Tags
Christmas, experiences, Holiday Season, January 2022, life lessons, looking back, looking back to go forward, New Year, New Year 2023, past lessons, year 2022
Before I look to the future and talk about my plans for 2023, I want to take a look back. Is 2022 really over? Didn’t it just start?
I am going to look back month by month, otherwise it would be a very long post.
THIS HAPPENED IN JANUARY 2022
It was a busy month, even though I spent most of it struggling with Covid. Some of the symptoms stayed around for 3 months. Actually, the mental fogginess and anxiety still visit every now and then.
Feeling sick, as it often does, highlights the joys of a time when one is healthy. At that moment nothing else matters. Health is indeed our most sacred commodity!
A co-worker that I have had issues with in the past got mad at me, for no real reason, and blocked me on our internal communication chat. I think he felt he had to have the last word. Weeks later he unblocked me because he needed something. I then blocked him, not as revenge but as a protection of the peace of not having to chat with him had afforded me. We now communicate only via email when it is absolutely necessary.
I learned that no matter how much I try, some people will not like me. I learned that sometimes the best communication is no communication at all. I also learned that forgiving is a virtue, but forgetting can be dangerous. We have to set up and enforce boundaries to protect our emotional being.
After canceling a date with the Greek because of Covid, we eventually met for the 4th date. I was really not feeling any chemistry, but since I said I would treat him for his birthday I felt I needed to go. I was hoping we could be friends. That night we disagreed on a couple of topics, but as we ended the night, I thought he understood and accepted friendship.
After that, he diminished the number of texts, so I assumed he had gotten the message. More about him in March.
People will sometimes assume things about me. It is not on me; it is on them. I cannot force anyone to understand me. I know who I am. That is enough.
The infamous EX-boyfriend (the cause for the start of this blog 10 years ago) reached out with a weird text about the sauna in his house. I did what I always do. I ignored him. And blocked him.
He no longer has any effect on me. It took me years to put my heart back together after him. It all passes and I grow stronger and stronger.
I reconnected with an older woman, my mom and I had met in Israel. It is good to reconnect with people that brings us good memories. It brightened her day and mine.
I just called her today. She is now 90 years old. She was so happy to hear from me. She is such a kind soul.
I need to remember the good souls from my past and do more of an effort of reaching out. Human connections are important, specially the ones that make my heart sing!
I finally got my floors finished and, and in the process the noise disturbed my neighbors. I had notified the building management, but they had failed to notify the neighbors. Instead of getting mad, I knocked on the neighbor’s door with a bottle of wine and a smile as an apology. They were surprised.
We are now great friends. My sister and I are now included in their get-togethers.
It is often better to take the high road. It definitely better to be happy than to be right! It is hard to fight the instinct to fight, not to be perceived as weak and a doormat. But I choose to pick my battles. Not everything requires a fight. Sometimes is better to solve issues with a bottle of wine and a smile.
That was a summary of January 2022. February coming next.
you made so much personal progress in learning how to navigate life more peacefully – bravo!
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Thank you so much Beth!
Looking back I am able to see some growth and it feels great!
Wishing you many blessings and new adventures in 2023!
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Quite the start to the year! Sounds as though January bright many lessons for you.
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Thank you Miriam!
Let’s see what January 2023 brings.
Wishing you a blessed 2023, full of adventures on the road!
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Wishing you ✨ Happiness in the New Year!
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Thank you Cindy!
To you as well, a blessed, healthy and happy 2023!!
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I freakin love you!!!!!!! That sums up all (well written literary responses I had typed then erased).
Myyyyy Goodness! You are seriously the most decisive woman I’ve met! You just ‘get’r done’. Bam. No unnecessary lengthy explanations. No sad self pity. No showing weaknesses when EVERYONE ElSE…would be just..crumbling. Not you! Not Ana! Not..never.
I applaud you. I salute you..and I admire you.
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I love you too!!! ♥♥
I don’t feel deserving of such praise, but I will happily take it.
You see me in such a beautiful way! That makes me want to be more and do more.
For that burst of inspiration and motivation that you always grace me with, I thank you!
Many blessings to you in 2023! May it be the year we meet!
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Please! Yes! May it be the year we meet!’
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You have indeed learnt a lot this year. A lot about men 🙂 , about people and mainly about yourself. Well done.
Wishing you another year of fun and adventure and more learning 🙂
Much love Ute xxx
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Hi Ute,
I feel I did learn a lot from 2022, specially that first month.
Thank you so much for the wishes and love. Wishing you the same!!
Blessings!
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Thank you for sharing!!.. we attend the School of Life and each day is a new lesson for us to learn from and helps us to become what we will be.. graduation day is the day of our funeral and it is then we will know if we passed or failed…. 🙂
“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you can appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together”…( Marilyn Monroe).. 🙂
Hope you and your family have a wonderful New Year filled with peace, joy and goodwill, your path is paved with love and happiness and life is all that you wish for it to be and until we meet again… 🙂
May the love that you give
Always return to you,
That family and friends are many
And always remain true,
May your mind only know peace
No suffering or strife,
May your heart only know love and happiness
On your journey through life.
(Larry “Dutch” Woller)
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Thank you so much Larry for your always inspiring comments!
May we continue learning the lessons, and spreading love!
Thank you for your wishes, and wishing you the same! May 2023 be filled with miracles!
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how is it possible we’re at the end Dear Ana.
oh good for you..
“The infamous EX-boyfriend (the cause for the start of this blog 10 years ago) reached out with a weird text about the sauna in his house. I did what I always do. I ignored him. And blocked him.”
🤣
Here’s to more love and laughter this year! ❣️
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Thank you Cindy!
Wishing you many blessings and even more accomplishments to you in the New Year!
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You’e so welcome and thanks for that! 💗
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Thank you for being in my corner in 2022!!
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Always in your corner! ❤️
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You sound like a very strong person, loved all your quotes. I could learn something from them 😊
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Hi Alison,
Thank you for this compliment! I do feel I am getting stronger and stronger.
Wishing you a blessed 2023!
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You are so wise, and seem to have grown even more so is 2022. I hope to also follow this path in 2023. Looking forward to how it went, month by month, as I am in the process of preparing a similar recap and look ahead myself. Not sure if or what I’ll post, though.
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Thank you! I am going to try to finish this recap soon. Similar to you I am not sure if I will end up posting or not.
The good thing is that we are able to see growth.
Blessings to you!
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