2019 Lessons & 2020 goals

2019 has been a bit of a formative one for me, and seeing as it’s the end of the the decade, this year I’m going to try giving written reflections a go. I had some success the last few years with goal setting, so this year I’m going to make them public, hopefully to help hold myself to account! So here goes…

Lessons

1. You are more able than you think. That little voice in your head telling you that you can’t? Screw it, you can.

2. Don’t let other people’s expectations hold you back or bring you down. This one actually acts as more of a fire starter to me. Someone telling me I can’t do something usually ends up as a catalyst for proving them wrong. But I have noticed over the years that it’s the behaviours of people you care about that really hold you back. Yes, they’re usually meant with care, but learning to recognize those behaviours and not allow them to stop you is an important skill.

3. People are more kind than you could ever anticipate. The amount of times I’ve been lost, confused or stuck this year and been rescued by a stranger. I’ve been invited to eat, given lifts, taken to secret places… People amaze me every time.

4. People are also more stupid than you could ever anticipate. Sometimes people are baffling. Leave them to it, it’s not your problem.

5. Your insecurities are there for a reason. My biggest one has always been my stomach. I’ve been on a fitness journey the last few years, but it’s still it’s the thing that makes me feel less than. That was until I started reading about endurance athletes, in particular female endurance athletes. Ultra marathon runners, mountaineers. Did you know female athletes perform better in endurance sports? This is due to the way our bodies store and process fat. I’m starting to feel that my insecurity has been put there for a reason…

6. Falling down is okay, not getting back up isn’t. We all fall on hard times, we all have shit days. But dwelling on it doesn’t help. Have a mope, have a cry but crack on. Life’s what you make it.

7. Your body is amazing, look after it. This one took some time and effort. It took getting ill to appreciate my body, and when it was weak and in need of repair, the journey that came from that made me appreciate how strong and amazing it really is. The things this body has and will do. Since then I’ve viewed my healthy, strong body as my most valuable asset that’s taken me on some of the most amazing adventures. Feed it, water it, exercise it, rest it, love it.

8. Mindset is a powerful thing. The way you look at things really does change how you feel. Expecting every day to be amazing is always going to leave you disappointed. Expecting everything to be terrible is also going to lead to some dismal days. But being objective; this might not have worked out, but x, y and z have. What can I do to make myself feel better? Is much more proactive. Happiness is a journey, not a destination.

9. Everyone needs help sometimes (and if you don’t, you’re probably not pushing your boundaries). I struggled with this one. I’m a stubborn old mule, there have been so many things that would have been so much easier if I’d just asked for a bit of help. And when you are pushing your boundaries there will be more times when you need that help.

10. The world is more beautiful than I ever thought possible.

Goals

1. Run a marathon or a 50k.

2. Sort out my life for the next move abroad! (New job sorted, visa… Almost done. Now for the rest…)

3. Develop the skill set required to climb a 6000m peak. (With the plan to be ready for an Aconcagua climb the following year)

4. Get to grips with Mandarin! 学习普通话!

5. Explore even more!