My year in words

This year has been an interesting year. I feel like I made a lot of changes. Yet, I don't really have any regrets, even about the hardest choice I made. Especially since I got the exact result I knew I would once I made that choice.

I feel like this year focused mostly on getting healthy. I spent my year counting my calories. I actually like counting calories, it is just one more thing I can track and I do love tracking random things. I also spent a lot of time working out, sure I could have worked out more/harder, but I think I did pretty good considering how little I have worked out in the past 10 years.

Here are some of the things I learned this year:

I learned that no matter if I stay within the recommended calories that my body is not going to be happy losing weight and will probably resist. Hopefully, 2012 will allow me to get over my plateau...

I learned that even if the scale isn't moving, other things are happening. I can now wear everything in my closet. In fact, I have actually got rid of somethings that are now too big. It is nice. I really don't plan on going back up ever, so I don't feel bad about donating clothes to the Road Home. Plus I am less jiggly. Sure some parts still jiggle and probably always will, but that is okay, other parts are no longer jiggling.

I learned that I can complete a triathlon (sure it was a sprint, but it was still a tri), a half marathon and 35+ miles on my bike (twice). I had some kind of organized event each month from April until October. It actually was really fun. And even though I spent a crapload on paying for the events, I think it was worth it. There is something about doing something with a large group of people, even if I am in the bottom 25%. The energy I got from the masses of people was worth way more than the t-shirts. Plus, I must admit, they were excellent excuses to drink chocolate milk.

I learned that it is okay to be me and not feel bad about it or apologize for it. This seems like such a weird thing for me to say, because I have always been fairly comfortable with myself, but there were/are some situations that I felt like I had to constantly defend myself or apologize for being me. Well, I am done with that (mostly).

I learned that it sucks to be rejected. Okay, so I already knew this in my personal life (as it happens A LOT), but I have never really had professional rejection. And boy, did I have some this year. While I am still having a hard time with it, I will get over it, hopefully. Though it would help if the person that "was better" could actually perform the job, or at least act like he is attempting....

I learned that I really love my friends. I don't have a lot of good friends, but the friends I have I truly love. They are such awesome people and I feel like they are always there for me, even if it is just over email or Facebook. And most likely if you are reading this, you are one of those people and I want you to know that I love you and appreciate your friendship!

I learned that I really love my family, even when they frustrate me. I can't imagine my life without them, even when I make hard choices about them. I am so grateful that I have two sets of parents and additional siblings/nieces/nephews. And what can I say about my wonderful sister-in-laws? They are the best! I love the women my brother's married and am so glad that I can call them up or drop by their houses to chat. And my Dad is just out of this world, we have done so many emergency projects in the last couple of months, it makes me extra glad I can call him my Dad. My Mom is one of the best out there, even if she comes to my house just to see if it is clean ;) I am glad that she stays at my house and even gladder that she has finally accepted that I am not a morning person and just can't have conversations before I eat and especially not before I shower!

I learned that I can no longer imagine my life without my pets. Occasionally, I think about what I will do when they die and I find myself fighting tears. The dog may get called the Damn Dog a lot, but she also makes me laugh every day. And the cat may terrorize anyone/thing that is not me, but to me, she is the cuddliest/sweetest/smartest kitty a girl could have.

I am sure I learned a lot of other crap, but my project is done uploading. So I can now leave the Starbucks and stop pretending to be a screen writer (it was my cover for mooching their wifi). Stay tuned for my plans for for the New Year (and probably a report on how I did on my plans for this year, this kind of was that, but not really).