2017 is coming to an end. These 12 months were loaded with experiences that made me realise how lucky I am. 2017 was a year of closing cycles but also of learning to receive what life gives me without guilt or fear. I’m saying goodbye to this year with lots of gratitude for everything it gave me and with a big desire to know what 2018 will bring. This are the learnings that 2017 leaves me with:
- One of my favourite books says that “we accept the love we think we deserve” and that is totally true, I learned that this year. Living away from my family and my country has tested me in so many ways and that allowed me to know my true value as a person and to love myself more than anyone else. This has helped me to say “No” without feeling guilty, to get away from people who only suck away my energy, and to put every person that crosses my path the place they deserve.
- For many years I was so worried about finding the perfect partner, that I had not realised that that person was in front of me. This year I lowered the guard of my heart, I looked with new eyes around me and discovered that I had been living with the boyfriend I had always dreamed of: my best friend. Leaving my fears aside and giving myself the opportunity to open up my heart has been the best thing of 2017.
- One of the best pleasures of life is to be a host. This year I had the fortune of receiving the visits of my parents, my favourite aunt and two friends in Australia and that gave me the opportunity to make them feel at home. I was very happy to receive people I love so much in my house and to show them a little bit of my life in this wonderful place in the world. In the end, each visit came to revitalise me and give me strength to keep moving forward.
- The best way to combat anxiety and despair is by being active. The second half of this year I have faced unemployment and it has not been easy. Although these months I have had casual jobs, not having a fixed income is a difficult situation to manage specially living overseas. When I finished college in 2009 I experienced a similar situation (with the advantage that I lived with my parents and I did not have to worry about rent or food) and I had a TERRIBLE time. This time I decided I would be bigger than my circumstances and I knew that the best way to avoid depression, despair and anxiety was being busy. So I started exercising, I got involved in volunteer activities and I created activities to fill my ‘free’ hours. Thanks to keeping myself busy my mood improved a lot and the Instagram account @alos_reading_corner was born, in it I share photos and reviews of the books I read. I’m still looking for a job, but at least I am in a good mood.
I reach the end of 2017 with gratitude and celebrating the opportunity of having spent a year accompanied by wonderful people. I have my arms wide open and my heart ready to receive 2018 with all the love that dwells within me and with the best attitude to make this new travel around the sun a GREAT trip.
My life in the land of the kangaroos 