2022. Whew, what a year.
It has been the most transitional, turbulent, freeing, transformative year of my adult life. (I’ve specified ‘adult’ there as I imagine the baby years were transformative too. From newborn potato to walking, talking human takes a bit of transitional work.)
The me from January 2022 was determined that this would be the year of change and she followed through in a big way. My life here in December 2022 is entirely unrecognisable from the one I was living 12 months ago.
Naturally with big change comes some big emotion. However, I have ridden the wave of 2022, and I’ve made it to the shore safe, sound, and incredibly proud. I haven’t been in such a positive mindset for as long as I can remember. The hardest work is done and the foundations are laid for things to go up, up, up from here. I’ve switched analogies mid paragraph haven’t I? Am I a surfer or am I a builder? I seem to be both. So multi-faceted.
In a rare break from riding waves or laying foundations, I went for a run this afternoon and reflected on the year that’s been. Good and bad moments flitted across my mind as I glided like an elegant gazelle through the streets. (There are no witnesses to say otherwise so you’ll just have to trust me on this one). I came home and jotted some of them down below. I’ve binned the less perfect moments from the list in the spirit of toxic positivity.
So, here you have
An Eclectic and Not-in-Order List of Some of My Best Moments of 2022
The movie moment airport reunion with mum
Turning on my OOO for the final time
When it dawned on me that somewhere along the way work friend turned to life friend turned to best friend
Walking through Manhattan full of giddiness purely for the fact that I was in NYC
Rooftop BBQ with an Empire State Building view
Having the Beijing girls all together for the first time in 8 years
Seeing a true friend marry her true love
A run on the beach with my favourite Swede
A lunch date that turned into a 48 hour staycation
Following my heart over my head
One last Florida sunset on the beach surrounded by some of my favourite ever women
The first bite of pizza after a 3 month seperation
Playing volleyball again and remembering how much I love the sport
A blue sky, Scottish, coastal weekend, with non stop delicious food bite after bite
When Harper first attempted to say Lisa, and then also when she actually learnt to say Lisa
Basically everything about sobriety
Seeing the first sea lion at the bus stop in the Galapagos
Sleeping with a duvet again after months of sheets
Wearing my heart on my sleeve
Finding out that my Mayan “zodiac” is the monkey, or the artist
A very improbable romantic encounter that made no sense but perfect sense
The moment I realised I was free of a difficult relationship and actually cheered alone in public
My baby turning 30 surrounded by so much love
Finishing the 117km Camino walk
Dad saying that having kids had significantly improved his life
Standing up for myself
That first night in a twin room instead of a hostel
My heart bursting on a bench in the Meadows and wanting to laugh and cry simultaneously
Breaking through a mega pesky internal block
The incredibly kind and lovely feedback I received after finally starting to write again
The toadstool message from the universe
Nosecco and heart to hearts al fresco with my soul friend
That day at Neighbourgood Market
Reconnecting with old friends and picking up right where we left off
Getting back to Edinburgh
Flipping a coin to decide my future
An uncertain date that ended up being a really, really great date
A reunion with my ducklings
Surprising Nikki with an MJ shaped appearance
Laughing til I cried time and time again
Watching the sun rise in Belize
That whole day in El Salvador
Starting the year hangover free and with a Jan 1st 5km run feeling smug as hell
Singalongs outside the beach house
The simplest but most amazing bowl of cornflakes
Costa Rica barbeque-ing as the sun set
Fateful timing and the universe bringing me the connection I needed at the perfect moment
The most ridiculous and fun no ski ski weekend
Finding out that love really is all around (didn’t think I had this level of cheese in me)
There you have it. A roundup of some of the happiest moments that came to mind first when I reflected back. Even in the brief time since I finished writing the list above more moments have come to mind. I could spend hours on this exercise and write a list with a thousand moments on it, but a) that would get a tad dull, b) there’s some moments I’d like to keep for myself, and c) I can’t actually run for hours. So I’ll end it there.
2022: It’s been everything. 2023 sure has some big boots to fill. I believe that she, and I, can do it though.
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Loves this post!
Thanks Lina
Thanks for the article!