What a Year

The last 12 months have been full, at times overflowing. There was great loss, great celebrations, and all the stuff in between. I rolled into my sixth decade, which was nowhere near as traumatic as I had been expecting. I didn’t suddenly develop any great new insights, but I also didn’t suddenly develop any aches and pains so I’ll happily accept that those two cancel out one another.

Both kids have left the nest, and the change has been challenging. As a parent, I wonder if I have made the right decisions and shared the right lessons. If the ongoing feedback I receive about my choices in music, fashion, stories, what (and how) I eat, leisure activities, movies and humour are an indication, I have made some big mistakes. There was a moment when I learned ‘fire’ was the new ‘lit’. Armed with my newfound street cred, I rolled out with ‘fire’ only to discover ‘gas’ is the new ‘fire’. Surely there is something in AI that can help me stay current…?

With coaching from the kids, I experimented with social media. It was a short-lived experiment. Instead, I have made it a personal mission to keep my screen time under 20 minutes a day. Given the field I work in, this is proving very challenging. My reliance on Google Maps to find my way to the letter box and back adds to the challenge, but I’m not letting it go.

It’s been 12 months since I invested in some gym gear for the garage. This has been a highlight. 24/ 7 access and the easy parking are game changers. Going through the mechanics of learning a new lift is the coolest thing. I am currently exploring the myriad of options for the deadlift and trying to remember the 1250 different ways to execute a kettlebell swing – thanks YouTube. My rudimentary garage gym is where a lot of problems are solved. I am forever recording voice notes or sending myself email reminders. Yup I graduated from pen and paper over the last 12 months.

The biggest thing the last 12 months have brought is the sense of discovery. Trying new things, sprinkling adventure into old routines and testing the thin ice a little. Some of this has been confronting and not always well thought out, but all of it has been worth it. Thanks to all those amazing people who have added to the last 12 months. Thanks for the lessons, challenges, adventures and successes. It’s been wicked!