Your Personal Year In Review

Usually I reflect and make resolutions on my birthday instead of at the end of the calendar year, BUT this is an amazing year-end list! Melissa at birds.eye.view posted this listy quiz of sorts By Ariane de Bonvoisin and found on HuffPo. As Melissa says, it’s one you do yourself!

* What was the best thing that happened to me this year?

My husband and I moved into a two-family turned two condos with all the original 1920's charms and we have made it a home.

* What did I do this year that I’m really proud of?

I have always wanted to volunteer. Finally, instead of just searching for opportunities, I took action. Volunteering is more challenging and also more rewarding than I ever imagined.

I began blogging regularly and putting myself and my writing out there in just a small way. Facing that fear is something I am proud of.

Started focusing on my mental health and am taking steps to improve it.

* Who did I really help?

I like to think I have helped my fellow volunteers and the families I have begun to know at Perkins School for the Blind.

Volunteering/Interning at Teen Voices Magazine, I hope I have helped the young women I have been working with to grow and change for the better.

By sending words of encouragement, contributing to Threads of Love, and spreading their story to everyone I can, I have tried to help the Nielson Family in my own small way.

I have tried to help my friends and family by always being here to listen, emote, and love.

I have tried to help my husband by getting up every morning to make his lunch and send him off to work with a hug and words of encouragement, by thanking him every night for working so hard to take care of our little family and for all of the support he gives to me no matter what, by participating in events that his employer puts on (volunteering at charity run, making apple pie, going to the Holiday Party), by fully understanding and encouraging all of the work travel he needs to do, by keeping the house running so he can leave his stress at work and fully relax when he is at home, and by just loving him.

* Who do I need to thank and acknowledge for having been there for me?

All of the people who I have helped have in turn helped me.

The other volunteers at Perkins have been friendly and encouraging. The families at Perkins have shown me what true courage and love really are. The child I worked one-on-one with at Perkins helped me to be patient, adapt, see the world in new ways, and pay attention to and acknowledge even the smallest accomplishments.

The young women at Teen Voices have helped to recognize that "normal" varies from person to person. They have helped me to be a better leader and listener. They have helped me to see my own possibilities by exhibiting theirs.

The Nielson and Clark families have helped me to grow in faith, to cherish every moment, to be grateful every day, to find the positive in every situation, to begin to figure out what I want my family to be like should my husband and I be blessed with children, to show my love to my husband every day in every way... Just so many lessons from NieNie, CJane, AliceKind, Lizzy Writes, and Christian.

My friends and family have helped me by being there to listen, emote, and love.

My husband has helped me by supporting our family, giving me the freedom to pursue all of my pursuits to the fullest, letting me be me, loving me just the way I am... Just being the incredible man he is... The yin to my yang.

* What are the top three lessons I learned?

It is more than o.k. to seek help when you need it.

We are all the same, even in our differences.

Our strength lies in our weaknesses.

* What increased my happiness and joy this year?

Making friends with complete strangers through blogging and volunteering.

Finding time for writing in one way or another nearly every day.

An "at home" vacation with my husband during which we went to Nascar in New Hampshire, the Science Museum, wandered around Boston, and went to the Brockton Fair, among other adventures.

Spending time in Maine with my oldest sister and her family.

* What’s something I got through that was really tough?

It has been an overall easy year aside from the following two somewhat difficult happenings:

The family dog dying unexpectedly was difficult.

My grandfather passed away.

* What did I avoid that I must pay more attention to in 2009?

Conflict. I need to work on speaking my mind especially when I have anxiety built up around doing so due to fear of rejection, fear of being the recipient of anger, and fear of disappointment and/or disappointing.

* What character trait did I develop most this year?

Open-mindedness. I feel I have been more receptive to the views of others and to recognizing things in and about myself that I never have before. My mind just feels much more open to possibility and alternatives.

* What new people did I meet that are now in my life?

I met Lyle and Angela who live in the condo above us. They are friendly, interesting, and very giving people. Couldn't ask for better neighbors! We definitely lucked out :-)

I met my fellow volunteers and the families at Perkins and the young women and staff at Teen Voices magazine.

I met my postcard buddy, Melissa, who I am so happy to be getting to know. Maybe a visit to San Francisco is in the cards for me in 2009 <3

There are still memories to be made in 2008, but I am looking forward to 2009 and whatever is coming my way as I, a self proclaimed work in progress, evolve.