It’s 6:23am on Saturday morning.
I found myself waking up sometime before 6am and then couldn’t get back to sleep. I felt wide awake at the earliest time I have done since before the festive period began. I’m normally an early riser but over the Christmas holidays I’ve been sleeping in until 9am most days, not to mention the very hungover boxing day where I didn’t manage to wake up until midday.
Now my bodyclock seems to be springing back into action. Reverting to it’s pre-Christmas behavioural pattern…maybe due to my subconscious being more ready for the new year than I am. So I unsettled myself from my the comforts of our bed and a still slumbering Damien, and made my way downstairs. I’m now sat in my favourite spot on the sofa, feet up, wrapped in a blanket, with a piping hot brew by my side, laptop on my lap and hot water bottle to boot.
I love this time in the morning. I know, I’m the strange person who loves an early morning, but there’s something about being up whilst most people are still in bed, that I really enjoy. It’s mostly silent and the dim hum of a TV next door is the only faint sign of activity and a clue that I’m not the only person up at this time on a Saturday morning.
I can hear the irregular, yet relaxing drum of rain outside and I find myself feeling reflective.
I hadn’t planned on doing any sort of re-cap post this year. It’s not that I don’t want to look back, I mean, this really has been a great year, however, I didn’t feel I had time, nor was I particular bothered to try and squeeze it in. I have already done a private recap but that’s more of a reflection of my metacognition over the past year, as opposed to a chronological timeline of the things I’ve done.
As I’ve mentioned previously, I’ve been on full holiday mode over this festive period and so any form of blogging related activity wasn’t initially on the cards. But, isn’t it funny how, as soon as you take the pressure off, the exact thing you feel like doing is that thing that you’ve told yourself you don’t need to do.
Anyway, like I said, I’m awake at an abnormally early time for the festive period, or for a Saturday full stop I suppose, and feeling reflective, so whilst I have the time I might as well utilise it. So, without further a do and pro-longing this already very long introduction, whilst whizzing through my calendar that I have to hand, I’m going to share a brief (as possible) overview of what I’ve done this year, month by month. Here goes…
January
1. I started the new year hungover after a very fun and drunken New Year’s Eve gathering at our house.
2. The second week into January I took my second driving theory test (after having failed the first one in December) and this time, passed.
3. I went on a big walk around Dovestones one Sunday with one of my best friends, Charlotte. We declared that we were going to start a walking club and then never made it to month two.
5. I also went to a Vegan food festival, which has just reminded me about the most amazing falafel wrap I think I’ve ever had. It was by the Otto-men and it was next level!
6. Blogger related – I worked with CollectPlus, Cluse and Cath Kidston (which is a brand I’ve loved since I was a teen, so that’s a childhood dream fulfilled right there).
February
2. Modelling related work – I shot a TV Commercial and did a shoot for Go Outdoors.
4. Damien and I joined the gym after a long absence.
March
2. Blogger related work – I worked with Hatch, Cult Beauty and worked with Polo Ralph Lauren andTed Baker for the first time.
3. I had gel nails done for the first time ever – sounds small but after years of nail varnish, it was life changing!
5. I also had quite a few meetings and saw friends.
April
2. Blogger related work – I worked with Kahlúa, Monki and Ace & Tate, for which I filmed one of my favourite (and possibly most creative) videos this year.
May
3. I did what would be my last ever modelling job before leaving my agencies (although at the time I didn’t know it).
4. Went for bottomless brunch again! (okay this is actually making me laugh now, I hadn’t realised how frequent my bottomless brunches were until now)
5. Damien and I hiked up Kinderscout.
June
I talk lots more about my most momentous month of the year in this post here. But to summarise:
2. I went to Wales for the weekend with 3 of my best friends to celebrate my birthday and we climbed Mount Snowdon (which I hadn’t done in years prior to that). It was followed by a night staying at my friend’s family cottage and drinking lots of prosecco in our PJs into the early hours. We had so much fun and it was a perfect way to spend my birthday.
3. I passed my practical driving test first time – hurrah!
4. I left my modelling agencies and officially became a full time blogger and creative.
6. I got box braids for the first time ever.
7. Worked with Oasis, Ted Baker & Kate Spade.
8. I went to Spain for a girl’s holiday.
9. Damien and I went to San Fransisco, followed by Portland for my friend’s wedding – for which I was maid of honour (also a first).
July
2. Saw friends and went to London with Onyi.
4. I was a guest on Kat’s Put Yourself First Podcast.
August
2. Damien and I began PT sessions.
3. Saw friends and went for Afternoon Tea for a friend’s birthday (makes a change from bottomless brunch).
5. Worked with Ted Baker and TK Maxx again.
September
2. I saw friends a lot, went out for friend’s and family’s birthdays. I also went for bottomless brunch!
October
2. Went down to London for some events.
3. Worked with Ted Baker and CollectPlus, Ace & Tate and Cath Kidston again.
4. Went to Bruges for the weekend.
6. Went to a wedding.
7. Saw friend’s and celebrated my friend L’Oreal’s birthday.
8. Went to Malaysia and Damien proposed!
November
2. Went to watch the play The Maids at HOME.
3. Hosted a wine night at mine with the girls.
5. Went to Amsterdam on a girl’s trip for the weekend to celebrate two of the girl’s birthdays.
6. Went to a dinner event with Feel Unique.
December
2. Had a fun Christmas meal with the girls, where we exchanged secret santa gifts and followed it with a wine night in.
3. Ate approximately 12 mince pies within less than a week (true story).
4. Continued on working out but definitely eased off the routine over this past week of Christmas.
5. Had a very boozy and fun Christmas eve spent with My family.
6. Had a very boozy and fun Christmas day spent with Damien’s family.
7. Had a very hungover boxing day, spent at home, on the sofa. We watched 5 films within this period.
…and I think that is just about it, according to my calendar anyway. Of course I’ve only really skimmed the surface on this one and may have missed out some things that weren’t pre-planned, hence won’t have been written in my calender, but, all in all, it’s been a great way for me to re-cap and realise some of the fun things I’ve done and what I’ve achieved in 2018.
It’s been an exciting year but I must admit stressful at times. There have been emotional highs, and lows. But overall I feel so grateful for the opportunities, experiences and fun that 2018 has brought. I’ve worked so hard but also played hard too and got to make more amazing memories with lots of my favourite people. I’ve pushed myself creatively and created a lot of cool stuff that I’m really proud of.
I think 2018 will always be a special year for me looking back, as it’s been a momentous one for me personally, in more ways than one. There have been a lot of life changes, a lot of challenges overcome and I’ve learnt a lot about myself and the things I want to focus more on going forward.
It’s not completely over yet. We still have a few more days left until the year is out and I’m going to make the most of them. I should have one more post going out before the end of 2018, but if I don’t catch you before then, have a good end to the year and great new year’s eve whatever you get up to.
Samio x
