I find it funny that for the last few years I complained about how my years, generally looking, weren’t all that good. And that was true. They could be described as “meh” at best.
And then, 2014 came. I have no better words to describe it except – it was the year where life decided to teach me some lessons.
The most important being, you cannot stand still. You cannot think this is the way your life is and that’s it. If you don’t move from a place where you are standing still, life will move you. And that might not be the nicest of moves.
It has been a difficult year for me but I decided to see it as a life lesson and that has helped me immensely in putting things into perspective. I mean, it is always your choices that bring you into situations so it only makes sense when stuff goes wrong, you take a good, long look at what it was that brought you there.
In any case, the life lesson has been hard but necessary and I am grateful for it.
But the thing I am most grateful for is my friends. There are so many sayings about friends but really, when sh*t hits the fan, you will know who your friends are.
I feel really awful saying this, but I really didn’t expect so much loving support from everywhere. It did make me cry a few times just out of sheer appreciation and happiness.
So to all my friends wherever you are (and you are everywhere) – a big thank you and I love you all. You made my year amazingly bountiful. 🙂
Now on to my personal life lessons. 🙂
There are only two actually – being brave and patient. Brave in saying what it is that I want and living my life the way I want to, and patient not to expect things to happen this instant (I’m still working on that). 😉
I have no particular expectations of 2015. Everything works out great when I stop expecting things and just live and enjoy the experiences life provides. Sure, there are things I’d like to make happen in the coming year (writing more being one of them) but we’ll see what happens. Life has opened a door into a bright future for me but didn’t let me know what awaits there.
So I’ll be patient and brave and see for myself.
Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year and hopefully we will all, at one point, be able to raise a glass of champagne together. 🙂
Tagged: champagne, friends, grateful, I've been thinking, life, life lessons, new year
All I am - a redhead 
Lovely post, and very inspiring. I was sorry to hear that you had a tough year at times, but I hope 2015 is the best one ever for you, Ines. Here’s to the road ahead, and may it be a smooth one for us all. xoxo
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Thank you Kafka. 🙂 I agree, let the road ahead be a smooth one. xoxo
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Ines, I agree with Kafka, what an inspiring and intimate post. I wish I could put my life I to perspective like that, but sadly it seems that I’m not yet able too, hopefully soon. How happy I am to have you as a friend. I wish you from my heart a happy 2015
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I am happy as well to have you as a friend. 🙂 No hurries though, everything will fall into place when the time is right. Until then, here’s to a fantastic year ahead!
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What a beautiful and touching post. I am so glad things are looking up for you and that you are going into 2015 with such calm and measured optimism. And it is a wise approach to see all experiences, even bad ones, as ‘life lessons’. I am only really coming to understand that – for even if something awful happens, it gives you clarity on a situation and is ‘educational’ in the broadest sense of the term. A friend was going through a bad batch in a relationship recently, which seemed to be hanging in the balance, and I said: “Good luck in the coming weeks. It may be s***, but whatever else, it will be instructive s***.”
Then I had a little bit of ‘suspected s***’ hitting the fan myself at a particular point this year, and got great comfort from the few friends I confided in. They really saw me through a difficult couple of days and advised me to take a risk and speak up clearly just like you say and ask for an explanation of something that seemed wholly out of character for the person concerned. Be brave is exactly it – and in return I received a frank and unequivocal answer and a lifting of the clouds of rumour and misinformation.
A very happy 2015 to you!
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Dear Vanessa, you made me laugh with the “Good luck in the coming weeks. It may be s***, but whatever else, it will be instructive s***.” So true!
The thing is, it made me learn more about myself and that is why I was able to see it as a lesson. I’m still figuring out many things about myself but I am no longer upset about it. Change comes so difficult to many of us but until we are able to accept it, we’re never going to be truly happy.
But it requires bravery. I am very happy to hear you were brave but then, I never thought otherwise. 🙂
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You are one wise woman, Ines. I admire you more than I can say. To go through a tough time, yet take responsbility and end up so positive and full of gratitude is awe-inspiring. You could write a self-help book – I’d buy it!
Wishing you a wonderful 2015.
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Thank you very much Tara! You were there on my way through the year so thank you for that. 🙂
I have no doubt that the new year will be wonderful for all of us. 🙂
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You know, Ines, you really do have terrific friends, and the ones who commented above me have already expressed perfectly what it is about you (and this wise post) that we love. Here’s wishing you a very rewarding and Happy New Year!! I hope it is every bit as sweet and amazing as you, my dear.
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Yes I do, and I feel lucky to count you among them. 🙂
Wishing all the best to you and Mark in the New Year!
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I admire your attitude, dear Ines. It is just that attitude that will make your year, your life a happy one eventually.
Big hug,
B xxx
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Thank you Birgit. 🙂 Well it basically comes down to if you’re not happy by yourself, you won’t be happy with someone else either.
xoxo
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Absolutely agree with this! I found a slight variant the other day, put as: ‘If you can’t enjoy your own company, why would anyone else want to?’
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And this clearly puts responsibility on oneself as should be. 🙂
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Such a lovely post Ines! I am trying to do the same – using difficult situations as an opportunity to reexamine my life. I wish you all the goodest luck and wishes that you are able to steer this year in the direction you want it to go.
Thanks for sharing!
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Thank you Lavanya. Hope it works for you – I read an interesting book last year that helped a bit of putting things into perspective (I find that the hardest when you’re experiencing problems) but the thing that got to me the most and one I still need to remind myself of doing is not presupposing things. That way problems arise when they might not even exist in the first place. And that is also where courage comes into action – be brave and say or ask what is it that you want.
I’m laughing a bit now, I know all this in theory but I’m slow in implementing it in my life. I’m doing it, just slowly. Baby steps. 😉
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Dear Ines,
I really hope your 2015 will be better and … less educational.
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Dear Undina, honestly, I wouldn’t mind that one little bit. 😀 😉
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I should perhaps clarify that the negative events I had in mind when using this term were more along the lines of relationship break ups than anything else…
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I think that is how we both understood it (at least I did), although at some point, I also had a work related epiphany… 😉
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