Reflecting on 2016, and Looking Toward 2017
2016 is coming to a close in less than
a week. In some ways it seems like the year just started, while in
other ways 2016 seemed like the longest year I can remember. Although
this blog was neglected over the past few months, I am fairly proud
with how often I posted over the year. I wanted to take some time and
reflect on the year and talk about things hopefully to come in the
new year.
My personal life aside (for right now)
2016 was quite an interesting year. We lost countless souls. Many I
know lost close family, friends, and there were even a number of
celebrities just in this year alone that passed. From all of this
loss, to quite an interesting election (to say the least), all the
way to those shocking (at least for me) last four words of the
“Gilmore Girls” revival. The year was an interesting one to say
the least. Despite all of this, I wouldn't change my experiences and
growth throughout this year for anything.
I started off 2016 as a girl frustrated
with her weight-loss journey and the backtracking and just the
general lack of motivation and progress. I admittedly gained some
weight over the year, which I am not really proud to admit, but I
also gained some great things throughout this year as well. I started
not worrying so much about the number on the scale and more about the
person I am inside. I started looking to the future and not dwelling
on the past. 2016 had a ton of curve-balls for me and I believe I
took them in stride. I think if you read my posts at all throughout
this past year you noticed that. I am by no means throwing all care
to the wind and gaining all the weight back and not caring about my
health anymore... but I am certainly not letting that number define
me any more. I probably sound like a broken record here as a lot of
my posts this year reflected that.
The number one thing I gained this year
is confidence. Not that I had absolutely no confidence at all before,
but I certainly lacked it. I would constantly think about the past
and dwell on events that should no longer matter to me. I don't do
that anymore. Why worry about the things we cannot change right? My
weight does not determine my worth in my eyes any longer. I like the
person I am inside. I may have some issues with the person I am on
the outside, but I will change that. The great thing about time and
about being human is that we have so many resources and opportunities
to become the people we want to be only as long as we put in the
effort.
I truly believe I grew so much within
the last year. So many people came into my life and they each carried
a different lesson for me. Some of them stayed while some did not,
and that is perfectly okay. As cliché as it is, I truly do believe
that everything happens for a reason. I truly grew so much throughout
this year. I just wanted to reflect on all of that.
Now that the reflection portion is
through, I want to talk about moving forward. I have so many plans
for myself next year. One of these plans is the main theme of them
all. Never looking back. I spent so much time until recently dwelling
on the past. Even with this blog in a way. I always talked about what
I did in the past to lose the weight. Obviously that isn't working
for me anymore. My main piece of advice to anyone seeking weight-loss
advice is always to find a system that works for you. Just because a
points system works for someone or counting calories works for
another, that does not mean that is the magic answer. With those
words of advice I did not keep in mind that we are all changing every
day. Ever since I got off track and started gaining weight all I did
was just try to go back to what I was doing. Up until recently I
would try out my old way of doing things for a while only to be off
track again within a week or so. I never thought about that fact that
I am a very different person now.
Back when I originally lost the weight
I was 21 years old, a Junior in college, and just all around living a
pretty different life. I went to school all day and then worked
nights part time after school as well as getting my school work done.
Very different to today where I am almost 25 (turn 25 on Saturday!),
have a full time day job and my nights are mostly free. I have a very
different physical and mental schedule as I did back then and I
didn't really keep all that in mind when trying to get myself on a
healthier track again.
Looking forward and making plans for
the new year I have been mindful of that. I have been trying to plan
out a new system for myself such as meal times and a workout schedule
that I believe will better suit me. I am doing my very best to work
out something that I believe will work for the me I am today. I am
sure it will be a lot of trial and error, but when I work something
out I will be sure to share.
Starting now I am no longer determining
my present based on my past success. This is a new journey entirely
on its own. My weight today is my starting weight, not my starting
weight back then. With that I need a new starting picture. I still
have the same raggedy, wrinkled, stained tank top as I used in the
original one just for effect, but other than that this is me as I am
right now. As unflattering as it is, I wanted to share the photo with you all as the mark of my
new journey. So here it is... I look lovely don't I? Hair thrown up,
glasses, no makeup (rare these days, I know) and everything! :-P
I want to continue my growth in so many
ways in the new year. I want to find a new system that works for me
and share my progress with all of you. I am no longer dwelling on the
past and revolving my life around what I did back then. I really do
want to strengthen my relationship with God as well and I plan to try
and do that as well. I also want to do more writing both for this
page as well as side projects. I have a lot I want to do in the new
year, but it is also important to live each day as its own. Treat
every day as a failure or a success and realize that tomorrow just
marks the next start. Worrying about the future is no way to live.
Plans are great to make and work toward, but living each day is
important as well. After all as J.K. Rowling wrote: “It does not do
to dwell on dreams, and forget to live.”
Here is to the end of another year and
the rapid approach to the beginning of a new one. If you stuck around
to fully read this entry, thank you very much. I appreciate every
single read on this page. I wish you all a very happy and safe new
year and I will see you all with new postings next year! <3
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