January 2016 – Recycled Adventures.

So as we get into January, the daily grind starts again. Although for us joyous people in retail, it never ended. Anyway, everyone’s trudging back to work and school after the season of indulgence and it always feels a little bleak. Why is it no longer acceptable to crack the prosecco out for breakfast and have a decorated tree in your living room?

Our days become a little less excitable and a lot more ordinary after the festive season. We all have a bit of a reboot. Some decide to detox and hit the gym, even if it is only for a month while most hit the reset on their jolly emotions. The festive period made everything seem a little brighter and happier and it reflected through everyone, take notice because people smile a hell of a less throughout their year. When we get back to this stilted ordinariness, I refer to one of my favourite concepts:

Alternative universes.

It’s the idea that right now there are hundreds, thousands, well an unfathomable number of other universes. Some dramatically different to ours where say the dinosaurs still roam but others only a little different where I might happen to have brown eyes instead of blue. It’s an insane idea to get your head around that there’s possibly tons of different versions of yourself out there but at times it can oddly give me comfort.

Say I’m having a bad day, I’m running late to work, I’ve got a long shift and I’m full of the cold. All you want to do in that situation is curl up and feel sorry for yourself. Don’t get me wrong, I obviously do that too. However, I think about the universe where I’m on time to work, feeling great and I’m only in 4 hours. At least somewhere out there, I’m on the right path. There’s also the me out there who’s already writing her 3^rd bestselling novel and I’m happy for her but I know I’m not ready for that yet. You can easily use it in reverse, as the only saying goes ‘things could always be worse’. For instance while dealing with tricky customers is a pain, I could be in a world where the Hunger Games is actually real or the mass majority of the population has turned into cannibals.

Now a lot of you could be saying I’m just running away with my imagination or I spend way too much time day dreaming. To be fair both of those assumptions are pretty accurate. However, I urge you to creative your own alternative universes. Some only a little different, where you’re studying photography instead of art but others that are completely over the top with monsters and aliens.

Some days we all feel like we’ve hit rock bottom. I’ve been there. I’ve been stuck in the emotional fog and it’s horrible. My alternative universes help me realise that while things could be better, they could also be worse. It hurts to lose someone but it’s even better to have had them in your life at all. Life is a middle ground. Sometimes you need a little bit of the ridiculous to appreciate it.

So I’ve sat down with a green tea to reflect, like a gazillion blog posts before me. I don’t think I’ve ever really appreciated the whole celebration of New Year until this year.

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I was sensible this year, I stayed in for most of the night with my best friend and her dog. We watched films, treated ourselves to pizzas and chocolate and stayed sober the entire night. As midnight approached we went to a firework display the town over. At the stroke of midnight we gave each other that huge cheesy grin that Hogmanay qualifies for and hugged. We were surrounded by tons of people doing the same. Greeting each other with hugs and kisses and all the well wishes in the world. It was a pretty adorable sight to see.

While I’ve usually found making New Year’s plans stressful, only finding that it was another excuse for a party and while I’ve had fun at those parties, the next day comes with an inevitable hangover and a bit of let-down. Was all that fuss worth it? I think New Year is about coming to the end of a year and appreciating what you’ve got in your life. All the alcohol and party dresses aren’t necessary to appreciate your wonderful friends and family.

I have a feeling my reflections on New Year, have something to do with the kind of year I’ve had. 2015 has been full of ups and downs. I lost two family members early in the year and I’m still getting through that now. That, the stress of finishing university and my general lack of routine for the second half of the year have made me really ill. Unfortunately it’s not something I can really help, having a rare headache condition sucks. With all the negativity though, I can truly adore the positive in my life. I graduated with an honours degree in English and Creative Writing, seen some of my favourite bands live, had an amazing holiday to Amsterdam with my Mum, spent my 22^nd birthday playing childish party games, visited my Dad’s for a lovely chilled break, I’ve dressed up in fun costumes for birthdays and Halloween, spent plenty of nights out with friends and I’m ending the year in a job which has its challenges but I enjoy it.

I’m very much ready for a new start, 2016 brings a nice clean slate. I’m not usually one for resolutions but I want this year to be all about writing. I’m determined I’ll finish my first novel, I started it as part of my final project for university so it’s not like I’m starting from scratch. It’s an achievable goal and I know how satisfying it will be. So with this post, I’m starting the year as I mean to go on, writing.