I was reading last year's post and laughed at the part where I said I hope to lose 3 more kgs this year because the reality is... I gained 3 more kgs instead!!! 😅 Obviously that will happen when I become a lot more slack in going for runs and eating healthy. I kind of let loose a little but thankfully it's only 3 kgs! I'll buck up next year. 😗
Well well well, here we go again, reflecting on what happened in the year. This year was... rewarding and unexpected. It was nothing like I could envision and BETTER than anything I was capable of hoping for last year. Somewhere in February, I remember I had a moment of euphoric realisation that I was in my most optimal state of being, both mentally and physically. I was grateful for all the good things I had in my life and generally satisfied. As though that was it, the 'happiness' I was looking for. The universe brought me a whirlpool of self-discovery through hours of reading and heartfelt conversations, leading to a big shift in mindset—a truly rewarding journey. ✨
For that, I have a person to thank for, a handful of close friends to thank for, multiple books to thank for, a bunch of YouTube videos, movies and drama recommendations to thank for, and most importantly, myself to thank for. 😌 My entire mindset and the way I view the world SHIFTED, drastically. It wasn't as though I'd never heard of some of those viewpoints before, but I couldn't understand them as much as I do now. Because of the shift in mindset, I was able to hold my emotions better and learn to be comfortable with uncertainties, aggressions, and confrontations by willingly choosing to be the bigger person because I now understand so much more. I consider people's intentions more and try to understand from their point of view without accepting their projection as my responsibility.
Surprisingly, while the shift felt gradual to me, the people around me could see the change in me and told me about it. It was as though I'd grown up overnight in their eyes. I feel more 'light' spiritually in a way where I can let go of expectations, whether from myself or others. It probably made me feel less uptight on the outside. Is this maturity a prelude to turning 30 next year? 😆
In the knowledge department; I now own about 50 books, about 10x more than all the books I had attempted to read in the past years. I am interested in non-fiction topics and can read books in traditional Chinese. I no longer have the pressure to force myself to finish reading a book or not leave markings in the book. Reading was never my thing growing up, but now I know it's about finding the right genre and topic! I also explored more music out of my usual taste and found plenty of new gems, even in English! I was a huge mandopop fan (and still am) so I rarely venture out to listen to other languages.
In the skillset department; I did learn the drumset this year! Thanks to a drummer colleague who patiently taught me the basics. It's so fun and I almost can't believe I can play the drumset. I went to floral workshops and learned how to make bouquets and table vase arrangements. I tried picking up Aerial Yoga with a few colleagues and it was so much fun! I also got promoted to a leadership role at work and now lead a team of four designers. It was super stressful at first due to the drastic shift where I used to be an individual contributor and had full control of my performance while managing people was a lot more difficult and the learning curve was steep.
In the experience department; I experienced sitting in a hot air balloon at Cappadocia, Turkey! The views were breathtaking. I appreciated astronomy – the stars and the moon – way more than I ever did, thanks to stargazing and moon-watching experiences. I studied Feng Shui too, more of the basics of Ba Zi, through a colleague who had plenty of interest in it. I travelled to Bangkok Thailand, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, Turkey and Bali Indonesia. I watched Jacky Cheung's concert, 李圣杰‘s concert and the &Juliet Musical. I finally went to HiRoller to rollerskate and had sooooooo much fun and bruises that came with the package. Hahahaha. Oh! I also took a DNA test from Circle DNA!
In the love department; I am still single but attracted to a person with a beautiful mind and soul. This is a public space after all so I'll just say that it's one where it's growing really slowly. But that's not to say I have never doubted my feelings for him or wondered about his feelings for me. I'd like to think that I should put focus on being in the present moment instead of foreseeing various outcomes in my head and self torment with the overthinking. Positively, I know that I have already "won" because I am able to feel a connection with this person in this lifetime and he has impacted me so much in ways I didn't know I could or even thought of. Realistically... I know I need that consistent clarity of knowing that someone wants me as much as I want them, instead of a... I'm good with or without. Till then, I shall protect my heart.
As I step into 2024, approaching the milestone of turning 30, I aim to continue attracting all the goodness in my life and eagerly embrace new beginnings. I’m confident my thirties will bring even greater fulfilment than my twenties. 🥳 I'm also thinking of solo travels, buying a property, fitting invisible braces, and getting back to the exercise routine! All the 'I want but not sure if I'm going to do it' things~ let's see if I eventually get to doing them. 😉
I'm super lazy to attach any pictures this year but I have done so every year so here's one from this year so I remember what I look like in 2023 – 20 years from now if Instagram / Facebook is gone and Blogger somehow manage to survive.
