Reflection over resolutions - the decade that was

The new year is here! And a new decade might I add, holy shinto, that’s big!

Rather than set resolutions that I will surely disappoint myself failing to fulfill, I thought I’d give reflection a go, a ‘let’s see how far we’ve come’ type exercise. Sounds like a Matchbox 20 song right?

So here we go, my top 10 big life moments of 2019. You could give it a go too, dare ya.

1. Got hitched (finally) in 2013. Twas a lovely occasion

2. After slogging it out through our 20’s and into our 30’s, my husband and I became mortgage free (helps we had a really small one to start with)

3. Left the safety & predictability of a job I had been doing for over a decade. Got awkwardly ‘let go’ from a new one, agonised over quitting the next. I have now happily settled into my current job which luckily enough, aligns with my values and allows me to be a little creative too.

Dusty & Willow aka nephew & niece

4. Started and still run a successful business (my weekend side hustle)

5. Witnessed and nurtured my son and daughter through the teenage years and now into adulthood. My best achievement is those two turds

6. Made a lasting commitment to my health, changing up much of my eating habits (for the most part) and incorporating exercise into my daily routine. As cliche as it sounds, it's a lifestyle, no longer a chore

7. My sister having babies. An absolute game changer in the Auntie stakes. I love my sister’s children as my own, what a privilege it is to be an Aunt

8. Said see ya later to my 30’s, and I wasn’t that sad about it

9. Found out I was to become a grandparent come February 2020, I have an inkling this will be a next level life changer

10. Started a blog at 39, cause why the heck not!?

There are probably many more things I could add to this list, lots of crap stuff happened to fill in-between the gaps, but that my friends is life. After two decades of raising my offspring, being a working mumma, building a home and juggling all the bloody things, it sometimes felt like I was a hamster (sounds so American!) on a wheel and not really getting anywhere or achieving anything. I'm sure some of you can relate? Add social media into the mix over the latter decade and it appears everyone around you is kicking career goals, nailing parenting and holidaying overseas every other week, think it's now affectionately known as #fomo. The process of reflection however, does make me feel somewhat proud and deserving of a little pep talk. ‘Gosh darn it woman, you’ve achieved shitloads, give yourself a pat on the back!’

And as I finish up this blog post from the comfort of my son’s couch, where we have taken refuge for the night, so much devastation has taken place throughout numerous states in Australia over the past 24 hours. Our property was not directly under threat from bushfire, but we decided better to be safe than sorry. It certainly was not the way I envisioned seeing out 2019, and my heart is a little heavy hearing of the lives and homes already lost.

Happy New Year folks, count your blessings, reflect on how far you’ve come and the experiences you’ve had, I plan on making 2020 one of my best years yet, you?

Peace out homies

xx Kara

Reading: Your Own Kind Girl by Clare Bowditch. A heart felt book about the stories we tell ourselves, particularly as women,

Watching: The Affair - a series on Stan. It's steamy and sexy. If you don't like sex scenes, this is not for you, there are a number of them! The story line is good too!

Listening to: Be revisting Jonhn Butler a bit of late

Growing: Despite the lack of water there's a few seedlings that have taken off in my veggie garden. Basil, lettuce, capsicum and cucumber. we'll see how the tomatoes fair, not thriving like last year.

Crushing on: my new 2020 diary and calendar, I like feeling organised heading into another year. I just can't do digital calendars and the like, I'm much more likely to remember things if I've put pen to paper.