One last look at 2013…
We’re now into the third week of 2014, and so far on the blog all I’ve talked about is 2013. I need to get with the times, so this will be the final post I write that dwells on what is now behind us. Enough of living in the past, I say!
Holidays and the start of a New Year are great times to start making plans for how we want the next part of our lives to be. All the things we want to do, to see, to learn, to experience, to feel. I love to plan, and in previous years I would go charging ahead into dreaming and scheming. This year though (or last year, technically), I slowed down. I decided to spend some time reflecting on the year that just passed before I started thinking about what’s next. Specifically, I thought about all the things that I did that I was proud of in 2013. My achievements.
Of course, I started with a blank piece of paper, and an equally blank mind. I couldn’t think of a single thing. This is not something that comes naturally to me. Maybe it’s because I’m English; we like to be modest! Achievements sounds so grand, but I realised that my list didn’t need to be things that were big or important to anyone else. They just needed to be big and important to me. So slowly I began to write, and more things came to me, and I did end up with a reasonable list. It was a successful year after all!
I’m not going to share my complete list here, but here’s a few of the things that I’m proud of.
I organised a free community event in Perth called the Less is More Festival, which was a series of workshops designed to promote sustainability and conscious living by inspiring, educating and sharing skills. I had such a great time that I’m organising the 2014 event too, which is happening in just a few weeks.
I started writing this blog! My first post was on 28th March. Not only did I start, but I kept going, and as of today my blog has 451 followers. Whilst that may not be record-breaking numbers, for someone who was convinced that for the first six months my only reader would be my mother, I’m pretty thrilled that so many people are interested in what I have to say.
I started speaking at community events about sustainability-related things, including the Plastic Free July launch and closing party, and for Living Smart. I was even on the radio! Public speaking is something that terrified me at school, so I’m proud of this on two counts; firstly that I am considered knowledgeable enough to have something to share, and secondly that people think I am a good enough speaker to be asked, and invited back!
It wasn’t all about sustainability and community, of course. There are so many facets to our lives. Family and friends; finances, work and vocation; emotions and spirituality; recreation, education; health…
It is incredibly motivating to begin a New Year with all the positive memories and achievements of the previous year at the front of your mind. At the start of the process I was feeling pretty sure I didn’t achieve much last year, but by the end that feeling had blossomed into a sizeable list of things that I’m really proud I made happen, as well as things that I’m really grateful happened to me. Which is a great frame of mind to be in when it comes to making plans for this year.
If you haven’t done it already, there’s still plenty of time. Why not give it a try?
Congratulations on everything you achieved last year! I look forward to seeing what you manage to do this year. :-)
Thank you.
Keep on getting the message out! I’m following your blog so I can copy what you’re doing, and I’m sure I’m not the only one. So 451 people living more sustainably is a pretty huge achievement.
Thank you. I do feel like it’s a big achievement, I guess I felt like I should make it clear that I know that many bloggers have much higher reader numbers. But so what, right? This is about my achievements, not anyone else’s. I shouldn’t compare myself to others. I’m proud and that’s what counts : )
I’m impressed by the public speaking accomplishments (as well as the blog accomplishments) — I’d rather go to the dentist than speak in public!
Thanks! It’s something that I used to avoid as much as possible, but once I decided that I wanted to share what I’ve learned and try to inspire people, I realised that actually talking to them was a pretty good way of getting the message out there! Being passionate about something helps overcome the nerves a bit too : )