It’s usually the same phrase that comes from this mouth every year isn’t it….. What a year….
Comparatively speaking, this has been the year of years. From meeting a great girl (ok, that was last year, but we’re spreading some fairy dust here!) to reconnecting with old friends, making new friends and just plain growing up a little lot.
After a fairly rocky start in an old role and riding off the back of a breakup that was both inevitable and long overdue, a new opportunity and a new company presented me with a chance to break free of some of those almost invisible shackles that you don’t really see until you’re away from them. An opportunity to play in the big pond of the working world presented a lot of growth for me personally and professionally, but overall was a very unhappy experience culminating in my taking my leave at the end of my 3-month contract.
On the positive note, this general queasy feeling in my (ever-growing) stomach caused me to make a 90-degree turn to the right and start working out at the gym. I won’t delve into the benefits of that little escapade here, but I can only assure you that the confidence, waistline reduction and increased energy levels have paid me back 10-fold.
After a well-earned break and time to change focus on the career front, I decided to embark on some significant training and undertake my Project Management certification. Coming from a background where running projects was a focus on my role, but having no real structure in place on how to manage these processes, the learning and development presented an eye-opening experience for me and encouraged me to pursue a role in the field on a full-time, permanent, career-focussed basis.
After some initial interviews, it didn’t rain until it poured and I was presented with three roles to choose from, where I took the role that paid the least and offered me by far the most work, stress and benefits. My new boss (and in all honesty, mentor) has been a real beacon on the professional front for me and I continue to be awed that I get to work in such a dynamic, interesting and growing organisation that actually stands for many of the things I believe in. I am indebted to both him and my company and Im sure that the journey will only continue onwards and upwards in the years to come.
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Back on the personal front, I started to flush away some of the demons that have plagued me for quite some time and came to the realisation that some friends are just not meant to be, some are meant to be for all the right reasons and some will continue to be in your life even when you don’t get to directly reach out to them all that often.
For my housemate and I, we learnt a lot and both opened up to each other about the benefits of real friends, the trust that comes from knowing somebody well enough to respect when they do and don’t want to talk, and that being different can allow you to see the world from a completely different perspective. The growth that comes from that and the satisfaction of realising that good friends are hard to come by has not been lost on me.
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The girl and I have grown significantly together, finding our footing, finding our pace, and our space and I am constantly moved by her passion, compassion, energy, laughter, craziness and general good-naturedness that offsets my continual pain-in-the-ass attributes that Im sure all of you are aware of. She has been my beacon of light in a very long and dark tunnel over the past year and lets me see the way not only to salvation, but also to a long and prosperous journey to the horizon.
I have learnt that taking things slow lets those slow fires turn into strong and long burning embers that can take the rains and still continue burning when most other raging fires would have fizzled and washed away, with nothing but ashes in their place. We have weathered two storms and I can’t help but thank all my lucky stars that she was stronger than I ever could have been.
I’m looking forward to seeing the horizon with her.
(And no, we’re not thinking of moving in, moving out or getting married anytime soon!) *smile*
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Mum and Dad continued to inspire and keep a parental view on my world which we all look forward to when things get down and out. Their journey through Australia was a paradox of sadness and joy and made me realise that the things you love the most can’t be contained by anyones actions, they can only be set free to enjoy and admire, even if it is from a distance. From helping me to see that the best things come to those who wait, to being there for me as my friends as well as my parents is a transition that I continue to enjoy with them both as individuals and as a couple as I start to grow up.
My brother and I came to the realisation that we are, in fact, more similar than different and I came to the realisation that he’s always going to be cooler than his older brother can ever manage(!).
Good friends have continued to swirl in and out of my life in various ways and I continue to be moved by the compassion and guidance that I have received from those who are always close to me, even when they are thousands of miles apart from my physical location.
I want to wish each of you a safe and prosperous Christmas period and a smashing New Years Eve party! For those that I will see over the Christmas break, it will be great to catch up, and for those that I don’t get to see in person, remember that you are in my heart always, and are only every a mobile call/SMS or e-mail away!
With love and respect
Adam
