2024, an uncomfortable year

If someone were to ask me for a word to describe my year, the first word that comes to mind is uncomfortable. And, no, not just because I’ve eaten too many mince pies this festive season and my jeans feel too tight. This whole year has felt like a struggle, and I’ve felt uncomfortable with myself and the things happening around me.

This year has presented me with a lot of changes, some of them more uncomfortable than others:

Broken bones

In April, I broke my wrist in two places after a rather unfortunate goalkeeping incident (I know, I’m such an athlete). 30 years without knowingly breaking a bone made me realise I never want to break anything in my body ever again - it was uncomfortable, to say the least. Also uncomfortable was ensuring I didn’t overdo it while my wrist was in a cast, an impossible task for those who don’t know me. The healing period involved a lot of patience and relying on my partner and parents to help me with everyday tasks like washing my hair and driving me to work. (Thanks Mum, Dad, and Louise)

Body image

My relationship with my body has always been a strange one, and one that has felt particularly uncomfortable this year. Those who can relate will know that however many times your partner tells you they love you how you are, there’s always a voice in the back of your mind that tells you otherwise. Going into 2025, I hope to learn to love my body for everything it does for me rather than constantly wishing it was smaller. Moving my body will still be a priority for me but I will be doing it because it makes me feel good rather than to make up for the slice of cake I had for lunch.

Nearly losing a pet

Our cat, Lola, got very sick in September, she had sepsis and was extremely close to dying on our way to a specialist vet in Newmarket. Look, I’ve lost pets before, and had to have them put down for various reasons, but this one hit extremely hard and the whole process felt scary and uncomfortable. My partner and I have been through a lot together over the last three years but this was the first time we had to make a big decision over something like this. It was a big test as, unfortunately, with things like this you have to think about affordability (it’s crazy to think about this when you’re talking about keeping a loved one alive, vets charge an extortionate amount) while also battling with the emotional side of your brain. Luckily, we decided for an emergency operation to go ahead despite a poor survival rate and our Lola is now fit and healthy. Please enjoy some photos of a healing Lola with half her fur missing.

Getting older

I turned 31 this year (I know, I barely look a day over 21) and this year has made me feel it. Not in the usual aches and pains or wrinkles under the eyes kind of way but in other ways instead. This year, I’ve realised I want a calm life, no drama, no stress, and no feeling hungover the next morning after a night out - although to be honest, the latter kicked in in my mid-twenties. In 2025, I will embrace little pockets of calm, such as listening to my records with a coffee, lazy mornings with my partner, or pottering around the house tending to my plants. Call me a Granny, I don’t care.

My friends and I joke about the difficulty of finding time to meet up, but this year has been particularly hard. It’s made me realise that we’re all getting older, we all have our own lives away from each other - something that has made me feel, you guessed it, uncomfortable. I think that’s all part of getting older, and I cherish the times we do manage to get together (I’m making it sound like one of us is about to peg it don’t I?)

This year hasn’t been all doom and gloom like I’m making it out to be. I’ve had a great year, the following being some of my highlights:

• My partner and I went on a cruise to the Caribbean (more on that in a blog coming to you soon).

• We’ve welcomed new members into our family (babies are cute, I want one).

• I’ve had the privilege of watching my partner grow more confident and challenge herself.

• I had many kayaking adventures - here’s a cheeky blog about my favourite spots.

What will 2025 bring?

Who the hell knows, but, I know it will bring a lot of change across many aspects of my life. I hope I embrace them.

My song choice, well it can only be Messy by Lola Young.