It’s been a long old slog but we are finally here, it’s New Year’s Eve and time to say goodbye to 2016. I think we can all agree that this year has been pretty horrible but while many people are keen to write off the whole year as a rotten one, I think it’s important to look for the positives. It’s not black and white, there is no such thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ year. Your year will be as good or bad as you choose to remember it.
Over the Christmas break, I’ve naturally been reflecting on 2016. As we approach 2017, I wanted to mull over the ups, the downs and everything that has happened. There’s universal agreement that 2016 has had some very low lows, I think it’s important to consolidate the low points in order to learn from them and move forward in a positive way – everything is a learning experience. And of course it’s equally important to focus on the highs, celebrate the good times and give thanks for all of the good things in your life. Everything that happens is either a blessing or a lesson.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt this year is the importance of self-care – which I touched on in my post for self-care tips in the New Year. I learned the hard way that it’s not selfish to put yourself first, it’s actually essential. How can you give to others if you’re running on empty – which is what I was doing for months til I reached breaking point. I had no choice but to stop and objectively weigh up everything in my life to see whether it was helping me or hindering me.
It was liberating but also quite frightening spending time assessing whether situations or people were adding to my life or draining me. If it was the latter, it had to go. Sometimes in life you end up in circumstances or with people who just exhaust you rather than energise and help you. There’s a poet I adore called Warsan Shire, she sums this up so eloquently: “But sometimes your light attracts moths and your warmth attracts parasites. Protect your space and energy”.
I spent much of the year shedding – people, places, situations, homes, clothes, possessions. Things that no longer serve me, inspire me or help me to grow. But instead of losing anything of value in my life, I created room for more. I realised that I didn’t need to hold onto any of it, I was discarding dead weight and making room for new shoots to grow. The first half of the year was pretty tough, but I’d do it all again because I’ve come out of 2016 much stronger and happier than ever with great people in my life and a bright path in front of me. The year wasn’t all bad, I learned to let go and curate a life I love. A grateful heart is a happy heart.
I hope you have all had time to reflect on the year and consolidate the ups and downs. We’re all a lot more fortunate than we realise and hopefully when you look back on 2016, you’ll have happy memories and lessons that you’ve taken away. I hope your 2017 is full of happiness and love and that you see in the new year with a smile.
Thank you so much for your continued support of Fashion Daydreams and my writing, it means so much to me that you read my blog. I have so many exciting projects and more personal posts in the pipeline so keep your eyes peeled!
Reenax
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