That's it, it's time to write my annual end-of-year article. The one where I put on digital paper my happy moments, but also my hard times from the past year.
I always find it fascinating to see how selective our brains can be.
This year, before writing this article, I took the time to reread my 2022 retrospective. It's fun to see if our expectations have come true or not, to compare 2 years, to see to what extent we have moved forward or backward.
Retrospective 2023
Ahh 2023, I didn't expect that. You did not spare me this year. So of course, there is always more to complain about and it's important to realize that. But you also have to know how to express your feelings and mine is this. Afterward, I had a lot of expectations for 2023.
I started the year with a new job and the hope of finally flourishing professionally speaking, there were trips planned, bachelorette parties, weddings, new meetings, and so on. The thing is that 2023 has also been about loss, disappointments, injuries, and lots of emotion. All in all, I have to say that the negative outweighed the positive quite a bit.
The loss
Not starting with the happiest, but that's how 2023 began. On January 4, I lost my grandmother, my grandmother Li. To be honest, I didn't expect to be so overwhelmed by this loss. Unfortunately for me, my grandmother has already passed away for a while.
The truth is that it's hard to say goodbye to the past, to realize that all our childhood memories are gone, for good. We will never again have the opportunity to change things or create new moments together.
Life moves on, time passes, people leave and others come in. It's tough. We must enjoy every moment, and cherish every second that life gives us the chance to live. It's a shame to have to experience a loss to realize it, but that's how it is.
Disappointments & hard knocks
I'm moving on to my new job. I had so much hope and ambition. The truth is that I hated this job. I was promised things I never got. My "8 hours job" was completed in 2 hours of work.
Morally and mentally speaking, it was hard for me. I was already leaving a professional environment that I hadn't liked for a while and finally found myself in a worse situation.
Many told me that I was lucky to have free days. No, for me it was not ok. I need to move, to feel stimulated and valued. But here, it was quite the opposite. My days were all the same, the less I did the less I wanted to do. I lost all motivation and taste for anything. It lasted 5 months. 5 months until I wake up and reactivate my LinkedIn.
What's crazy is that I had felt from the start that it wouldn't work. And yet I stayed. But why? I guess I wanted to give them a chance and certainly, because it was the easiest to stay. In any case lesson is learned, always trust your gut!
Afterward, it wasn't all negative. I met some wonderful people thanks to this work, I also decided to use my free time to follow training in nutrition. :)
Travels
This year, we stayed in Europe and Europe is beautiful. We moved around quite a bit, it must be said, between weddings abroad, city trips, and summer vacations. But in my top 3, I keep Portugal with friends that I learned to discover and with whom I got closer, the Dolomites with the Van fam, and Sardinia with family. In short, another great year in terms of travel.
A new project for two
Did I tell you we found the home of our lives? I don't think so 🙈.
In June 2023, we signed up for a new life project. It is a house in the village of my childhood, to which I dreamed of returning, with a magnificent garden overlooking the valley and the village church. I can't wait to be able to think about and build our future at home and especially to be able to welcome my family and friends there. But a little more patience before all that. :)
This time it's the right one!
Yes, another job change for bibi. But I think (I hope) that this time it's the right one. After several refusals, something which was not easy to take either, I found a job in a company active in sustainability. I'm responsible for marketing and I love it. The company is cool, based in Brussels (this city that I love so much), and above all I like the concept. When I restarted my job search, I swore to myself that I would find a job in a field that shared the same values as me. It's done. :)
Here's my 2023 retrospective. I know there was some good, and some very good. But I have to admit that I have had more downs than ups this year. Fortunately for me, each hard blow also brought me new opportunities and for that, I am grateful. Somewhat, nothing happens by chance.
For 2024, I want to surround myself more with people who make me feel good. I want to read more. I want to distance myself from all the things that hurt me. I want to replan a return to Vancouver. I want to be more punctual and less sensitive. I also want more nature, a trip with my Van family, and a freer agenda.
Thank you for reading and in advance, I wish you a very happy new year to all of you who read me. 💜
Math