Tuesday, January 05, 2016

The Year That Was: 2015

We’re now five days into 2016. I really don’t want to talk too much about 2015 except to say that it had been challenging (physically, mentally and financially), and testing, trying and tiring at times. Sometimes I felt overwhelmed but it wouldn’t be life without challenges, eh. I know I’m luckier than those poor refugees fleeing their respective homeland, trying to make it into Europe intact and determined to make a whole new life for themselves. Yes, I need to think in perspective.

Speaking of refugees, no, it hadn’t been a good year. Conflicts and disagreements continued, new disputes arose, natural disasters and catastrophes still happened. And let’s not forget our new friend who’s here for better or worse, til death do us part, in sickness and in health: the blinking GST.

Personally, it was another one of those years. I spent even less time on boring FB and more time reading and reflecting. I finished 111 books and tried to read the Quran almost every night. I hope to equal or improve on this record further, insyaAllah. Amen.

Alhamdulillah, I managed to squeeze in some trips, local and abroad (I managed to visit three new countries, syukur):

January: day trip to Muar; flew to Jordan at the end of the month
February: Explored parts of Jordan; spent Chinese New Year in Kota Kinabalu
March: A weekend retreat at Pangkor Laut Resort
April: Flew to Taiwan at the end of the month
May: Flew back from Taiwan. Flew for a day trip to JB in mid-May
June: Didn’t manage to make any trip ;’(
July: Spent my birthday weekend in Jakarta; travelled to the East Coast on 31 July
August: Back from the East Coast on 2 August. Spent the Merdeka weekend in Penang
September: Flew to London and then on to Italy
October: Flew to Kota Bharu for a day trip in early October
November: Spent Deepavali weekend in Saigon with aunt
December: Took my nieces and nephew to Legoland then flew to Lebanon on Maulidur Rasul (I flew Qatar Airways and managed to visit Doha).

Arsenal continued to both thrill and frustrate me. We won the FA Cup for the dozenth time, Alhamdulillah. The Arsenal tour was to Singapore just before and after Eid so I didn’t manage to see them at all.

I resolve to eat more healthily, maintain a healthier lifestyle, drink more fluid, cut down on acidic food, manage my relationships well, rein in my temper, not to get too stressed out/anxious and continue on exploring the world, insyaAllah. I resolve to take shorter showers, be smarter when it comes to buying food (not buy too much only to let them expire), waste less resources and be a more discerning responsible citizen of the world.


How did you find 2015? Did you find it a relief to say goodbye to 2015?