My reflections on 2017

In this new year, I spent the first few weeks reflecting on just how much has happened in the last 365 days.  It was a whirlwind, quite frankly, and a bit overwhelming at times, but I made it to the other side of 2017 (and, since you’re reading this, so did you)!

In the last year or so, my husband and I recovered after our destination wedding, moved house in June, studied throughout the year to complete our classes and coursework, celebrated our one year anniversary, and both worked full time jobs.  Let’s just say the festivities for our New Years Eve were relaxed and a much needed quiet evening, filled with things that make me happy – like curling up with a good book and a cup of hot coffee.

As the newly revamped The Sarah Challenge’s first post for 2018, this post signals my desperate need for a reset.  I hope this doesn’t merely come off as a (late) stock standard NYE resolution post, though it does have the same theme of regeneration.

So, in this new year, I wanted to take stock on what I wasn’t so happy with in the last year.  Some of the major players include my need to tap into my creativity, my love of writing,  and share my passions, but also really go back to the basics.

I wanted to reflect on where I am and where I want to be and set challenges for myself to push myself.

Challenges that take me out of my comfort zone.

Challenges just for me.

What didn’t work in 2017

1. Unbalanced work/life balance

As mentioned above, the work-life balance wasn’t there – the scales were too heavily tipped in the work direction, leaving little time for experiencing other things that make me happy.  This was little to no space for downtime and things I enjoyed doing often were sacrificed in lieu of work.

Don’t get me wrong – I love what I do – but it’s not all of who I am.  I think over the past several years…work somehow became the biggest thing in my life.  I was waking up and falling asleep thinking about work.

2. Not enough downtime

I know I need downtime.  I need time in my PJs on the couch to watch my favourite shows.  I need time to curl up with a good book and not panic about all the tangled ends at work or the unfinished projects on my list.  2017 didn’t provide me with much downtime with its rather hectic pace.

3. Going through the motions

Waking up, commuting, working, coming home, watching TV, eating – not really thinking about what I was doing.  I wasn’t enjoying what I was eating or reading on the train: anything, really.  Don’t get me wrong –  I love food.  I love cooking.  But I’ve stopped enjoying it, and worst of all, I was eating just to eat.

I’ve been vegetarian for twelve years and somewhere along the line it turned away from greens and fruits and vegetables and, as easy to do with vegetarian food, my meals comprised lot of bread, pasta, and potatoes.  These are not the hallmarks for good health.

What is The Sarah Challenge?

The slow pace leading into 2018 provided the perfect framework for reflection; I actually felt my creative juices starting to flow again in the last few days, a few drips from a faucet last used years ago, something that hasn’t happened in quite some time.

The Sarah Challenge reflects this, in that it checks a few different boxes for me – the need to write, the need to create new things, the need to share a piece of myself.

I will set challenges for myself and blog about my experience in trying to meet that challenge – from making time for myself to read and write to my favourite recipes to DIY – in other words, things that I enjoy and perhaps forgot I enjoyed over the past several years.

My 2018 Challenges

Though these aren’t the complete list of challenges in the least, some of the conscious tweaks I will make to my life will steam from the main points above:

1. Work/life balance to allow space for creativity (and The Sarah Challenge)
2. Train for and run one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors
3. Practice daily mindfulness
4. Schedule downtime
5. 30 Day Yoga Challenge
6. Challenge my Vegetarianism

So, over the coming weeks I’ll start to post on these challenges with updates – and really focusing on what I want this site to become.  I can’t wait to get writing and challenging myself!