Your 2013 review/2014 preview

[MikeyC]

G'day, all.

Since 2013 is merely days from concluding, how was your year? Any highlights worth remembering/mentioning? Did you make headway with your anxieties or depression? I hope so!

Also, what would you like to achieve in 2014? What does the year ahead look like for you?

 

[Odo]

Well, I quit my job, but I made some money on the markets... not enough to replace my salary by a long shot, but enough to make me not a totally parasitic waste. They're way up right now and I'm thinking about putting more money in because things are bright and I still think Europe has room for lots and lots of growth... the US too.

I also went to Paris and saw the Mona Lisa, Venus De Milo, and all of that stuff... I was anxious a lot of the time but the people were pretty cool. I also got to speak French with real French people.

I joined these forums, and probably posted way too much crap about myself.

In 2014 I'd like to have my own business/website that provides at least some portion of an income, a decent portfolio and probably some other work doing websites locally... and I want to buy a remote property somewhere. I don't think I'll do any traveling because I have no job and plus air travel is horrible for emissions.

I don't think I made headway with my anxieties... they probably became worse, actually... but I'm happier now than when I was working, if you can believe it... I haven't been really catatonically depressed for a while now.

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

A mixed bag. Endured some more hardships. But, made a lot of progress on my anxiety and self esteem issues. 2014 will be a continuation of working on my inner world to make me ready for the outer one. I am cautiously optimistic.

 

[Kiwong]

I managed to retain my job during a work restructure.

I ran my first ultra marathon in April. The longest run of my life. I really enjoyed my trip to the Gold Coast for a Half Marathon and ran better than expected. I really enjoyed, and improved at my landscape photography, set up a web page for it. I got out into the wild and enjoyed re-learning about plants. I started to write a flora field guide. My times spent photographing sunsets and sunrises and wildflowers have been the highlight of the year.

I was able to go to Lord Howe Island with work, and while I enjoyed witnessing this magnificent Island, I felt somewhat of a burden due to my fear of heights, and it was a battle spending time with other people, and by the reaction of some people towards me I think I failed again.

My anxiety is still there and quite a problem for me. The town I live in feels too small, and I seem to be surrounded with anger. Work and some of the personalities in it were a continued stress for me that continually dragged me down. Everywhere I go there seems to be someone who is angry towards and is misrepresenting me. It began to intrude on the things I enjoy such as running. I've found that reacting to this only escalates things.

Towards the end of this year, I have lost a bit of motivation to train as hard as I do at running. 2014, I'm just going to try and finish some work projects as well as possible. I'm really thinking of taking advantage of some extended leave I have owing. I hope to train for another marathon if I can regain my motivation.

 

[Silatuyok]

2013 was subtly epic. I have come out of my shell quite a bit at work, and I feel little or no anxiety around my coworkers anymore (even the intimidating ones). I'm now practicing doing the whole hang-out-and-have-a-conversation thing, which is tough but I'm getting the hang of it.

I worked a lot on my general anxiety and got it to a manageable level. At that point I decided to take meds again for the first time in ten years, in order to help me get through the winter. The meds have been the icing on top as far as managing my anxiety goes. I feel like I had it under control without it, but now that I'm on them I feel really great for the first time ever.

My hope for 2014 is that it will be an easier, happier, more relaxed year than any I have ever had. My resolution is to work less and have more fun.

 

[BlueDays]

2013 was good socially because I made some improvements in my ability to start and continue a conversation with my co-workers where I volunteered. Made plenty of mistakes during the conversations but learnt from them.

2014 will be full of positive energy as I am starting full-time study. That is why I have not been able to come in here for a while as I have been busy preparing for next year.

 

[ImNotMyIllness]

2013 was good socially because I made some improvements in my ability to start and continue a conversation with my co-workers where I volunteered. Made plenty of mistakes during the conversations but learnt from them.

2014 will be full of positive energy as I am starting full-time study. That is why I have not been able to come in here for a while as I have been busy preparing for next year.

WOW! That is a major improvement. :thumbup:

 

[bladeds]

2013 Made progress using Self medicating with Ketamine - urghh guess it's bad to be using drugs doesn't really solve the problem. But I'm no longer depressed and haven't had sucicidal thoughts in months. I'm no longer alone having friends and my brother around me. I'm much more confident and no longer feel worthless or feel like people don't like me. I'm coping in social situations I would have never foreseen my self being able to cope a year ago. I no longer feeling insecure around people or worrying about what people think of me. I feeling far more relaxed and less anxious, even managed to get through my last job interview with out feeling anxious.

 

[Kiwong]

^ good luck with the study Blue Days.

 

[BlueDays]

WOW! That is a major improvement. :thumbup:

Well it is at least a step in the right direction. Still have a long way to go yet :bigsmile:

^ good luck with the study Blue Days.

Thanks Kiwong.

 

[MikeyC]

2013 was good socially because I made some improvements in my ability to start and continue a conversation with my co-workers where I volunteered. Made plenty of mistakes during the conversations but learnt from them.

2014 will be full of positive energy as I am starting full-time study. That is why I have not been able to come in here for a while as I have been busy preparing for next year.

I'm glad that the reason I haven't heard from you in a while is a good one. Congratulations on all your current achievements, BlueDays! :thumbup:

 

[Rawz]

2013 started off very good and I believed that it was going to be a breakthrough year for me. And really, has been, but not in the way I wanted and not as soon as I wanted.

During the first quarter I went on a trip to Nebraska to visit some people I knew online. I traveled by bus, along with someone else once I got to their state, so I got to see some sights and went through states I have never even been in.

We all stayed at one person's house and met a lot of other people, saw some sites, etc. It wasn't quite as exciting as I had hoped it would be, but it was still cool and it was the first time I had done anything like this.

Not long after the trip I fell into depression and went back to my old self. At the beginning of the year I said that it was going to much different and that I was going to do so many new things, but I never did. I had let most opportunities get away and didn't do much more socializing than I had done before.

It wasn't until about October/November that I picked myself up and started changing. I've changed my attitude and thinking a lot. I'm working on things every day and have plans for next year.

I have a plan involving my own website and some other stuff. I am working harder on everything, and plan on making 2014 the breakthrough year. I let 2013 slip away, but I don't have to let 2014 slip away. I can learn from my mistakes and become a better person.

2014 will be the year.

 

[ukmale]

G'day lol

Well as the sun is about to set on 2013 and 2014 is about to come in I can say with my hand on heart is has been shit totally crap house bound though the most of it popped out only a hand full of times and well 2014 is gonna be the same I'm sure but this yr goal is to get back on track with my weight try and lose some but apart from that I have been house bound 8yrs so don't think that's gonna change to fast lol as long as I can lose 66pounds of weight il be happy that's my 2014 goal well taking baby steps lol

 

[BlueDays]

I'm glad that the reason I haven't heard from you in a while is a good one. Congratulations on all your current achievements, BlueDays! :thumbup:

^Thank you Mikey.
I hope 2014 brings you a wonderful girlfriend from that dating website you mentioned you've signed up too.
*insert smiley crossing it's fingers for luck* We need one of those smilies in here!:bigsmile:

 

[Intrama]

2013 = Another freak out / break down, transition, new addiction, and better financial stability.

2014 = Hopefully becoming more comfortable with myself and others.

Yeah it's not in-depth, but I don't think it really has to be.

 

[Srijita52]

It was sort of like 2012 in many ways, same old anxiety, depression and loneliness. Had my first relationship and break up. Also learned to stand up for myself and say "no", so that's a good thing. Managed to push my comfort zone a wee bit, learned that things do get better when you stick to it.
I want to work on my social skills a lot more next year, make some friends, focus on my studies. Not really thinking of a relationship but if it happens it happens.
Hope 2014 turns out to be a wonderful year for you Mikey.

 

[Flanscho]

My year 2013 was pretty good.

- I had for most of the year a very nice relationship and am still friends with that person.
- got a new job, that is closer than my old one, better paid, I learn more and have nicer coworkers
- I managed to make the flat I moved into last year more comfortable
- was at two great festivals
- was at an interesting auction with friends, explore for the first time (wasn't born in this city) a nearby forest with two friends, went on a guided tour with some friends to the ancient military caverns beneath the city, put a lot of plants on my balcony, was at the worlds largest board game fair with friends
- had a great birthday party, with people giving me board games, plants and other stuff as presents
- had no single serious illness
- made new friends in searching for another board game group, having found one and having played several times with them already
- deepened the friendships I already have

 

[Nanita]

I broke up with someone that I was very involved with. I lost the feelings I once had. Which was weird. But we are trying to be friends now.

I moved into a really nice apartment.

My health is still weak. But I´m learning which foods are good for me and which I should stay away from.

I started therapy with a very, very good therapist, YAhaAYY, finally a good therapist.

I decided not to have internet at home. That was a good decision. It means I´m forced to get out when I want to use internet. I actually felt my anxiety and paranoia (regarding people) getting less severe, because of getting out more.

In general, this year has been more lonely than any other year. But I have finally had some progress in some ways, which I have been wanting for many years.

 

[migthymask]

I didn't leave my bedroom

 

[Pacific_Loner]

Well 2013 started great with a long snowboard trip in the rockies, but ended up being the year where I let down all my friends, gave up most sports I was into, stopped coming here, and reached ultimate boredom at work.

However it was also a year where I got to spend a lot of time with myself doing hobbies that I greatly neglected in the last years because I was too busy being a sporty.

I guess my resolution for 2014 should be to get into sports again and to restore what's left of my social life. A lot of changes could happen at work and in my life in general, and it can either end up in a very fun and interesting year or an epic fail depending on my luck, attitude and degree of imagination.

I hope everyone finds the will and motivation to use the coming year in the best way they can, as cheesy as it sounds I kinda mean it.