Bye Felicia!
It's actually hard to write about 2016. I guess we all know how 2016 really is. It wasn't that great tbh. But guess what, we survived. I guess that counts for something.
It was the year I stepped out of my comfort zone and I'm still adjusting. Being far from home isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I miss my cats, family and friends. Back home, I was never alone and lonely at the same time (or at least I can't remember the last time), but I felt it this year. Not to mention the passing of one of my favorite people, my Lolo. I was so scared of how 2016 was turning out to be that I was so paranoid, I thought that anything I do would turn out really bad. It's like the whole year was in mercury retrograde.
I don't know what is in store for me in 2017 but I hope it would be awesome. I mean the last 2 weeks of 2016 was actually better than what I have expected. I'm crossing my fingers that it continues to go up next year.
So how can I wrap up this year? Well honestly, despite how vocal I am about hating 2016, it's really not that bad (I'm trying to be positive here ok?). I do have a couple of things that I'm thankful for.
*Drumroll*
1. Learning to practice meditation - I have been really anxious the 2nd half of the year. The anxiety had different manifestations but usually it's the I-can't-sleep-at-night effect. I worry about a lot of things, preparing for different scenarios that might happen, thinking of quitting and just going back, etc. So I tried different things, and the most effective one was meditating. I have used Calm before but did not stick to it. I tried it again this year, and forced myself to push through. And true enough, I had better sleep than before. I mean it's not foolproof, and I haven't really mastered the practice (I still get distracted) but it does help.
2. Churches - I am not a religious person, but I'm also not a non-believer. I just have my own ways of practicing my beliefs. But being here, far away from my family, my cats, and my friends, I have found comfort in prayer and churches (not to mention the church architecture here is awesome). I have also found time to light candles for my grandparents. I guess praying for them somehow makes me feel that they're watching over me and that sets my mind at ease.
3. New found friends and getting in touch with the old ones - I only had few new friends the past few years. I usually cling to those who stuck by me for better or worst (I'm annoying that way). So it's hard and nerve-wracking for me to reach out and socialize and meet new people (it used to be so easy!). That's why I'm thankful for those that I met along the way that continues to reach out to me. Asking how I am and if I needed help or just to chat. Also those friends that I haven't kept in touch for so long but still had the same effect when we got in touch and made me realized that I never really lost them. I may not show it that much, but I appreciate it.
4. Support across the sea - Like I said, I wonder what I did to deserve this love. Siblings asking if I need any help, parents asking me how I'm doing, random messages from friends, etc. Thank you technology gods for making it easier. I must admit that it made me miss you guys a lot and was this ->|| close to packing my bags and going home to hug you all, lol. But you have noooo idea how much your support and messages has helped me power it through. You believed in me more than I believed in myself and that made all the difference.
Special mentions:
It might seem not much, but it is for me. Those items on the list made 2016 bearable.
2017? I stopped doing resolutions, but yeah I hope whatever good I started this year, I could continue it next year. I guess that's it, WE SURVIVED 2016!!!!
It was the year I stepped out of my comfort zone and I'm still adjusting. Being far from home isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I miss my cats, family and friends. Back home, I was never alone and lonely at the same time (or at least I can't remember the last time), but I felt it this year. Not to mention the passing of one of my favorite people, my Lolo. I was so scared of how 2016 was turning out to be that I was so paranoid, I thought that anything I do would turn out really bad. It's like the whole year was in mercury retrograde.
I don't know what is in store for me in 2017 but I hope it would be awesome. I mean the last 2 weeks of 2016 was actually better than what I have expected. I'm crossing my fingers that it continues to go up next year.
So how can I wrap up this year? Well honestly, despite how vocal I am about hating 2016, it's really not that bad (I'm trying to be positive here ok?). I do have a couple of things that I'm thankful for.
*Drumroll*
Here are the things that made 2016 suck less!
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| Photo generated from 2016 best nine |
1. Learning to practice meditation - I have been really anxious the 2nd half of the year. The anxiety had different manifestations but usually it's the I-can't-sleep-at-night effect. I worry about a lot of things, preparing for different scenarios that might happen, thinking of quitting and just going back, etc. So I tried different things, and the most effective one was meditating. I have used Calm before but did not stick to it. I tried it again this year, and forced myself to push through. And true enough, I had better sleep than before. I mean it's not foolproof, and I haven't really mastered the practice (I still get distracted) but it does help.
2. Churches - I am not a religious person, but I'm also not a non-believer. I just have my own ways of practicing my beliefs. But being here, far away from my family, my cats, and my friends, I have found comfort in prayer and churches (not to mention the church architecture here is awesome). I have also found time to light candles for my grandparents. I guess praying for them somehow makes me feel that they're watching over me and that sets my mind at ease.
3. New found friends and getting in touch with the old ones - I only had few new friends the past few years. I usually cling to those who stuck by me for better or worst (I'm annoying that way). So it's hard and nerve-wracking for me to reach out and socialize and meet new people (it used to be so easy!). That's why I'm thankful for those that I met along the way that continues to reach out to me. Asking how I am and if I needed help or just to chat. Also those friends that I haven't kept in touch for so long but still had the same effect when we got in touch and made me realized that I never really lost them. I may not show it that much, but I appreciate it.
4. Support across the sea - Like I said, I wonder what I did to deserve this love. Siblings asking if I need any help, parents asking me how I'm doing, random messages from friends, etc. Thank you technology gods for making it easier. I must admit that it made me miss you guys a lot and was this ->|| close to packing my bags and going home to hug you all, lol. But you have noooo idea how much your support and messages has helped me power it through. You believed in me more than I believed in myself and that made all the difference.
Special mentions:
- Good food
- Finally a job that I'm doing what I want to do (YAY!)
- Re-learning the theories of Java Programming LOL
- Exploring new places, and still being able to travel
- "quitting" cigs, great beers
- finally being able to enjoy running/walking/dying for 5km,
- laneways, winter boots
- my child like abilities to be amazed at the tiniest things
- Korean variety shows.
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| Oppa, and a cat. What's not to like? |
It might seem not much, but it is for me. Those items on the list made 2016 bearable.
2017? I stopped doing resolutions, but yeah I hope whatever good I started this year, I could continue it next year. I guess that's it, WE SURVIVED 2016!!!!
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