Blog fun...

It is the end of the year and this time is always filled with, " Wow! Hasn't it flown by?" " Eee I remember last New Year like it was yesterday!" "This year? I thought that happened last year?"

Basically, we begin to think that everything has flown by and the year was shorter than the last. In reality it wasn't, it was pretty much exactly the same (apart from the poor Samoans who lost a day to join a different time zone). As we reach the end of a year we look back and in some cases rose tinted glasses appear. Things which maybe hurt you or were found difficult are seen as 'character building' or fate or just something which you didn't deal with the best. I think that is part of the reason why it feels like the year 'flies by'. When you think carefully over those times which may have been troubling you remember just how strong you had to be and how much you felt like every day was a battle.

I think it's important to not forget that. I mean, surely those are the things which we learn from and if when we reflect we see them as 'not so bad' can you really learn from it? For me I have just been reading back through some of blog posts from the year and have relived some highs and lows. I love how it's all here at my fingertips to revisit. My thoughts and feelings are so important and being able to look at how I felt in certain phases is great for me to reflect.

My blog is definitely one thing which I am proud of an glad I started this year.As of late I have let it slip slightly but unfortunately there were a few tough moments and time consuming moments in my life. However,  I love it and have met some amazing people through it. I have also made some amazing friendships too. Tomorrow will be my 200th post and I am looking forward to reflecting on this year and I already feel positive about things which I've gained.

As today is the last of 2011 I have decided to make a collation of some of my favourite blog posts of the year. All images and headings are linked to the post!

January

Risks in Life and Love

At this point I was starting to reflect more positively on a past relationship but also thinking how much of a risk we take with everything in our lives. 

February

I left my heart in New York City

I visited my favourite city with a best friend of mine and it was one of my favourite trips away ever.

March

Blog post with a difference...

This was my first handwritten blog post and well it's oh so pretty :-)

April

Try...

After watching the Royal Wedding I was closer to jumping back on the love train. I think that sometimes we all try so hard to be what we think is needed when at the end of the day we really just need to try to be ourselves.

 

May

Mini waves and celebrations...100th post time

It says it all...I hit the magical 100th post!!!

June

(Change of) Life Plan

This post was all about reflections regarding where I thought I would be at my age and where I actually was. Something which we definitely all relate to.

July

Eastern Escapade

This was the first thought I had about my rather amazing solo holiday in the summer. It's not something I'd ever thought of doing but definitely one of the highlights of 2011!

August

I have returned...

After my travels I was ready to share thoughts and photos!

September

Be your own windkeeper...

Basically this arose from a conversation with a friend where we decided we had to have a 'windy moment' every week to keep ourselves independent and happy.

October

Gift from Finland...

One of my good blogging friends - Miss Texa - and I did a bit of a sweetie swap.

November

Quote of the day...

This quote basically tries to give some explanation of why we feel let down by the behaviour of others.

December

Winter Wonder...

Basically this post sums up all that I love about Winter.

Hope you all enjoyed my collection and see you all in 2012!! Have a fabulous New Year celebration!!

Crying...

Everyone says that sometimes a good cry is all you need to feel better. It doesn't matter what sad situation it is, crying is always billed as the thing which helps. I have to say I completely agree. I cry for however long and then instantly feel like a weight has been lifted. 

I found a quote today though which is so very true:

Crying is all right in its own way while it lasts. But you have to stop sooner or later, and then you still have to decide what to do. - CS Lewis

We cry our little eyes out, stop, feel instantly lighter and then BAM...we still have a choice to make. Therefore I know the crying makes us feel better but does it make us make a more informed choice? Should we make choices when we feel the pain of whatever makes us upset? Or is it better made with a clear head? 

I'm not too sure to be honest. I guess I've done both and when I think about the choices I make, there is a slight effect from the pre and post crying decisions. If I make the decision while still upset I tend to make choices based on my emotions and lack some rational sense. However, after crying I make choices a lot more logically. I can look at my choice from a number of sides and make a more informed choice.

Which is better? I think that if I could bottle up my full emotions from pre crying and pair it with my logicality I would because I know that it would lead to more informed choices. As this is something which can't be done I will have to settle on what I do now. I make decisions based from my heart and while they may not always be right, at that moment in time it was what I wanted. What can be wrong about that?

Do you find you make better decisions before or after a good cry?

Inspiration...

It's getting to that time of year again (namely the end of) where inevitably we start to look at and evaluate our lives. Just to help us along a little bit I thought I'd post a little inspiration for you all!

[Source]

Christmas wishes...

I have been slightly MIA for the past week or so due to work (as always) and Christmas errands. I just wanted to pass on my Christmas wishes to all you lovely bloggers and hope you all have a fabulous Christmas Day whatever you're up to. I will be back blogging don't you worry...I have lots of thoughts and ideas swirling around I just need to find the time.

Merry Christmas!!!

Winter wonder...

It's the time of year when I can commonly be heard saying, "Oh I'm so cold." I swear, sometimes when I'm not I still say it as I am so used to those words leaving my mouth. However, as much as I hate the coldness of the Winter time I love the season. I always say that I'd struggle being somewhere in the world where their Christmas time is hot as to me this Wintery time makes Christmas. So...what do I like about Winter?

Winter Wardrobe

Now I know this seems materialistic but I swear it's not. I just love the cosiness of my Winter clothes. I have found a new favourite coat...i have delved into the Faux Fur land and I love it. It's so cosy and warm, although everyone wants to stroke me now. 

Snow

Yes, it make roads treacherous (my favourite winter word) and it melts to yukky slush. But, snow in it's first laid form is just so amazingly pretty. It makes places look so serene and calm that when I look at it I always get a sense of peace. However, tell me I have to drive somewhere in it and that peace well and truly vanishes. Oh and you can make snow men which, come on....who doesn't love?

Chocolate

I am an all year round chocolate fan but during Winter/Christmas time it becomes even more of a comfort food. I had my very first hot chocolate, marshmallow and cream hot chocolate in a Christmas cup from Costa the other day and it instantly cheered me up being in the Christmas cup. Then also, through December, there are the advent calenders- a little piece of chocolate to start the day? Why not!!

Being cosy

During Winter, it is socially acceptable to 'hibernate' and have duvet days on a weekend. Seriously, what is better than movies, duvet and central heating? I like to cocoon myself away from the world and snooze and movie watch.

My job

In teaching, things get tough....very tough and as you approach the final week of Winter term things get tough in the admin side however the teaching side becomes so nice. In the lead up to Christmas, there is so much happiness and fun things to do. It makes me feel extremely lucky to share in such an exciting time with my class.

I am sure there are many more things I have forgot but I'm cold so my mind is muddled!!

What's your favourite thing about Winter?

Quote of the Day Monday...

It's Monday....and it is cold here in the UK. That has not stopped me blogging for all you lovely people!! It's quote day today and the quote I have chosen I think will apply to many of you out there. I received an email from the lovely Kym from Travel Babbles re: a post of hers lately where she was questioning her want to blog. We've all been there, wondered...Do we want to blog anymore? Do people like what we're writing? Am I still myself? She responded and passed on this quote to me.

In my year of blogging I have had a few moments of 'I have nothing to say' and I haven't blogged. Sometimes it could be a day, sometimes a week. Either way I wondered what was wrong. Then I realised nothing was wrong, I just was not in any kind of mindset to write.

As the quote states, when you take effort in writing, it is read with pleasure. I want whatever I write to be enjoyed, be it by one person or 100 people. I don't want to write something which people click and think, oh ... she can't be bothered she's just filling space. There are many discussions regarding when to blog and how many times a week but it all comes down to yourself. Yes, readers are important but if you aren't enjoying it and just posting for the sack of it. It becomes obvious. I would always take "Hmm, Missy hasn't posted in a while," to "Woah...this is rubbish." Sometimes, just like in day to day life we need time alone and that's the same for blogging. I hope those of you going through a bit of a writing block aren't too worried...writing never leaves you and it will come back but don't feel the need to please others. We all understand that in this blogging community!

If you want to have a wander to Kym's fabulous blog, just click the link below:

http://travel-babbles.com/

Trust...

Honesty and trust. I think they both go hand in hand. There are situations where people are supposedly being honest but because of certain factors it is hard to know if it is the truth. Is it a reflection on your own self belief if you can't trust what is being said or does it reflect on the person saying those words?

“Self-trust is the first secret of success”
Ralf Waldo Emmerson

 

 

I am the type of person who finds trust extremely difficult, for one reason or another I lack belief in others and the honesty of their words. Is this because I actually lack belief in myself? Lately I have found myself in a situation which I did not think I would be in. My past has came back and not in the way which I ever expected. There has been many a conversations and in those conversations there has been a lot of honest words spoken. However, my problem lies in the fact of trust. Do the words being said to me have real, honest meaning or are they just that...words?

Trust, in particular with me, needs to be earned. Will it suddenly hit me that yes I feel like I wanna trust someone? Will it be the opposite where I realise that the trust for this person will never be there. On the flip side, others believe that trust should be given freely until someone gives you reason not to have it?

I am starting to come to the conclusion that maybe this is the time which I need to trust myself and others. If things go wrong, they can be fixed but if I don't make an attempt to trust the words said to me will it make it even harder to trust in the future? At the end of the day, if my trust is broken then I deal with it but if not then all is good.

“You must trust and believe in people or life becomes impossible.”

Anton Chekhov

I am aware that this post seems rather confusing but I guess this represents the confusion in my mind at the moment. I am not sad confused, I am just simply confused. When the past comes into your life, you wonder why now? Why at all? Complicated times I guess but hopefully not for much longer.

Do you need trust to be earned or do you give trust until proven otherwise?