TAKING STOCK: WISDOM GAINED SO FAR THIS YEAR

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

We are over half way through 2015, (and no matter how cliché it is to say it) how crazy is that??? This year has been a big one for me in a handful of different ways and, even though it's only July, I feel as though I have learnt so much. Looking back to this time last year, an incredible amount has changed (both good and bad)... but we'll get to that in a moment. Here are four lessons that I have taken on board so far in 2015.

→ Friends are not always for life (but your true friends will stick by you through everything) - I'm going to begin with quite a sad lesson that this year has taught me. In the last six months, I have lost a handful of my closest friends. People grow up, people grow apart; it's natural. Having a long distance friendship with somebody is not always going to work, and somebody that you thought would be a lifelong friend becomes a stranger. It's heartbreaking, but it's simply a part of life. The friends that you should be focusing on are the ones that hold your hand through the good times and the bad - the ones that stay by your side.

→ Real love is natural and easy (that's not to say that it doesn't require hard work) - through past life experiences, everything had always been one-sided (or should I just say 'Kassi-sided'). I was always the ones who had to constantly make the effort, yet receive none in return. With Jack? Love comes easily, and our relationship feels so natural and effortless. Of course, no relationship is work-free, but I thoroughly enjoy working on our relationship, knowing that we are only growing stronger. Real love exists, and it is beautiful. It's shown me that it's not what you're doing that's important, but who you're doing it with.

→ Exercise is important - before this year, I had no exercise regime whatsoever. I used to go dancing every Saturday morning, but that came to an end two years ago, along with any form of exercise at all. With Jack's gentle encouragement, I've started to pick up a bit of an exercise routine for the first time in my life. I try to go running at least once a week (when I'm in a proper routine, I'll try two or three times), and I frequently go swimming as well. Despite how much I hate it mid-workout, I feel so much better about myself afterwards.

→ Change is not always a bad thing - yes, I am one of those people that is afraid of change, but aren't we all to some extent? As I mentioned at the beginning, an incredible amount has changed in the last 365 days. Not all of it has been good, but every single detail has led me to where I am right now, and I am the happiest that I have ever been. This time last year, I was living in the flat that I have just moved out of, spending my Summer in Manchester alone. I was working at a place that I could not stand, missing my friends, and just generally quite lonely. At the start of 2015, I was spending the majority of Christmas all on my own, revising and working up in Manchester. Now, I am at my family home for the Summer, thoroughly enjoying every minute that I get to spend with my Mum, Dad, and brother. I can see my best friends whenever I want, and I have the most wonderful boyfriend to visit on the other side of the country. Change can be fantastic.

What has 2015 taught you so far? Have you picked up any life lessons? Leave me a comment below!

0

TAKING STOCK: A LETTER TO SAY I LOVE YOU

Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash

Dear Mum, I know that it's cliché to say it but, I could not ask for a better Mother than you. You have blessed me with the most incredible support system over the past twenty years, and I miss you every day that we don't talk. To have a Mother that doubles as a best friend is an absolute privilege. Moving away to university was especially difficult for me because of the loving home that you had made for me, so much so that I simply did not want to leave. I love that I can tell you all of my secrets; I love that we have little traditions and jokes; I love that you would do everything in your power to make me happy. You are the light that guides me home.

Dear Dad, you simply always know what to say. Whether I've had a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year, you are constantly offering me words of wisdom to help me fight through. Making you proud is one of the most important goals in my life. Thank you for putting your absolute all into making my life a better one - whether that be through comforting me during difficult times, or simply emailing me funny dog videos every now and then. I don't know many people of my age that can say they've sat up until 2am, multiple times, talking about politics, history, just life with their Dad. I hope that we never lose that.

Dear Adam, as brothers go, you're not so bad. Growing up with an older brother taught me a great deal, and the respect that I feel for you cannot be heightened. When you moved to university, I was only 13, and I felt as though I barely knew you. Living in our house without you for four years was actually quite lonely, to tell you the truth. I will be forever grateful for the year that we had back together, before it was my time to move out. Within the space of a year, I got my brother back, and I gained a new best friend.

Dear Jack, we've been together for five months now, but it feels like so much longer. I've always thought of myself as a relationship person; a little bit lost without another person to lean on. With you, I am completely found. You bring light to my life every single day, and you inspire me to be a better version of myself. Whether it's fitness, studying, or general day to day life, you give me the motivation that I need to push forward. Thank you for coming into my life, and thank you for staying and loving me with all of your being.

Dear Lyndsey, where would I be without my best friend? I still find it funny that our friendship expanded due to a mutual obsession with One Direction. I have everything to thank those boys for now, as they brought my favourite person into my life. It's comforting to know that no matter where we both end up, we won't be far apart. Whether we speak all day long, or once a week, our friendship will always remain just as strong and unbreakable. Thank you for being my agony aunt, my partner in crime, and my shoulder to cry on.

Sometimes, you've just got to share the love.

0