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2014 in Review: A Journey Back to Me

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My happy place in 2014: Land's End, Bailey Island, Maine

My happy place in 2014: Land’s End, Bailey Island, Maine

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.

  1. Faced reality
  2. Told my kids their father was moving out
  3. Answered really hard questions
  4. Signed a book deal
  5. Experienced a level of anger I did not know possible
  6. Noticed an absence of sadness
  7. Visited a developing country
  8. Regrouped
  9. Simplified
  10. Asked for help
  11. Screamed
  12. Calmed myself down
  13. Wrote haiku that I may never share with another person
  14. Documented
  15. Negotiated
  16. Stood my ground
  17. Faltered
  18. Got scared
  19. Took control
  20. Had coffee with The Other Woman
  21. Got myself on the high road
  22. Came close to falling
  23. Sold my house
  24. Moved
  25. Downsized
  26. Divorced
  27. Changed my name
  28. Got distracted
  29. Sent questionable messages to friends who didn’t judge
  30. Watched my youngest ride his first big roller coaster
  31. Watched my ex cry
  32. Walked my dog in the rain
  33. Snapped selfies with my kids
  34. Allowed myself to be vulnerable
  35. Took two inspiring trips to Washington DC
  36. Said “I love you” to more people and truly meant it
  37. Said no when it was too much
  38. Said yes to new adventure
  39. Was honest with myself
  40. Made deep connections
  41. Re-discovered friendships and found new amazing communities
  42. Noticed who was absent
  43. Survived a colossal public meltdown by my son that made me want to give up and cry in a corner
  44. Found solace at Land’s End
  45. Allowed my kids to be angry
  46. Cried
  47. Wrote my heart out
  48. Realized how good I have it
  49. Danced
  50. Winged it
  51. Let things fall through the cracks
  52. Didn’t worry about it
  53. Prioritized
  54. Shoveled a foot of snow and hauled a Christmas tree with my boys
  55. Forgave
  56. Misbehaved (without hurting anyone)
  57. Dated
  58. Embraced being single
  59. Was called beautiful, sexy, gorgeous, pretty and hot by men, women and a dude in a dress
  60. Found true love all around me
  61. Felt life so deeply that it brought me to tears (in a good way)
  62. Put myself first
  63. Was disappointed
  64. Was inspired
  65. Inspired others
  66. Found my abs again
  67. Became a better mother
  68. Understood what it means to be truly happy, brave, strong, grateful and loved
  69. Reclaimed my life
  70. Let go

How was your 2014?

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Comments

  2. Oh, Jen, what a year! This list made me both smile and tear up. And #20 made my eyes go wide! I was amazed how through all of this you kept the blog going. When I moved it totally threw me for a loop and messed up my blogging for several weeks. You have been such an inspiration to me, and I am so so happy that we got to meet again in person. I hope to see you again in 2015, and am so excited to see what the year brings for you!
    Bev recently posted..Sometimes your body is just screaming to slow downMy Profile

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  3. Loved your summary. What a year it has been for you. Amazing how the best and the worst can happen in the same year…. That’s how my year was too the best of the best and the scariest of the scariest. I’m ready to leave 2014 behind. Here’s to 2015!!!
    Leah recently posted..Quote Wall and Quote of the WeekMy Profile

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  5. I am so happy you shared this with me because, being casual friends on FB who met once and talk periodically, I worried about you (like a good Jewish mother) but didn’t want to ask.

    You inspire me in more ways than I can say publicly, but just know that you do. Thanks for writing this post. Wait till 2015! Whoa!!!
    Cathy Chester recently posted..Why Can’t Grief Take A Holiday?My Profile

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  6. Your 2014 was an epic year! And you know what, you’ve really made lemonade with lemons and you’ve inspired me! I really want to step up my writing in 2015 and I’m so glad to have met you, and stopped by here today. I love your list. Big things are in store for you! You’re awesome!
    Cynthia recently posted..Graduation…And Ten Things of ThankfulMy Profile

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  10. It’s a very poetic and meaningful year in review. I’m happy to have known you for this entire year. It was the year we met! Which was inevitable.
    Some of those.. are very big things. I think I’d love to do a post like this. Maybe I will!
    Tamara recently posted..Scarlet Takes Manhattan.My Profile

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  11. Wow Jennifer what a brave post! You are an amazing inspiring woman and I’m so glad to be a part of your life! Keep writing! 🙂

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  12. 1) When I tell you I love you, I really mean it too. 2) You are beautiful, hot, sexy, and gorgeous.
    Your list is amazing and inspiring and in many ways, may mirror a list that I could have written of my own.

    I am so grateful for our friendship. xo
    Ilene recently posted..A Modern Family Romance Part TwoMy Profile

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  15. Great list -= tough year indeed, esp due to #2, that’s never easy. I never explained it to my son since he was so young but it affected him either way. I’m also very well aware of #5, very few people can get me there but when they do it’s intense. Jeez #20 – how did you do that? That takes great courage.. Hope 2015 turns out to be a list consistent of no #5’s and plenty of #64-70 🙂 Have a very merry Christmas Jennifer! Happy holidays to you and yours and take care! -Iva
    AwesomelyOZ recently posted..GTFO: The Sentinelese & The Most Dangerous Place in the WorldMy Profile

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  17. Gosh Jenn,
    I missed a lot since I’ve been gone didn’t I? I feel like a horrible blog friend that I haven’t been here to hold your virtual hand thru all of this.
    So now that I’m back I’ll send you a big hug and send good wishes and positive thoughts your way for a great 2015.
    Jen recently posted..Brushing the cobwebs off this blog..My Profile

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Trackbacks

  3. […] Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. There are many posts in my brain on true love, the positive side of divorce, dating (or not) as a single parent and relationships in general. But larger deadlines loom, and so those posts will have to wait for now. Heck, some will require a different platform than this one. Instead, I leave you with 6 quotes on love for you to stew on. I would *love* your thoughts on them, as they are different from your typical quotes on romance and love. Oh, how my perspective has changed over this past year.  […]

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  6. […] I’ve done many years in review over the past few years, from the more visual to the more reflective, or simply just my top posts from the year. (If you read any of my years in review, the one I wrote the year of my divorce is definitely my favorite – it illustrated my journey back to me.) […]

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Meet Jennifer

Meet Jennifer
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Jennifer Iacovelli is a blogger, copywriter, author, consultant, speaker, do-gooder, single mother, lefty, pie-hater, bacon-lover, Syracuse alum, Maine dweller and lover of life.  Read More…

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