Hitting Rewind: My Year in (brief) Review
When I was little, I often hit rewind to re-listen to a song I loved.
Photo: Daniel Schludi
And I’m doing that right now (metaphorically) with this past year, because man there were some good ones!
I’ve read a few posts where the blogger wrote about rounding up the last year or the last decade, and I loved reading about their growth and reflection! I also enjoyed reading about some fresh-start lists and goal setting for the new year. I liked both – looking back and looking forward - because I believe both are great things to do, any time of the year. If the beginning of January is your time to reflect and plan, or it isn’t, you do you. Whatever works is what’s important for your life and how you navigate it.
I think if we take a step back to look at all the good (and not-so-good) things that have happened, we realize how far we’ve come, recognize what we are able to endure, and remember how fortunate we are. And if we plan ahead, it gives us things to strive for, which is always a good thing in my books. So I like to do both!
I recently listened to a blog that discussed our memory of negative experiences and how we forget how bad or painful or uncomfortable we were in the moment (I think it was Hidden Brain, one of my favourite podcasts I wrote about in this post). And looking back at the last year (and ten years) of my life, I definitely can see that being true. I don’t vividly remember the raw in-the-moment feelings, but I know they were there. And this reminds me that, even in the stressful, high-anxiety-filled, upsetting moments, I’ve always made it out on the other side OK. And boy, oh boy were there those kinds of moments!
This past year, outside of the social media highlights, real life happened. It wasn’t just pretty pictures, happiness, and laughter. I cried a lot, felt inadequate, was unsure about my direction in life, dealt with loss and rejection, felt guilty, slept through alarms, missed an appointment or two, and, on occasion, felt depressed. That being said, I am so grateful for the positive things that also happened in my life and enjoy remembering them. :)
Here are some of the highlights from 2019:
I turned 32 and felt really good about it! Celebrated with my girlfriends from high school at The Botanist.
I launched my website and blog and am still working to figure out exactly what I want to do with it. :)
I started to grow my design business (steep learning curve, but I’m getting there!)
Brendan and I spent quality time together at our cottage on the Sunshine Coast (and shared it on Airbnb with a few guests)
I ran a 10K under 1hr, and I signed up for a 2020 half-marathon and began training (and I feel pretty good about it!) I also learned that I don’t smile when I run…
Spent a lot of time with my family which makes my heart full! And looking forward to more quality time together.
Brendan and I got engaged! (my sweet step-daughter gave her approval when she found out that I wouldn’t change and become an evil step-mom like the ones in the movies haha)
I filmed a TV show with these cool dudes (Worst to First, season 2) and it aired on HGTV Canada (and internationally!) Fingers crossed we get to do it again!
Connected often with my friends, hosted little gatherings, and really enjoyed watching everyone grow this year.
I shot my first commercial for TV!
I finished the year enjoying some memorable holidays with my loved ones in Vancouver, on the Sunshine Coast, and in Ontario.
And there were so many more on top of these!
Looking ahead to this new year, there are a lot of things I would like to do - both activity-based accomplishments and intangible ones. I’ll be writing another post next week reflecting on the goals and intentions I’d set for 2019 (at a breathwork event with On Our Moon), how I feel about them, and what I want to do for myself in 2020. Stay tuned for that one!
Hello! Catherine here.
I’m a Vancouver-based interior designer and love all things creative! I’ll be sharing things that inspire me, posting design tips and DIY projects, chatting about all kinds of topics, and hopefully inspiring some people to make little changes at home to create an environment that is functional, beautiful, and a perfect reflection of you!
