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Dear 2014

January 14, 2014 by whatwouldmayahsay

Every year, I write a letter to the year ahead and then read it again come 31st December. I don’t know why I do it, but I do. So this year, I have decided to publish mine on here;

Dear 2014,

Oh 2014 – what high hopes I have for you. Such high hopes – you won’t even believe. I am hopeful for what you will bring. There’s a whole 12 months ahead that I can’t wait to live and experience through. I also have a feeling you’re going to fly by and that makes me feel sad – will I accomplish all I want to this year? But even if I don’t, I hope I have 2015 to complete it in.

I have tried to plan as much as I can for you, I really have. I have also tried to be realistic – I am not always sure of the definition of realistic but I have tried to stick close to it as possible. One thing is for sure, you don’t promise to provide nights of lots of sleep. But that’s okay because I never look back on the years and think about the nights I got a lot of sleep. Things don’t happen when you’re asleep, they happen when you’re awake, so I intend to be awake as much as possible during 2014.

All I know about you is that there are a few weddings, some good dinner parties and lots of work to be done during the time you’re around. I hope to spend a lot of time with new and old friends – but please don’t let me unfriend anyone else. I doubt you will because the friends I entered 2014 with are the friends I want around – the others have had their exits. I have two secret wishes that I hope you make come true, one during the first month of the year and the second, well as long as you begin on the process of that, I don’t mind when it completes.

As many hopes and dreams I have for you, I know that doesn’t really matter. You’re going to do what you’re going to do and do you know what? That’s quite alright. I like control, crave it in fact, but I know sometimes I need to be shaken up and for things to go unplanned and unscheduled. I need to be thrown off guard at times and that’s quite alright. Life is nothing if not full of learning and I am all up for the learning! So all I will say to you is, whatever you have in store, I am ready for you – so bring it on. You may be able to do a lot of things, but one thing you won’t be able to do is defeat me. I may be down, I may be down a while but I will find the strength to get back up and fight. We may be in for quite a ready, so come on, and show me what you’ve got for I am ready! But just a piece of advice, fasten your seat belt – you’re in for a bumpy right ride!

Regards,

Mayah x

Reflections on 2013…

January 13, 2014 by whatwouldmayahsay

I do this every single year; I think about the year gone by. Where most of my friends just focus on the year ahead, I can’t help but reflect on the year that’s just gone by. So this first blog post of 2014 is my reflections on 2013.

I woke up on the first day of 2013 in Dublin – I had just made it through one very long year! I was only going to be in Dublin for another day, so I wanted to make the most of it before heading back to the UK and starting the year properly. Safe to say, I had one of the best days of my 2013.

2013 was a funny old year. A lot happened – some fun, some not so. There was a lot of learning that took place in 2013 – a hell of a lot! During 2013, I’ve laughed, I’ve cried, I’ve travelled, I made friends and unmade friends, I’ve learnt a lot, started a new business, won an award, met new people, celebrate two birthdays – yes really! Had lots of dinner parties and got very little sleep. There were things I’ve always wanted to do that I did, some I didn’t manage. But I have learnt not to hold regrets and see the learning in things that didn’t go as planned – but have contributed to the making of me.

Towards the end of the year, when I spoke to a friend about the year it had been, she said something striking to me. She said “2013 has been a clear out year for a lot of people.” That was spot on for me – it was definitely a clear out year. I couldn’t have described it better myself. Although it wasn’t a particularly great year, I am glad it was what it was. If it was all great, I wouldn’t have got as much learning from it. I wouldn’t have changed and been moved by the things that had happened. I would have just been the same and only enjoying the good times – and that’s not life, is it? I needed to have gone through the bad of 2013, to appreciate the good times ahead. I know no situation is permanent, it isn’t always happiness as well as it isn’t always sadness. I made my way through the two – but definitely gaining a lot more learning from the sadness.

In all honesty, I don’t know if 2014 will be any better. I certainly strive for it to be – who wouldn’t? I’ve tried to plan for it to be better by some of the things I have planned to do, see and experience. But I am aware plans have a mind of their own at times. One thing I do know about the year ahead is that whatever it brings, I’m going to handle it with the view of it being the making of me!

Happy 2014 everyone!

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