Well I thought that 2011 was a good year but I can honestly say that 2012 has topped it! This has been a really amazing year for me…
I started the year with a bit of a wobble – I had my wisdom teeth out which left me feeling pretty poorly, but I also realised I had a big problem connected to my diet and exercise that needed to be addressed. On the positive side I completed my first qualification in Diet and Nutrition advice and passed with a distinction!
In February we had a trip down to Brighton which was awesome – it included a meet up with the lovely Tam and my first ever Bikram yoga class.
In March I had another tattoo!
I realise that I’ve been meaning to do a post with more info on what my tattoos mean. This tattoo is a bit of a tribute to my late grandmother. The butterflies are based on one of her favourite brooches – something that my Dad gave me on my wedding day as my ‘something blue’. I still want some more work done on it and more tattoos in 2013!
In April I delivered my first healthy eating sessions with young people:
And had a lovely Easter! Then it was more celebrating for the Queen’s Jubilee…
I had a big party with my friends and family and it was such good fun!
Around this time I started to realise that running was probably a really stupid idea considering the health issue I was dealing with so I decided to stop running altogether.
In July we went to Kendal Calling and had a great time…
I also decided to take the plunge and start my course with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and become a health coach! Plus I invested in my Vita-mix blender :-)
August was just brilliant! I turned the big 3-0 and had a joint birthday party with my Mam who turned 50. The party was fancy dress…
So much fun! My best friend and cousin gave birth to their babies – Georgia and Espen. On the eve of my birthday I registered my new company Uniquely Healthy Ltd.
In September we went back to Brighton…yes we really love it there!
We also set up the Feel Good Factory North East C.I.C to start doing work with children and young people and communities around emotional and physical wellbeing.
In October I started to eat a lot more meat after gradually starting to return to an omnivorous diet after being vegan for just over a year. I did this for various reasons, but I do feel like it has been the right thing for me and my body…
November was just insane, I did so much!
I went to London for the Healthy Hero Magazine Photo Shoot:
I also had KHGS redesigned and transferred servers, moved offices and redecorated that office and we started redecorating the flat! Looking forward to doing some interior design posts in 2013!
Then December has been wonderful too. I launched Uniquely Healthy and was just blown away by all the support and interest in my health coaching work, things are looking so exciting for 2013! I also wanted to relax and have fun and that is just what I’ve done!
To sum up this year I have:
- Set up two businesses
- Worked on the redesign of KHGS and the launch of Uniquely Healthy
- Completed one nutrition course and started another one
- Turned 30
- Had lots of parties :-)
- Redecorated our home
- Travelled to Brighton twice, visited London and went to Kendal Calling music festival
- Changed – a lot!
I started this year as a ‘mostly’ vegan with what I now realise was a rather disordered eating and exercising pattern. I faced up to that, and have gradually been making changes to try and address those things. It has been very hard at times, but I’m convinced that this is just another part of my journey I’ve had to experience to become the woman I am today. I haven’t weighed myself in over two months but I suspect I’m about the same weight I was when I started this blog in 2010, perhaps a little bigger. I’ve come to terms with the fact that my body just isn’t healthy at a smaller size and what I’ve gained in pounds has been matched with what I’ve gained in quality of life. Sometimes, that magical dress size just isn’t worth the stress – and life is too short to be wasted in pursuit of it. What I feel I’ve discovered is:
Strive for health – and your own version of health not someone else’s. My healthy is having a properly functioning body that can do what I ask of it – (whether that’s running a mile, lifting weights or dancing all night), at a size that I feel I can maintain without my quality of life suffering for it.
How was 2012 for you? Did you have any big epiphanies this year?
This is my last post for 2012, I’d like to thank all of you for joining me in my little corner of the internet and would like to wish you all the very best for 2013. Let’s make it epic!
I know I’ve said it before, but you’re incredibly inspiring! You’ve achieved so much in one year – I hope 2013 is just as successful and Uniquely Healthy goes from strength to strength.
I might have to pick your brains about getting involved with helping young people, as that’s one of my aims for 2013.
Thanks so much Emma! Got your email and will reply very soon :-)
Wow you’ve clearly had a great year! And I’m sure 2013 will go just as well :)
That was a lovely post to read! I only started following halfway through the year so it was nice to catch up on the rest of your year :) You’re a big inspiration to me too and I just don’t know how you get it all done! Bring on a fine 2013 for you Laura :)
Oh and I think (just) I am going to take the plunge with Integrative Nutrition too next year.
Thanks Laura :-) If you are definitely going for it with IIN give me a shout as I should be able to get you a referral discount – I also get a commission and would happily spilt that with you too if you are interested. Hope you have an amazing 2013!
You’ve done so much this year – you should be so proud of yourself. It’s a really good idea to look back at what you’ve achieved over the year. This post has really motivated me to push myself this year.
Good luck for 2013!
Thanks Anna, hope that you have an amazing 2013!
You’ve accomplished so much, Laura! Keep up the good work. I still LOVE the sailor girl outfit!!
Thanks Fran! I loved that outfit too, so much fun!
Wow you have been busy this year! Here’s to another fantastic one for you.
I suppose for me the start of the year was quite rubbish, just hanging around waiting for my op, and then recovering from it, but once that was out the way the second half of the year was fab- I like to look on the bright side anyway and I can say I have still had a pretty good year despite the start.
I think looking at all the positives is the way to go, you seemed to recover so well from your op! Hope that 2013 is a great year for you :-)
I definitely have to agree that 2012 was an amazing year for you, Laura, and I couldn’t be happier for you – you definitely deserve it! I absolutely love what you discovered about what it means to be healthy! A body that let’s you live your life without having to suffer to maintain it is a beautiful way of looking at things. I hope you know that you’re incredibly inspiring, and I hope that 2013 is just as, if not even more, amazing for you :)
Thanks Amanda that is lovely of you to say! Hope you have a fabulous 2013 too!
You know, watching you go on this journey and seeing where you are at now has just been bloody amazing and I hope it inspires so many women out there. Afterall we are all trying to find our balance in life and come to terms with accepting who we are and being ‘okay’ with that and I for one can see just how much happier you are in general with life. I really think that you have finally got the balance right for you physically aswell as mentally. I only hope that you continue with that in 2013 and things are finally put in place after all your efforts in terms of your current health problem which I am almost 100% sure will happen because you’re doing everything right. It is hard for any woman to accept that they have to be bigger than they’d ideally like to be healthy but you’ve shown that life is more fun and happier when you aren’t fighting with your body all of the time.
Thanks Nicky, it really hit me yesterday when I got an email from a girl in recovery that found me inspiring and another girl that is looking to lose weight – so both ends of the spectrum. I just hope that I can help others through all of this and I know that’s something you can relate to :-) Hope you have a really amazing 2013, I’m already looking forward to the coffee dates :-)
I’m so glad you had an amazing year! I sincerely LOVE reading your blog!
For me, this year has taught me to love my body, (which I am DEFINITELY still working on) and to not take it for granted.
I hope you have a wonderful New Year’s Eve and new year!!
Thanks Alex! Glad that you are working on loving your body, it really does make such a difference when you can make peace with it. Hope you have a fabulous 2013!
Happy new year! Hope 2013 is as good for you as 2012!
What an awesome year. Well done darling, it is all so well deserved. I particularly loved what you said about gaining a few pounds but gaining so much life and enjoyment in the process. You show us all how it’s done :) happy new year xxx
Wow, what an amazing year! You have inspired so many people (just check out the comments above!), including me. You make your healthy lifestyle look fun, and your attitude to it is so refreshing, you genuinely focus on health and not “getting skinny”, which, sadly, can be quite rare. Well done on all you have achieved in 2012, I have no doubt we’ll be reading about more fabulous achievements in 2013! Happy New Year, Laura.
Thanks Sarah, happy new year! Hope you have a great 2013 :-)
I’m sure there’l l be an award out there for “Inspirational blogger” and if so, I’d give it to you. I love your attitude to health, fitness and wellness, so much so that if I ever ran into trouble with my eating again, I’d give “Uniquely Healthy” a call :-)
Wow Emma that is so lovely of you to say :-) x x x
What a fantastic year you’ve had! You should be so, so proud of yourself and all of your MANY achievements. If I could get through even a third of what you have done, I will be so, so happy in 2013!
This is so insanely inspiring! You have had an amazing year by the looks of things! Here’s to an even better 2013! x
I’m only just catching up on your posts, and this one is fab! You did so much in 2012, you should be so proud of yourself! You’ve inspired to me to take a nutrition course this year, I’ve been thinking about it for ages but reading this post has made me realise I need to just do it and stop umming and ahhing! Hope 2013 is as amazing for you as 2012 was! :-) x