It’s not quite the end of the year yet but it has been a tumultuous one so far.
The worst part of the year was the death of my brother in February. If you have been through the terminal illness of a loved one, you will know the torn feeling of terrible loss and pain but also the peace of knowing their suffering is at an end. In terminal illness, you all also have the ability to say your goodbyes and come to terms with everything beforehand. I was so grateful to see D before he died.
My other brother had a massive heart attack at the same time, but he is now doing well. The good thing is that we have made more of an effort to stay in touch regularly this year. I have made sure I show my appreciation and love to all my dear ones this year, because nothing is a given.
I continued my decluttering and cut down purchases by at least half. I have ‘shopped my closet’ to make new outfit and accessory combinations. It’s been a challenge to not buy things when I get bored with what I have, but rather satisfying to rediscover old favourites in my closet. I have also switched to wider trousers which suit my menopausal shape much better. The last time I wore wide trousers was in my teens!
For the sales this year, I have a list of things I need or would like to try. Unless those pop up, I am not shopping. This time of year is becoming more chaotic and screechy, and many of the sales are not really sales at all.
Health-wise everything is fine. My cholesterol is way down due to the medicine combination I am on (80mg Atorvastatin + 10mg Ezetimibe daily) so I do not have to take the weekly injections. My blood pressure is also down so I am no longer at a risk of stroke/heart attack like my parents.
The geopolitical situation and increasing prices continued to be chaotic which caused constant low-level anxiety at some points in the year. Right now though, I am just concentrating on things I can do something about. Being angry at how many of the world’s leader are behaving doesn’t help.
Work-wise I have had a hectic term because I am substituting for someone who specialises in a different field than I do. I have had to learn a lot from scratch which I have not done in years because I know my areas and clients so well. All this teaching is in the classroom, so I have had to travel more than I have done in years. Plus the early starts have been a challenge. I am not an early bird by any means.
2025 has fine for the most part. You mention menopause and I’m perimenopausal, so the changes have been brutal but I have made some changes in my life (no added sugar and almost no gluten) and that has completely improved my symptoms. Because the situation is getting steadily worse in Germany, we are seriously contemplating a move still within Europe but away from the continent, so fingers crossed! I have also gotten closer to one of my cousins who I haven’t seen much of the last couple of decades and it felt great!
2025 has been challenging but I’m so pleased to see that you are coping as well as can be expected and concentrating only on those things that you can control is what has helped me this year. I am sorry for your loss earlier in the year of D. I moved in the spring and have gained so much from not worrying about things I have no control over.