2010

It is now 2010! New Years Day, the first day of the year, a fresh start. I thought I would honor it with a new blog. Written I might add on my new laptop, but more about that later.

It's that time of year again when we all start to analyse ourselves and our behaviour, and I know we can't help it but I do wonder sometimes whether it's good for us or whether it is in fact one year going to drive us potty.

Anyway like I said we can't help it so here's what I've been thinking - 2009 was a funny year for me by all accounts, probably the most unstructured year of my life so far. I lost my job through redundancy and have now gone a whole year without working! Something I never would have imagined would have been possible at any point in my life.

But on the up side I've done some personally great things for me this year. I went back to the dentist after an unbelievable gap of about 15 years and came out of it much the better for it and needing only 1 filling, which I still think it remarkable and so so lucky.

I volunteered in Nepal, teaching English to young Monks and living alongside them in their Monastery. I volunteered in an orphanage and came to realise just how different people's lives can turn out depending purely on where they are born. I worked with elephant poo in a conservation effort and was so unbelievably impressed by the work ethic of some of the native women there.

Nepal was amazing and it's given me a real taste for travel but it's also made me realise perhaps I can do more than I initially thought possible. For example I never thought I could be the sort of person who volunteers (and who can survive taking freezing showers under a tap) but I guess this trip taught me that you don't really know what you can do until you try.

So now what for 2010? I have some idea's but at the moment nothing is certain. Actually though after living a planned existence for pretty much all of my life until now (school, uni, work etc) I don't mind that uncertainly and now, on occasion, when I'm not gripped with the fear of 'what's next' I can even see it as opportunity.