I did a post like this last year, except I actually managed to get it done when 2017 was still a thing, before the calendar turned over. But here we are, January 2, and I’m doing a 2018 year in review — looking back when I’m supposed to be looking forward.
Oh, well. I’ll get to that tomorrow.
In 2016, I highlighted my favorite blog posts of the year; last year, I highlighted both posts and personal elements. This year, I didn’t manage to make many posts. Still, here you go:
In Personal News…
Q1
We rang in the new year with Brent’s mom and her boyfriend and four friends of ours. It was a good start, and I still got to bed early!
We went to San Diego in March to visit my aunt and uncle. It’s such a fun city, and we had such a good time with them.
Somewhere around this time, we took a trip to the Valley of Fire, too.
Q2
I got certified in BANG and Freedom Barre, and I was chosen as a master trainer for Freedom Barre. I love this ballet-inspired workout—it brings out the dancer I always wanted to be.
I started working at XENXEN, a beautiful yoga studio. Classes were small, but I loved being there every Wednesday and Saturday, and I enjoyed attending classes with one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.
I also started working at Orangetheory, which presented an abrupt schedule change: my alarm rang around 3:30 am at least three days a week so I could teach the earliest classes at that studio. This led to the start of my napping habit, something I’ve never really gotten into before: naps became essential, otherwise I was completely wiped out (and grumpy!) by 4:00pm…right around the time I had to go teach again somewhere else! Slowly, I’ve managed to wean myself away from naps and still have the energy I need to get through my day, but I do take them now and again.
We traveled to Boston for my friend Adam’s wedding. It was my first time in that city!
Q3
We spent a week in Colorado, and I spent a week in South Dakota.
This is about the time my book reading really started to take a hit and, honestly, I started feeling a bit burned out. I would go two weeks without a day off sometimes, because of the way my teaching schedule was working and because I was subbing quite a bit. I set to work clearing a day that I could take off, and it actually ended up being what was previously one of my busiest days, Wednesdays, because…
…XENXEN, the beautiful yoga studio, closed abruptly with little explanation. At the same time, my Orangetheory schedule changed and I got more classes to teach! Which sounds overwhelming based on the last paragraph, but it was a very good thing. I love my work! It freed up my Wednesday, so I made a solid commitment to not take any work on Wednesdays. (Which I’ve managed to mostly hold to.)
I found myself down to teaching just one yoga class per week. Not what I expected, and I miss teaching more, but it’s okay for now.
Q4
We went to Santa Barbara, where I swore off boats forever because I got so sick on a ferry ride to the Channel Islands, and where we enjoyed our time with Jack and Jenny to celebrate Brent’s birthday.
We also went to Panama for Thanksgiving.
The holidays were, again, amazing with our Las Vegas friends. I did sneak back to South Dakota in early December for a pre-Christmas visit.
The year went by in such a blur, I’m a little amazed I managed to remember that much about it. I struggled a little, sorting out my fatigue with the early wake up calls and managing a couple of overuse injuries that have shown up in my body: namely, my wrists, my left elbow, and behind my right knee. Trying to take care of them as best I can while I complete my workouts. Overall, though, I loved 2018. It was full of cool opportunities after cool opportunities, many of which I wasn’t even looking for: they found me. Those are the best.
As for the blog…
I did so much content writing for clients in 2018, I barely managed to work on my own blog. I really spent more time posting to Instagram last year (while Facebook also took a bit of a hit). Still, I like these posts. They’re not my best-articulated ever, but they talk about important things, at least as far as I’m concerned. 🙂
Can Fitness Be Fun and Effective?
Do some fitness brands take “fun” too far, so far that the workout is no longer effective? It’s important to enjoy movement, but we need to accept that growth and change comes with discomfort.
This Body is Best
I did a little challenge on Instagram in February where we celebrated love for our bodies every day that month. It was a great opportunity for reflection; I still enjoy looking at the photos I posted that month.
You Mean I Don’t Have to Do Something All the Time?
This was a look at learning to balance my new schedule and forgiving myself for taking “do nothing” time.
What were some of your 2018 highlights?