It’s that time of year again where I sit and take stock of the year just past. For me it felt a little less like I was dragging the baggage of post-pandemic life with me into January, so I was a bit lighter, more driven, less beaten down than the previous year. In 2022 it felt like a bad slo-mo fight scene where not a single defensive move made a difference to the onslaught of Sontaran-style attack (points for getting the reference)! In comparison I tiptoed into 2023 with quiet optimism and barely-contained excitement because I had so much to look forward to professionally and personally.
The first half of my year looked like this:
- January – Competed in my first Hyrox competition and joined the Osteobiz team
- February – My first associate was joining me & my Shockwave Therapy machine arrived
- March – Big trip to Thailand for 3 weeks, furthest I’ve every travelled from home
- April – NLP course scheduled with Dr Kim Brown
- May – Second Hyrox competition, 30th birthday and weekend in the Peak District
- June – Holiday in Tenerife with Harry
That was a smashing first 6 months planned, not to mention having several music gigs, a comedy show and a theatre visit mixed in. My work diary was also completely rammed, the demand for osteopathy had never been higher! Life was looking very different to the previous 3 yrs.
These plans didn’t all go smoothly, life threw many obstacles my way and I was having to adapt and overcome some challenging hurdles; luckily with Harry by my side we tackled each thing one at a time and found the silver lining in every set back. Life would be boring if it were always easy and what I did get to do was grow and learn from every experience.
Of course, it wasn’t all bad! So here’s a look at the intentions I set in January to see how I got on:
- Prioritising Self-Care – I put my heart and soul into my work, sometimes at the sacrifice of my own health because I’m so passionate about helping others. This year I’ve continued to do that but with breaks! I planned time off with friends, family and Harry that allowed me time to decompress properly. I’d have burnt out quickly this year with the volume of patients who have walked through my door without that time off. I also worked on my fitness and reached a higher fitness level than I’ve ever achieved!
- Setting Hard Boundaries – This was was a big one, it’s the one that caused a lot of tension between other people socially because they’re so used to me saying “yes”, but it’s also what has preserved my free time and my sanity. I’m certainly more calm and refreshed now I know when I can and can’t commit to extra responsibilities. I wrote more about it and how to set them for yourself in this blog.
- Nurture My Relationship – I made a larger commitment to Harry this year by prioritising time with him instead of next to him but with my laptop/phone/emails between us. We planned days out, holidays, movie nights, lunches and many more fun activities together that were strictly screen-free. He’s always been my “home”, but I’ve made sure to acknowledge that more openly. It must have worked because he proposed to me on 15th December and I said “YES!!!” So i’m now proudly wearing my beautiful opal and diamond ring.
- Let Go of Perfectionism – It’s an awful habit lingering from my school days where I had the time to get everything perfect, I don’t have the luxury of excess free time anymore. I’ve started to let go of this a bit more, but I can definitely do more to ork towards achieving this intention consistently.
I’m looking forward to having a think about my 2024 intentions and what my next year would ideally look like. I’ve got a few ideas and already have some adventures and surprises cooking that I’m looking forward to sharing with you.
Merry Christmas from Sam & The Wisbey Osteopathy Team!
Wisbey Osteopathy 