By many metrics 2016 was a good year for me. I bought my first car, the 2016 Chevy Volt. I’m in best shape of my life. My family is in good health. And I applied and got my first job since starting my career in the public service 10 years ago. I even met some wonderful people and dated a couple of them over the summer. I also joined Facebook in 2016 but the jury is still out on whether that was a positive move.
I don’t normally reflect on the year that was like this but I feel like I need to take stock and remind myself of some of the positives.
Material
Charting material gains is easy. New job = more money. New car = increase in “status”. And GameDealsCanada continues to do make great strides. I really have no complaint in this department.
I’ve been able to get a lot of things to help my family’s lives both immediate and long term which makes me very happy.
Physical
I could be working out more efficiently and make greater gains in less time but I choose to go down my own path. As a result of fitness bands, healthier eating and the aformentioned workouts, I physically feel fantastic everyday.
It may sound a bit strange, but I’ve learned to appreciate the outdoors and the city that I live in a lot more since I embraced these fitness bands. Pokemon Go made me aware of some low key landmarks but it didn’t have the lasting power or impact of the Fitbit. Now I take complaints about my abnormally fast walking pace as a compliment.
Mental & Emotional
For the first time ever, I felt the weight of depression during the holidays. It’s a strange sensation because I have always prided myself on being mentally tough. The last few weeks have been mentally exhausting. I don’t even know why because I actually don’t have much to worry or fuss about in the grand scheme of things.
What doesn’t help are the Trump related headlines that I read throughout the latter half of the year. I’m not a political person but Trump’s assault on the very basics of human decency drew me in more and more. Having to explain (or read explanations) on why you should treat people fairly is soul crushing. I need to stop reading his nonsense but it’s just so tough to ignore.
Loneliness is a factor but I think its a strong case of the “grass always being greener” on the other side. I was in a relationship earlier this year that ended amicably. We reconnected during the holidays and seem to be making this “stay as friends” thing working fine. I have no desire on pursuing a romantic relationship with this person but I have a desire to go out and just spend ultimately meaningless time with her. But if I boil it down further, I don’t necessarily want to be with her but more like the fact that she fills the role of being “good company”. I chalk this all up to holiday sentimental nonsense that I found myself surrounded with.
I have to thank GiantBomb for helping me stay distracted through it all though. I haven’t watched many shows or movies this year, but GiantBomb’s nonsense has kept me sane.
Here’s to 2017
I don’t do new year’s resolutions. I just have a set of ever evolving goals that I build upon when I feel like it. I didn’t set out to start working out in 2016, this workout regiment was born in 2015 or so as me wanting to regain some semblance of decent shape with the small goal of being able to lift my own body weight with ease. I’m not here to set a goal of meeting someone amazing either.
2017 will be like every other year thus far where I stay the course and continue to improve myself as I see fit. I will continue to address the concerns and issues that I face on a daily basis and just enjoy each and every day as much as possible. For instance, the immediate challenge right now is figuring out why my dad’s snowblower’s snow chute isn’t rotating properly.
I don’t know if I will check in with another post like this at the end of 2017 but I found this helpful this year.
