Another Christmas

It's 21st December, the shortest day I believe and I'm so happy to make it to here.  The nights are going to start drawing out again and I feel like Spring isn't too far away. 

You know that I always get a bit melancholy around this time of year.  You try to power through with gritted teeth and optimism but with heart wrenching songs in the air and reminders of Christmas' past at every turn, it's tough.

Christmas Eve finds me sitting in my usual window seat at my weekend Starbucks.  I feel OK.  Normal amount of... Oh, God, have I done everything? Got everything?  But I think I'm OK.

I need to drop off a couple of presents and cards, have coffee with a friend, hoover, make a couple of calls and then wait for Bee to arrive after midnight mass.  She's staying here tonight.

I'm sitting here and thinking about the year.  I think I've actually had a pretty good one.  It's had massive low points, losing a dear relative, I feel like the diagnosis could have come sooner.  Being totally invisible at a family event because I'm a singleton hurt like I would never have expected.

Me? I comfort ate until around April, then I finally got my act together.  I think I'm now eating healthier than I ever have done.  I don't really crave anything which tells me that I'm giving my body what it needs.

I bought a Fitbit and I love it and I preach to anyone who will listen to me about it.  Even blokes I work with have started counting steps on their phones and have started taking the stairs instead of the lift.

I've had lots of baby cuddles from my new, great niece, and I can make her laugh, lifting her high and saying 'Weeeeeee' in a really high pitched voice or singing the Mnah Mnah Muppet song to her, makes her smile.

Work has been challenging but I've actually started to learn something new after a few years of stagnation. 

I got to see you, can't tell you how lovely that was.

I've sorted, decluttered, let go of stuff which I thought I would never be able to let go of and organised.  I feel lighter.

I bought a Bellicon rebounder and I love that too.  I still miss running and may go back to it but in the meantime, I can bounce/jog in front of the TV, it's fun and reminds me of being a kid.

I've had a couple of letters printed in Grazia magazine and I 'found' Instagram and am now the recipient of daily motivation and affirmations from some of the women I admire the most.

From a personal growth point of view... a good year.