of the Middle East. It was a brilliant trip because I understood a new culture, got to understand the city, and went into our office to suss out any future opportunities there! A place perhaps I wouldn’t live and work, but one I’d definitely go back to.

How did your overall outlook on life evolve?
I’m not sure of my full answer to this - I don’t know quite what happened, but I do know that something did in order to make me feel so strongly about my choices and happiness this year. Certainly nothing bad - but I think the culmination of my busy, on the move life gave me the opportunity to start taking important things into consideration and realising that there is more to life to explore.

What experience would you love to do all over again?
Probably moving away with work - I’ve ‘moved away’ so many times, but this time - to a tiny island, was a huge change and I loved every minute of it! It was a tough decision whether or not to come back in September but I think I made the right choice. I think some things are only meant to last a certain amount of time, but it was 6 months I’ll never forget.

What was your most common mental state this year?
This is a tough one and I’d have to pick 2. One is confused - about my job, my future, my path, where I should live and work, what role I needed to pick last September, leaving my friends, relationships (although I don’t think that’s the right word). I was in control of all these things but it was just such a busy, rushed and confusing time. The second one though is probably grateful - for the fact thatI had all these choices! Not once did I feel alone, isolated or worried about what I would do. I also got to see a lot of friends I hadn’t seen in a long time last year, and make some wonderful new ones.

What was the most important lesson you learnt in 2014?
I did a couple of stupid things this year, made some silly decisions and didn’t always show the best side of myself. That’s not to say I regretted it at the time or even now, but it makes me think how I really should behave, and more than that - respect myself, and only do what makes me fully happy.