Goodbye 2016

I wasn't sure which emotion I'd feel when I came to write this post but as it stands right now all I feel is relief. I'm trying my best to separate specific allotments of time from circumstance (it's a bad habit of mine) but 2016 really has been pretty awful for me. I've been riddled with physical and mental health issues that don't compare to anything I've experienced before. I didn't know things could get this bad with my anxiety & depression and I didn't appreciate my good health until it was taken from me. Sometimes I feel like I didn't really do anything this year other than survive.

But it's not all bad. Some small but wonderful things happened this year and today I thought I'd write a little recap. I saw my angel Alisha write a post in this style a few months ago and I absolutely adored it so I thought I'd do one myself. I'm so guilty of forgetting the smaller moments because they're so easily overwhelmed by the bad but I'm hoping that writing and referring back to this post will remind me that 2016 hasn't been lost.

In 2016 I...

Celebrated one year of cruelty-free living.
Began to eat again when it was the last thing I wanted to do.
Gained back all of the weight I'd lost.
Bought a Wii & Wii Fit Board.
Took this photo of Luke & Luna.
Became obsessed with peanut butter. (I even put it in brownies!)
Turned 21.
Reached 400 Bloglovin' followers.
Made it to the B List on the Kim Kardashian Hollywood game.
Embraced crystal therapy.
Started my Sunday Post series.
Attempted veganism.
Downloaded and fell in love with the All Time Low Future Hearts album.

Started going outside again.
Lost the confidence and motivation to blog.
Found it again.
Spent £100 in Primark.
Discovered Legend of Korra.
Bought a bad-ass plunge-neck swimming costume.
Went swimming in it.
Went to Portishead and walked along the waterfront.
Introduced my Dad to Shakeaway.
Went back to the cinema for the first time since my relapse.
Ate some Ikea Quorn hot dogs.
Paid someone to illustrate Luna.
Got a full fringe.
Saw Captain America: Civil War for Luke's birthday.
Finally got a new phone.

Went to VegFest.
Fell in love with matte lipsticks.
Discovered anime. (And fell in love with Sword Art Online.)
Bought my bike and rode it along the harbourside.
Fell into the depths of depression.
Pulled myself out again.
Put myself on a gluten- and dairy-free diet.
Opened a bunch of Pokémon card packets.
Organised the prettiest ones by Type in my ring binder.
Appreciated and adored Luke like never before.
Wrote this post.

Started wearing my new ring.
Revived my print wall.
Survived 24 hours in Brean.
Shed some light on my sister's Nephrotic Syndrome.
Delivered a care package of food & some flowers to my Dad when he was unwell.
Played two games of bowling for my sister's birthday.
Switched up my blog template.
Grew my hair really long.

Chopped it all off.
Decluttered my entire life.
Decluttered again.
And again.
Started another round of CBT.
Treated myself to some beautiful embroidered jeans.
Shared my experience of acid reflux & IBS.
Bought all of the Lush Halloween bath bombs.
Hosted a giveaway.
Watched Your Lie in April and cried.
Carved a Harry Potter pumpkin.
Ate out at a vegan café.
Swapped my Hogwarts house.
Finally began to feel better mentally.
Started a bullet journal.
Made some wonderful online friends.

Baked my dad an epic Toblerone cake.
Went shopping by myself.
Baked cupcakes and cookies for my friend's son's first birthday.
Started watching The Walking Dead.
Sent Christmas cards to my blogging friends.
Attempted Blogmas.
Completed it.
Got diagnosed with OCD.
Reached 600 Bloglovin' followers.

Survived Christmas Day and ate roast potatoes.
Took some polaroid photos with my favourite guys.
Experienced countless panic attacks.
Cried more often than not.
Worked really fucking hard to sort myself out.
Began to hope for the future.

Thank you all so much for your support, love and acceptance this past year. I genuinely mean it when I say I wouldn't have survived without you. xxx

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