I have an admission to make as 2014 comes to an end. I’m not entirely sure how I was able to keep this blog up for the entire year. It’s been an incredible year with extreme highs and lows. I don’t think it’s too far-fetched to say that it has been the toughest and most exhilarating year of my life to date.
I put this blog on autopilot. I wasn’t good with responding to comments, and I’ve been terrible at visiting other people’s blogs. I’ve never overextended myself that way in the past, but I do try to make it a point to give back to the blogging community with thoughtful comments, reading and sharing the works of blogging friends all over the globe.
Priorities took over, and I made it work just the same. Because writing keeps me level-headed, even when I feel as if my brain is going in a million directions. In the most difficult times, the ones where my time and sanity were challenged, I published some of the most personal and powerful posts I’ve ever written. It was my therapy. And your responses, both publicly and privately, gave me a perspective and feeling of support I’ve never felt before. (I will be sharing some of those posts next week. I’m honestly not ready to go through them all yet.)
I loved 2014 for so many reasons. Reasons that may not make sense for many people. I’ve found that people expect you to be sad, lonely and broken after a divorce. This is just not the case for me. I’ve learned and experienced so many amazing things this year. I’ve gone on life-changing trips, shared an epic summer with my kids and realized a childhood dream.
I took 20 minutes and started writing the events, emotions and experiences of 2014. I came up with more than 100 bullet points in that time, some not appropriate to share here. With the help of a few good friends who have known my whole story and aren’t afraid to tell me like it is, I’ve pared it down to 70.
Partially inspired by this post, here are 70 things I’ve enjoyed or endured in 2014. Thank you for being a part of it.
- Faced reality
- Told my kids their father was moving out
- Answered really hard questions
- Signed a book deal
- Experienced a level of anger I did not know possible
- Noticed an absence of sadness
- Visited a developing country
- Regrouped
- Simplified
- Asked for help
- Screamed
- Calmed myself down
- Wrote haiku that I may never share with another person
- Documented
- Negotiated
- Stood my ground
- Faltered
- Got scared
- Took control
- Had coffee with The Other Woman
- Got myself on the high road
- Came close to falling
- Sold my house
- Moved
- Downsized
- Divorced
- Changed my name
- Got distracted
- Sent questionable messages to friends who didn’t judge
- Watched my youngest ride his first big roller coaster
- Watched my ex cry
- Walked my dog in the rain
- Snapped selfies with my kids
- Allowed myself to be vulnerable
- Took two inspiring trips to Washington DC
- Said “I love you” to more people and truly meant it
- Said no when it was too much
- Said yes to new adventure
- Was honest with myself
- Made deep connections
- Re-discovered friendships and found new amazing communities
- Noticed who was absent
- Survived a colossal public meltdown by my son that made me want to give up and cry in a corner
- Found solace at Land’s End
- Allowed my kids to be angry
- Cried
- Wrote my heart out
- Realized how good I have it
- Danced
- Winged it
- Let things fall through the cracks
- Didn’t worry about it
- Prioritized
- Shoveled a foot of snow and hauled a Christmas tree with my boys
- Forgave
- Misbehaved (without hurting anyone)
- Dated
- Embraced being single
- Was called beautiful, sexy, gorgeous, pretty and hot by men, women and a dude in a dress
- Found true love all around me
- Felt life so deeply that it brought me to tears (in a good way)
- Put myself first
- Was disappointed
- Was inspired
- Inspired others
- Found my abs again
- Became a better mother
- Understood what it means to be truly happy, brave, strong, grateful and loved
- Reclaimed my life
- Let go
