A Fond Farewell to A Crazy Year… 2008 in Review

Posted on December 20, 2008 6 Comments

Brilliant or flat broke, I think most people will be happy to say au revoir to 2008. Like a Peter Jackson movie, it feels like it’s taken for-eva to end, and I get the general sense that most people in my community are terribly worried about their own future and that of their loved ones. From high gas prices this summer to foreclosures, the credit crisis, mass layoffs and the stock market roller coaster this fall and winter, it’s been difficult to focus on anything but the negative.

However, at the beginning of this year, I pledged to focus on the positive, saying, “Tears do not become me.” So to round out 2008, it’s time to take a look at the good things that happened to me this year. And I think you should, too. It may have been a better year than you noticed.

Vacations galore. This year, to recharge my batteries, I went on my first ski trip, traveled to Houston with my mom, visited Elko, Nevada and camped in the Ruby Mountains, hiked and kayaked on the sparkling Puget Sound in Washington State in the San Juan Islands, checked out Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah, and took a fishing trip with my dad, brothers and uncles in UP Michigan. (Not to mention a staycation in November!) Amazing. And none were taken on credit — they were all carefully planned for and budgeted far in advance. You don’t need to stay at fancy resorts and high-priced hotels to experience the world. You just need a willingness to explore and step out of your comfort zone every once in a while. Cabins, tents and spare couches can take you just as far as any AmEx card.

A HUGE promotion. After more than seven years with my company, I earned a ginormous promotion to vice president this year. This was an important step for me in the industry and though it hasn’t been an easy transition, I’m excited about my prospects for the future. Since I’m talking about my career, I’ll also note that I attended a very cool women’s leadership program at the Kellogg School of Management that was incredibly enriching and valuable. Even with promotions, it’s important for me to continue learning at every step of my career.

The opportunity to give back. Soul nourishment isn’t just about getting away from it all, giving back to the community helps a gal feel special, too. This year, I raised funds for the Chicago Police Department Memorial Foundation by participating in a run, where I raised $325 (my first fundraising run ever). I also donated $110 $210 to Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital, gave lots of gifts to family members I love, sponsored a free book giveaway on my blog and donated blood to LifeSource.

A first for me. I got a frickin’ drivers’ license this year! This was an even bigger deal for me than the promotion. Both me and my dad cried at the DMV (yep, we really did). I wish I had the picture he took with his cell phone to post here. It’s hilarious.

Great publicity.. I had some truly wonderful exposure this year for the blog – including the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric and US News and World Report. If I were my client right now, I’d be so jazzed.

Marvelous money. I managed to make all my finance goals this year, those being:
- Got my down payment account to $30,000
- Got my student loans down to $2,500
- Increased my 401k contribution to 10% (and kept it there)
- Did not take on any additional debt

Healthy, happy… My parents, though both had recent surgeries, and my brothers are healthy. B’s family is healthy. B made it through his surgery and is getting healthy. And that equals one happy me.

Wow, I’ve had so many bright spots this year that I can’t believe how much I’ve focused on the negative and neurotic. True, it wasn’t all highs – the PR industry’s instability affected my job and my career mindset, B was laid off, my 401k tanked, I was sick often and couldn’t do much to keep myself in shape and there were most definitely some relationship issues early in the year… but ultimately, I think I’ve really let the headlines get to me. In fact, before I started writing this, I was sitting around my apartment feeling stuck in slow motion about my life and my future. Hard to believe when I see how far I’ve come in 12 months.

When I look back on 2008, I hope I’ll remember the positive and not the negative, be thankful for the amazing people who touched my life and forever remember the experiences I afforded myself (how’s that for a high-school yearbook signature?).

How ’bout you? What positive things happened this year that you may have missed in looking back on 2008?

Category: Life
   Tags: Priorities

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