2015 - a year in reflection

Well that flew by remarkably quickly.

I think for me 2015 was a year of change. People always say that they're going to change in the new year to become "a better person" or something vague like that but I think I'd remained largely stagnant for at least a couple of years prior to 2015 if I've got to be honest. Sure, I'd challenged myself in the work arena in that I dived headfirst (could be a pun) into areas of occupational therapy that were completely foreign to me and I've since pushed my anxiety levels a notch or 50 higher. However, outside of work, I wasn't really doing much to better myself until my 26th year. 

Fitness was a little inconsistent. I think for the first half of the year, I was pretty good in that I attended the gym for an hour or so three times a week but then I kind of fell off the bandwagon after I moved out of home and switched gym. The new local gym is quite little and I feel like people are constantly waiting their turn. The pressure freaks me out so I lack variation and don't go as hard as I should. I definitely definitely definitely do not go as often anymore either. On a few occasions, I've received messages from the gym asking whether I'm okay. Yep, just sedentary.

Moving out was a pretty good thing, I reckon. Financially probably not the best decision I've ever made but I think my mental health has improved immeasurably. No offence, Mum. Now that the guilt has worn off, she and I have a way better relationship and really appreciate each other so much more. That is, unless we spend more than a couple of hours together! PTSD flashbacks of taking her furniture shopping and staring at two couches for about 4 hours. Or driving her to a family gathering and having a Vietnamese nag-o-saurus acting as a GPS on top of the GPS I already had switched on. Don't get me started on the latest challenge - teaching her to use a smart phone. I brought that upon myself really. Worst present idea, ever.

Piano is something I've definitely fell off the bandwagon for. It kind of took the back-seat on my priority list but the thing is, it's not like had that much to do for the most part of the year. I was just exhausted and would more often that not choose sitting around like a sloth over exercising some discipline and practising on the piano.

It's pretty darn cheesy but I must say that travelling has really opened my eyes in 2015. It wasn't a huge challenge for me in that I'd booked almost a year ahead and I went with a few of my closest friends (carefully selected to avoid any charges for murder). Having said that, the epic Euro trip really made me aware of just how sheltered I am. I think as I continue to travel in the coming years, I'll likely appreciate just how lucky I am to have been born and raised in Sydney. The world out there is so vast and to think that I am only one of what... 7 billion people? That blows my mind. So many friends to make! So many people to people-watch! 

Allowing myself to fall in... (ugh don't wanna say it) love, blergh! Corny central! It took me a good 18 months post-heartbreak to really feel okay and be open to the idea of holding hands and pashing someone else. I admit, a year and a half-ish is a fairly long time but I'm glad I didn't rush into anything. Unfortunately/fortunately 2015 involved several rejections (me being the rejector, not the rejectee mind you) and plenty of awkwardness before I stumbled upon my new favourite un-related male. Pretty sure he's not related, anyway. He doesn't look all that Vietnamese. 

//Side-note// I just checked up on a bank account with UBank and this ad popped up in the banner "UHOMELOAN!" As in, U-HomeLoan. I don't think they factored in the possibility of the ad being seen by dumb people like myself. 

Nam: "What's a uho meloan?" 

Honestly, how did I even get this far in life?

I've kept my resolutions on my phone, which thank goodness were recovered via my samsung account after that hoodlum stole my phone in the Paris underground.

Without further ado, the results of Nam's 2015 Resolutions as follows:

1) Detox from ex and related sluzzas - I struggled with the self-loathing and the stalking for months and months but I can safely say, I wouldn't even notice if these people were abducted by aliens off the face of the earth - ACHIEVED!

2) See dermatologist and fix ya mug - Though I'm like six months overdue to call for a review, I look way better and have more confidence in my appearance now that I've fairly clear skin. Self esteem is no longer sub-zero, just zero - ACHIEVED

3) Basic command of French at tourist level - Hmm rather subjective. I think if locals respond to me in French without laughing then - ACHIEVED (however I reckon I should go back to uni and continue)

4) Donate blood x 3 - ACHIEVED

5) No muffin top - I maintained a flat stomach for like two week and then ultimately - FAILED

6) Read 6 books to completion - I only got to 4 - FAILED

7) Learn 4 piano pieces - Probably like one or two at most - SUPER FAILED

8) Less than 30 minutes social media per day - SUPER MEGA ULTRA FAILED

Laptop battery is running out and plugging it into the wall requires way too much effort. Hah, perhaps this is an indicator of my motivation for Nam's 2016 Resolutions.

SMART goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely. 

	SPECIFIC	MEASURABLE	ATTAINABLE	REALISTIC	TIMELY
1)      Sleep	Sleep a total of at least 30 hours per work-week	No. Of hours to be entered onto phone calendar daily Add up quarterly – Set reminders for same	Alarms set telling me to go to bed at 11:30 Phone and iPad switched off by 12:00am weeknights	Yep Greater energy levels à better work performance, mood, productivity, health	Review every quarter
2)      Piano	Learn three piano pieces to performance standard (for a noob)	Uhh... count to three.	One hour piano practise every second day – alternate with gym Use lesson notebook as a practise log	Yep Improve stress levels,  concentration,  memory and coordination	By Dec 31st 2016
3)      Exercise	No jiggly bits	Gym 3 x 1 hour per week	Cardio, free weights, abs, UL resistance	Yep, however may end up with chicken legs	By winter; 1st June 2016 Maintain and review come Summer
4)      Red Cross	Plasma donations	Donate plasma, not whole blood x 3	Once per quarter with an extra 3 months in case I’m overseas	Yep	By 31st Dec 2016
5)      Save the monies	Set aside at least 10K this year	Check bank statement and aim to have an added 10K to balance!	$500 per paycheck, with some tight-ass leeway for car and incidental stuff	Probably? Potentially not.	By Dec 31st 2016
6)      New Zealand	Visit Bilbo’s house and hit the slopes	Am I in a plane departing for NZ?	Apply for leave and book tickets by May 2016	Yep but at the detriment of resolution no.5, hah.	By September 15th 2016
7)      Lymphoedema competency	Know what the heck I’m doing at work without wanting to assume the foetal position several times per day.	Tick off all core competencies	Fortnightly supervision sessions Block out an hour per fortnight to prepare/read up and not spend the time cramming stats or catching up on admin	Yes	By end of first half of rotation – August 2016
8)      Personal life	Not break his heart	Zero death threats from boyfriend	Continue talking daily Don’t be a closed off meanie, that much Communicate in his lame love language thingy	I suppose	Til he breaks up with me, LOL
9)      DEAR	Increase reading for pleasure	Finish 5 books	Read on the way to work (if taking the train – no reading while driving 70kmph) Sunday morning reading time with tea	Yes	By 31st Dec 2016

My OCD tendencies are acting up and I'm annoyed that I came up with only 9 goals, not 10. I could make up another goal but that means there'd be more work to do in order to achieve said goal, so no.

It's on the internet so now I must be held accountable, right?