My 2022 in review
Another year has passed and I am always in awe of time and its movement speed. 2022 is a year that I felt mostly in between the feelings of happiness, excitement, confusion, worry, and anxiety. If I have to think about this year as the number of achievements I’ve made, I would not be proud. I rather trick myself into thinking of how much solid ground I have laid out for the upcoming years so here we go.
Been in a serious relationship: it is amazing to be in a relationship that I can see a long-term path moving forwards. Some of us want to build a family or have a partner in the long run and so am I. If you read my previous post, having a happy family is one of my long term goals and I am so glad that I have found one for myself this year. It has not always been fun but one thing I am sure is I enjoy the company more than I used to think and I actually look forward to it more in the future.
Visit my family and friends in Vietnam: I was so desperate and stressful for being unable to go back to Vietnam during Covid. As someone who always yearns for independence and chose being away from family to build up that legacy, I was surprised myself of how much I wanted to visit my home country. During 4 months at home, I travelled back and forth between my parents and my sister place, while still had the opportunity to work remotely to Australia. I couldn’t ask for more. One thing I realised is that family has been and will always be a safe place, emotionally and physically. This is not new for sure. But I have come cross the feeling myself during this time back and I appreciate it dearly. Eventually, I will have my own family and what could be better if I already know its true value today.
Got promoted at work: I was promoted to a leader position in February 2022. Apart from a pay rise, what I was truly grateful for earning this promotion is having a different view of how things run in the corporate world. When I was working as an employee, I wanted to know what my boss is doing and what else can I do to help but when I work as a leader, I find myself having a broader perspective about the long term consequences of my actions. Additionally, I am frequently in doubt, whether I have done things nicely so that they benefit my team? from this experience, I know it’s only a matter of care or not care for what I do.
Bought my first car: I bought a used car in March this year. It doesn’t even have a reverse camera and I haven’t driven it much to be honest, but it does the job taking me from A to B. Having a car is so important here in Australia and thanks to car ownership, I collected enough points to rent my first place as a household.
Rent my own place: Yes that’s correct. I have signed my first rental contract after 5 years living in Australia. You might wonder why. Well, I always rented a small room in a property before and I had never gone through a real estate agent. This time I rent my own place, my name is on the rental binding contract and utilities bills. I pay a bit more on weekly basis but I finally feel like an adult now haha.
Get back on writing: I am a little embarrassed to say this but I didn’t write anything for almost 6 months. Even when I decided to write, I felt heavily obliged. But I always know that I want writing to be a part of my life and as a hobby, that’s why I am so glad I get back to it. More on writing later.
Be more aware of negative thoughts and be kinder to myself: if you know me well, you would know that I have been struggling to maintain a healthy mental stage. I am constantly stressed, anxious and worried about small little details. One of the most important act I can do for my mental health is having an awareness of negative thoughts, when do they arise and what should I do to respond to it. This has slowly brought me back to a healthier life this year.
I feel like anything I did this year will somehow be relevant to the upcoming years. With more fun, excitements, more disappointments and all other mixed feelings, I welcome 2023 with an open mind.
