2018 is almost over, the Christmas decorations are being packed away in boxes and I’m recovering from eating and drinking far too much over the holidays. But before I welcome in the new year with friends and family, I like to spend some time reflecting on how my year has gone, what lessons I’ve learned and what I want to achieve going forward so that I start the new year on the right foot. So, here’s my year in summary.

2018, what a year!

Looking back, 2018 has been a really great year. I can’t list everything but here are some of the highlights.

It started off with me living back at home with my family and commuting 2 hours into London every day for the first 5 months. Think 5:15 am alarms, crammed trains and falling asleep at my desk before lunchtime. But the positives outweighed the negatives. I got to spend more time with my family than I have in the past 7 years (due to being away at university or living in London). I went back to my old dance school which was my new year’s resolution and competed in the charity Strictly Banbury competition, raising money for some fantastic local charities and meeting lots of amazing new friends in the process. I also found more time to cook and started to read again.

I was lucky enough to travel a lot. I visited Rome, Barcelona, Scotland, Malta, South of France and Paris. I reconnected with old friends, made new friends and had some quality time off work unwinding from my somewhat hectic lifestyle.

I moved back to London!

At work, we went through a lot of change with the appointment of a new leadership team and a complete restructure of our function. I got the promotion I’ve been working hard towards for a while now. I lead my team of marketing executives to win an empowerment award. I passed the PwC Pantomime audition and was asked to be part of the ensemble for Sleeping Beauty 2019 which I accepted. Recently, I also found out that I’ve been chosen to be a part of the Founding 50, for the School of Marketing.

I became an aunty for the third time to my nephew Ethan, who I love. I was asked to be a bridesmaid for my sister’s wedding. We celebrated my grandpa’s 80th birthday with the whole family (which is the first time we’ve ever all been in one place at the same time).

And the smaller things such as spending quality time with my friends, going back to my favourite gym in London and just leading a healthier lifestyle has made this year one of my favourites and I am grateful for everything and everyone that I have in my life.

Of course, no year passes without its lows but it’s always important to push through those and find the positives and opportunities life presents. So that’s what I did, but what did I learn from all of this?

Lessons I’ve learned

2018 has taught me 3 important lessons that I will keep with me going into 2019, and I want to share them with you as well.

1. To listen to my mind and body. I have learned that it is important not to take on too much at one time to avoid burnout and focus on doing a few things really well. Your mind and body are pretty good at telling you when you’re doing too much and it’s important that you take note of that and respond appropriately by resting, stepping back and taking regular time off work (rather than once a year in one big clump). Also, don’t underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep!
2. Persistence is key. There were times during the year that I just felt like giving up and switching off. There’s always a little voice in your head saying what’s the point or no one cares but if there’s something important that you want to do or achieve, then I’ve learned that persistence and hard work is the way to do it. Don’t let those voices overrule and keep working at it until you reach your goals.
3. To push myself out of my comfort zone. I’m generalising but I would say that people often dislike stepping outside of their comfort zone because it’s scary and often not necessary to do what you need to do in everyday life, including me. However, this year I have realised that pushing myself to do things outside of my comfort zone has led to the most interesting experiences and rewarding outcomes, helping me to grow as a person. So if you’re thinking about what to do in 2019, I would encourage you to try something that is outside of your comfort zone.

Looking forward into 2019

After a great year in 2018, I’m really looking forward to seeing what 2019 has to offer and what I can make of it. Sometimes I make new years resolutions, other times I don’t but there are a couple of things on my list for 2019 that I’m looking forward to getting stuck into.

1. I’m really looking forward to getting started on the Founding 50, School of Marketing project in January and meeting the inspirational people that I’ll be working with.
   
2. I’ve almost finished planning the trip I’ve been dreaming of my whole life to California.
   
3. I’d like to write more. More blogs and if I can get my book started, even better!
   

If I achieve these things then I’ll be one happy person!

I saw this quote on Instagram. I don’t know where it originated from but it was shared by @thefemalehustlers and I think it nicely sums up what drives me to be ambitious and chase my dreams. Whatever it is that you want to focus on in 2019, let the following be your inspiration.

“Don’t allow your life to just be fine. Or okay. Or even good. Make it brilliant, spectacular, wild, extraordinary. Fill it with excitement and adventure, be passionate and fearless, search for freedom and opportunity. You only get one life, so make it count. Make it mean something. Make it yours.”

Wishing you a happy, healthy and successful 2019! x