Changes I hadn't planned

I had already said no to new year new me for 2024

Yet, writing this at the end of January, there are things different about this year

A green road sign indicating changes ahead

So Emily what ARE you on about?

I'll let you know what's different and explain it as I go through them

• I have attended two online networking events, one of which was a speed networking event and that was really exciting. Networking itself is new to me and I kept it online to keep me somewhat within my comfort zone.
• Recently around a friends house for dinner, we played games afterwards and learning two new games and playing them was enjoyable. I can often be a bit of a miser when it comes to games so that was a change for me
• I have noticed when I have been grinding my teeth now and it tends to be when I am really concentrating on something. Before people (usually my sister) would point it out to me when I was doing it
• I was running late for an event as I was stuck in traffic in my car. I was calm. Any time before that, I'd have been a stress head in that situation.
• My mind hasn't been completely full of "to dos", even ones I want to do rather than need to. It has been a pleasant change of calm in my head
• I said yes to going to escape rooms which the year before I had said no to as I was worried it would be claustrophobic and I'd not enjoy it and/or ruin it for the others

And that was just January changes that came to mind without too much thought....

So what's happened for these changes to have come about, without me being consciously aware of them?

Well there's a few things I had done and I can't say that one of these on their own has been the sole reason.

1. I drink Pepsi Max and wondered what the caffeine free version was like. I bought some and drink the caffeine free version at times when  think it could affect me when working
2. I have been seeing my counsellor and working through some issues which have increased my self-awareness
3. I have been more mindful thanks to meditation and the Balance App
4. I've been less stressed at work (I have two jobs, a full time one alongside my counselling role)

There may well have been other things as well, if I think of them I'll come back and add them in.

This is the balance app how it appears on Google Play

Takeaways here ...

Nope, not KFC or Dominos

But the reason I have written this as a blog is because I thought it was too long for a social media post. I thought someone might find it useful, in someway, even if it's just finding out more about me.

What I learned when I discovered all these changes was that I had done these things but not really been aware of me doing them. Like the overthinking I usually do hadn't come in to play at all. I booked things, said yes and just went along with them. It's very different for me.

Thank you for reading this. If it's been of use to you in any way at all, please let me know by dropping me a message or comment wherever you found this blog post from.