Daily Life, Reflections

2015 – The year that was

All I wanted to do this year was be a PAID WRITER. Now I sit here procrastinating about the two pieces I have left to finish before next Wednesday. Anyhow, they are started now, and my ‘reward’ was to work on this post, so before the crazy of Christmas I thought I would reflect on 2015.

It has been a year of massive personal growth and change.

Here are the biggest things that have happened in 2015, and my wishes for the year ahead.

Health

2015 has not been a healthy year for me or The Ginger Hunk. I started with F45 training, and got some great results initially. I started a half marathon program, and could not finish due to having Bali belly. I got tonsillitis twice,  then was bitten by a spider, resulting in staph, and just got an abscess in Bali that has now gone. (I wish I was joking, but I am not.) The Ginger Hunk has been begging and pleading for a hip resurfacing, which is happening now in February. We both can’t wait. He’s had a shit year, with a stomach ulcer, a dislocated knee requiring surgery, missing a lot of work, and waiting around for life in general. Having said that, he remains Mr Positivity. I’m hoping that both of us in 2016, to avoid sickness, get moving every day, eat real, home-made food, and just boost our immune systems.

Travel 

It has been awesome, despite all this illness. We went to Boracay and El Nido in April, for a wedding. It was there that I learnt freediving (the best thing to happen for this year.) I had the opportunity to go to Elcho Island for work, which was something I will keep in my heart forever. The Ginger Hunk had work in Abu Dhabi and Krabi, Thailand, and we had two joint jobs in Bali, writing for Australian Geographic Outdoor and International Living, (and I got to go on retreat!) 

Bring on India, Bali again, and more in 2016. Watch this space.

Writing & Career 

I set myself a personal goal of having 12 published articles this year. I just looked through my portfolio, and with the ones I am submitting next week, I have hit 13. It was nice to come back from Bali to two glossy pieces in print! I am pretty impressed with this effort working mostly full-time, dealing with MANY rejections, and moving right along from them. I have four pieces on the boil already for 2016.  In November I left my ‘safe’ policy job, for 12 months of leave. I found it really hard to be in the office, just getting distracted and not putting my heart into it anymore. So, I’m having a break, but I have secured some contract work two days a week from end of January next year. I’m hoping to submit my manuscript for a picture book by the end of January, and crack some more publications. The blog is growing, there are almost 3,000 of you here now every month!

Hello humans, I would love if you would subscribe! Please! Also leave me some Facebook and Instagram Love. 

This blog is a long way from making an income, but I am so proud of my online baby, and Sasha appreciates the freebie cat food. 

Love, Family & Friendship

The Ginger Hunk and I are going stronger than ever. It’s been awesome to ‘work’ together and plan creative projects. It has led to a new level of respect and collaboration. We definitely had a moment, in Business Class, imaging our future as global travel writers and photographers extraordinaire. We also had some not so good moments, me lying with my leg up for a week, unable to walk, then giving The Ginger Hunk staph in his eye, right after he dislocated his knee. He looked like a mangled pirate. Seriously, I am not making this shit up. But what doesn’t break us makes us stronger. We are happily Childfree at this point in time. My little nice and nephew are going great guns, turning into little beautiful people and The Ginger Hunk’s folks return at Christmas. I’ve made some awesome friends travelling this year, the ones you get that ‘ah ha feeling’ from, like you know you were meant to meet.

Mental Health 

It’s been a really good year anxiety wise. I’m still on my low dose of antidepressants. The only thing that makes me want to stop taking them is the five kilos I have put on over two years. But I’m waiting till The Ginger Hunk gets his surgery, I start my new contract and we are on a normal life path. It is not good to do it when change is a coming. But this time next year, I would like to be anti-depressant free. But if needed, I have said it before and I would say it again. I will own these five kilos forever if it means not feeling anxious anymore. Yoga absolutely gives me a calm buzzy feeling, as well as a work out, and I am drawn to this more than sweating my arse off. I see more yoga in 2016.

So, this has been a long post if you are still here, but it’s been a long, big year.

Who knows where I will be writing this time next year.

How was your 2015? 

Good? Bad? Ugly?

What do you wish for 2016? 

Much love,

Ashleigh XXXX

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