2014: The Year in Review
Mackenzie Horan, via Glitter Guide
For the first time in my whole life, I actually know where I spent my year. I knew that I was very productive at work {1,680 hours}, learned things I didn't know in the previous year {how to manage a 96M business}, completed tasks I have only dreamt of before, walked thousands of steps, ate lower calories. I've done a personal 100% growth, economically, with positive financial and non-tangible returns. All in all, I actually achieved 90% of my personal strategies --- 10% I've yet to do in 2015.
My word of the year was Do. I did so many things, so many things this year that I'm sometimes exhausted. Even on weekends, I did so many things, so much work (outside of my day job), crafts, household chores, recipes I've tried, failed on and succeeded health activities, push ups, charity work, blogging, meeting new people, reading new books, traveling, even more traveling. There were a lot of times this year that I would rev up my car from task a to task b because I overbooked myself. I'm not sure if I want to keep doing it in 2015.
2014 was my year of just doing it. I don't know what triggered it --- I bought some big ticket items after an especially trying night, went to my dream destinations (twice), had closures, made a career out of my passion projects, built new friendships, closed some. When I thought 27 couldn't be any better, my 28th year in this lifetime just swept me off of my feet and was just amazing. It was this year that I've truly gotten to know what it's like to get out of my comfort zones, shake things up, love myself, un-care for things, for what people think, travel alone and enjoy it, make friends in a concrete jungle.
She turned away from me, and softly, maybe to herself, said, “Jesus, I’m not going to be one of those people who sits around talking about what they’re gonna do. I’m just going to do it. Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia.
“Huh?” I asked.
“You spend your whole life stuck in the labyrinth, thinking about how you’ll escape it one day, and how awesome it will be, and imagining that future keeps you going, but you never do it. You just use the future to escape the present.”
- Alaska, Looking for Alaska, John Green
A photo posted by QUEENCULT (@queencult) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:06am PST
As was travel, my friends called my 2014 my year of travel. I'm really glad I got to travel a lot this year. Most times, I was actually itching to JUST GO, but my limited vacation leaves were being saved for my 2H of the year. Then I got those local, enlightening trips, so all is well.
To be fair, I did start my year with travel.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jan 1, 2014 at 9:02am PST
Cebu for New Year and Kat & Pat's wedding
More of my 2014 highlights:
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Feb 2, 2014 at 6:59am PST
My favorite musical
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Feb 2, 2014 at 5:10am PST
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Feb 2, 2014 at 7:46am PST
Rocked out to Red Hot Chili Peppers -- one of the best concert experiences of my life.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jun 6, 2014 at 6:34pm PDT
Running after the waves in Pagudpud
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jun 6, 2014 at 12:07am PDT
Cutting off my locks after a long time
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jun 6, 2014 at 2:19am PDT
Following my heart and catching the French Film Festival
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jun 6, 2014 at 5:23am PDT
Happily returned to Coron this year, too.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jun 6, 2014 at 8:05pm PDT
And caught her fish
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Jul 7, 2014 at 10:34pm PDT
And took this seriously
Guten Morgen Part Two from me and my parents! 😛 #taragram #taratravels #wanderlust #trafalgarinsider
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Aug 8, 2014 at 10:50pm PDT
Then, I traveled to see my family. HOORAY!
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Aug 8, 2014 at 5:51am PDT
My favorite part of the Berlin Wall
.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Aug 8, 2014 at 5:54am PDT
My favorite German city.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Aug 8, 2014 at 4:45am PDT
And then I met my castle.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Aug 8, 2014 at 12:44pm PDT
And then I traveled alone.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Aug 8, 2014 at 1:33am PDT
And met my favorite artist.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Sep 9, 2014 at 11:17am PDT
... and came back home to be with my loves.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Sep 9, 2014 at 5:25pm PDT
Devoted my time to something else other than myself.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:44pm PDT
I was part of the madlang people, for once in my life. I have to say, it is the ultimate Manila experience.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:10am PDT
And then I came back to Fall.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 2:48pm PDT
And travel, not alone, this time.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 8:45am PDT
Had a sip of what heaven tastes like
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 11:30am PDT
Came home to my hometown :P
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:37pm PDT
Met the most visited monument in the world
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Oct 10, 2014 at 7:03am PDT
This. Photo. Of. A. Lifetime.
A photo posted by Tara Cabullo (@champagnedreams) on Nov 11, 2014 at 9:39pm PST
Turned 29
Honestly, I'm still a wee bit scared of turning 30 --- I haven't really planned it out. Somehow, a stranger's words of wisdom makes sense: "I learned enough not to plan. Life is super wonderful to plan, plus, it never turns out that way anyway."
Couldn't help but agree :)
Compared to this time last year, are you:
Happier or sadder? Happy. :)
Richer or poorer? I've been richest than I've ever been.
What do you wish you'd done more of? Got out of my apartment more, socialized more, met more new people. But I guess my body told me to slow down this year. Oh, and I need to smile more, thanks to my Bitch Resting Face, hehe :P
What do you wish you'd done less of?
Buy clothes I actually haven't worn.
How will you be spending Christmas? Spent it with some of the best friends I've met in this life, with their families, with love and lots of food!
Did you fall in love in 2014? Nope.
What was your favorite TV program?
Nothing new. I still love just Grey's Anatomy.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No.
What was the best book you read? Medium Raw and Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Sophia Amoruso's #Girlboss, Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and Landline by Rainbow Rowell.
What was your greatest musical discovery? Jack Johnson's less popular songs, Ezra Vine, Ben Adams.
What did you want and got? A lot :P
What was your favorite film of this year? Interstellar.
What did you do on your birthday? Work, had dinner with my friends, my closest friends, spent it in gratitude.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?
Classy with bursts of color -- as it has always been.
What kept you sane? The book of Corinthians, a small prayer every now and then and the thought that everything will come to pass.
Which celebrity figure you fancy the most? Still, Tom Hiddleston.
Who was the best new person you met? You know, that just might've been the stranger from last night.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014? See above.
To end this long post, here are some of the things I'm truly, truly grateful for this year: my health, my safety, my family's health and safety, the friends I keep, the places I call home, the stamps on my passport, the grace that's my bank account, all the yummy food I've eaten this year, this blog, its supporters, this blog's readers, the gifts I've received this Christmas, the gifts I've given, seeing people open my gifts and the looks on their faces, the cute babies of friends, all the steps I've taken, the crunches I've done, the words I've learned, hair cuts and hair coloring jobs I've gotten, the concerts I've seen, the love I've given and the love I've received. Looking forward to more.
Happy 2015, my dearest readers!
xx