You know when you have so much in your head that you can’t think straight?

I’ve been like that for… a good six weeks.

Before we moved, I would sit amongst everything that needed to go into boxes, struggling to decide what to pack next. On the day we moved, I stood still amongst the flurry of removalists and our helpers, struggling to decide what to tell them was next on the list to move from bohemia to suburbia. Since being in suburbia, amongst Christmas, I sit here amongst the boxes, struggling to decide what to unpack next.

Sometimes it’s just easier to go to the biggest Ikea in the southern hemisphere.

But with some fab time spent with family and special friends, with some showing off of our suburbian life, with some cock-ups and with a lot of unpacking, I’m starting to get a grip on reality and get with the program/programme.

I have another couple of weeks off work (SO needed!) to recharge my batteries, get my act together and plan for 2012.

And, because I love a challenge, I’m joining in Chantelle’s photo-a-day challenge for January. Day 1 is “You”:

I’ve been dreaming up fabulously inspirational blog posts in my head while I’ve been parked on the couch (in front of our glorious, hideously humongous TV), but they’ve all fallen out of my brain. BUT! I’ve read some amazing new year-style posts and rather than me trying to imitate, why not just read their words instead?

White Hot Truth: The Manifesto of Encouragement

Right now:
• The next great song is being rehearsed.
• Millions of children are assuming that everything is amazing and will always be that way.
• Someone is fighting the fight so that you don’t have to.
• Some civil servant is making sure that you get your mail, and your garbage is picked up, that the trains are running on time, and that you are generally safe. Someone is dedicating their days to protecting your civil liberties and clean drinking water.

Yay for Home!: New Years Revolution

Now what if you take weight loss out of the [new year's resolution] equation? Because most of these resolutions are related to people wanting to drop weight. What if you could do all these things and be a healthy, happy person at the weight you are now?

Shh Mummy’s on the Phone: Just Being

And I want to be me. I’m okay, you know? I have some rough edges. I’m not perfect. But I’m pretty good at some stuff. I’m a bit funny. I can do the MC Hammer dance in a long dress and heels. And I like myself most of the time. I have never been anyone else. It doesn’t sit right with me.Preview

Marc and Angel: 30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself (via Create Your Great Life)

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Nothing could be closer to the truth. But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.

And I could pretty much just quote everything written on TinyBuddha. If that site doesn’t inspire and slash or motivate you, I don’t know what will.

It’s time to stop staring at the walls and start doing. It’s a new year, a fresh start and a clean slate. Spit spot!

:)

Just like I did last year and the year before that, I’m totally stealing Fifikins’ navel-gazing meme to end the year.

2011 was SO not the year I was expecting, and exceeded all my expectations (though, tbh, I had pretty low expectations). I hope this year was amazing for you guys too, though I know so many of you have had a rough year :(

Why don’t you join in and answer the questions too? It takes a little bit of time (depending on how much thought/effort you put into it) but it’s a great way to reflect on the year. If you do have a go, leave me a link in the comments! x

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
   Gave up drinking full-strength (leaded) Coke. Went to two blogging conferences. Came up with a great idea for a blog. I started shopping at Aldi.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
   This year I tried my second year of being happy, but 2011 is going to be all about stressing less and getting better at recognising my triggers for freak outs.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
   Nat had Muddy Bubby and I have a beautiful new nephew. (I wrote about both boys here)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
   No, but people close to me lost people close to them.
5. What countries/states did you visit?
   Melbourne – for Blogopolis, baby! Funnest weekend in a lonnnng time.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
   More confidence to be myself. That I don’t have to be someone I think others want me to be. Being me is enough.
   “To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself” ~Thich Nhat Hanh
7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
   October 31st, settlement date on our first home :)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
   Buying our first home and dreaming up the idea of Smarter Admins.
9. What was your biggest failure?
   Not coping during stressful circumstances. At all.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    Nothing that I can think of, except for the spectacular bruises I’ve scored while we packed/moved.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
    Our new place :)
12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
    My friends, especially those who helped us move. They know who they are and I hope they realise just how grateful we are. I don’t think I could ever adequately thank them. I’m not good at asking for help, and not used to feeling in debt in this way.
13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
    In a general sense, people who don’t/can’t think for themselves, who mooch off others and don’t have even a smidge of emotional intelligence. Qualities that frustrate me and infuriate me.
14. Where did most of your money go?
    Paying rent and saving up for our home deposit.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    Leaving bohemia and moving to suburbia. We were so lucky to have all the pieces fall into place in the way they did.
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
    Glee’s Adele mashup. I love the singing, the choreography, the story arc in that episode, just… love.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
    a) happier or sadder? happier
    b) thinner or fatter? fatter
    c) richer or poorer? poor in $, richer in love.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    Listening to my emotions.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    Stewing over things I can’t control.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
    Lunch with my family, drinkies with in-laws. And of course, Christmas Eve was spent wrapping presents and watching Love Actually
21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
    Again and again.
22. How many one-night stands?
    Oh darlin’, those days are long gone
23. What was your favourite TV program?
    Glee and Supernatural. Old favourites, specially the French Mistake ep of Supernatural
24. Did you make a friend with anyone that you didn’t know this time last year?
    So many new blogging/Twitter friends (thanks to lots of conferences, meetups and slumber parties)
25. What was the best book you read?
    Tragically, I’m going to have to admit that if I have read anything, it wasn’t very memorable. My brain just hasn’t had the required concentration for a book :(
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Adele. I feel like such a prat for not getting into her when she released her first album.
27. What did you want and get?
    A refund on the dud Sharp convection microwave I bought from 2nds Word Cremorne. After a three-month saga and a faulty replacement model. The stress that bloody microwave put me through… argh.
28. What did you want and not get?
    You know what? I can’t think of an answer to this.
29. What was your favourite film of this year?
    I really liked Super 8, it was just enough JJ without it being too JJ
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    Turning dirty 33 this year was a quiet affair because I realised that I was scared of my birthday. But I had a great celebration, I had nothing to be worried about :)
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    Getting the chance to tell our old neighbours what we really thought of them
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
    More sedate
33. What kept you sane?
    My husband :)
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    BARACK OBAMA :) :) He even visited me Australia this year
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
    Same-sex marriage, asylum seekers and the tea party movement in the States is just jaw-drappingly appalling.
36. Who did you miss?
    At this time of year, I always miss my EU girls. Has it really been FOUR years?!
37. Who was the best new person you met?
    Hands down it was sweet Ivy… an amazing little girl within an amazing family. It was the highlight of the year to meet Ivy and play Angry Birds with her
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011
    That the biggest expectations I try to meet are the ones I set myself. Be kinder to yourself, Rah.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
    Don’t tell me not to live, just sit and putter
    Life’s candy and the sun’s a ball of butter.
    Don’t bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!
    - Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl