my annual year 📖

I sit on a new bed in the same room wearing my second ever pair of joggers typing on a new MacBook Pro after drinking a bottle of Cava to myself. But how did I get here? In The Onion fashion, this is: “my annual year”.


2016: the year of “did I do that?”

My greatest accomplishment in 2016 stood on the shoulders of my second-greatest: I became a manager at big red. I was voted “People’s Choice” for best Customer Service Team Leader/Adviser. Now, I’m not the work obsessed gremlin ranking such an achievement would suggest, but it was the moment I accepted what I meant to others. I saw my best friend cry as I took the prize and felt like I’d really done them proud, in fact, I’d done myself proud.

my biggest change: I lost my social(network)anxiety

london trip photo

2016 was the first year I actually enjoyed public social networks. From Twitter to SnapChat and Instagram and back I actually enjoyed sharing my life on social networks. Actually, no, I wasn’t hung up on exactly what I was sharing anymore because I was just sharing snippets of my life. I think that’s kinda the point though, so go me for finally getting it?

I just spent 20 minutes or so reviewing Photos on the MacBook (which, by the way, is fucking seamless) and it reminded me of how much I’ve actually done this year, and more surprisingly, how much I’ve actually documented. Fuck, I’ve even taken selfies.

speaking of selfies…

selfie

I seemed to finally, after 24 years, crack the answer to the age-old question of “how do you want it?” when going to the barbers. In doing that (and after receiving at least one compliment) I’ve found myself taking much more pictures of my face. Until tonight I really didn’t appreciate how useful that actually is, as it’s enabled me to take stock on a lot of positives this year (right: German Christmas market with Alex). On a serious note, it’s really shown how much my confidence has improved this year on the whole–for one I’m now leading a team of 12 people which requires a lot of public speaking, which I’m unashamedly loving!

other memories (in no particular order)

  • traded in the MacBook Air for a 2016 MacBook Pro (review coming soon?)
  • spent annual leave away from home - alone!
  • travelled to London for a spontaneous day
  • Uncharted 4
  • felt financial stability
  • reached 10 stone, officially making me a “healthy weight” for my height

oh and I saw these two kittens all grown up

kitties!

Happy New Year <3

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