2015 was a year of getting comfortable with uncertainty. I learned to embrace this in 2014 as well when I quit my job to travel around the world, but when I met Graham and decided to extend my travel even longer, the uncertainty increased significantly. I delayed getting a new job for a year longer than I intended to, not to mention all the immigration uncertainty that goes along with dating a citizen of a different country. I’m still not 100% ok with not knowing answers to big giant important things, but seeing everything I normally worry about work out fine (in some cases, exceedingly well) provided a lot of life lessons about learning to embrace uncertainty.
So here are some highlights from my wonderful, crazy 2015, the year I learned to take life one thing at a time.
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Graham and I traveled to Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Peru, and Wales. We hiked the Lares Trek and saw Machu Picchu. We also climbed a few Catskill mountains, spent 8 nights in a tent, took mini-road trips in Michigan and upstate New York, visited a spectacular friend in Boston, and looked after some extremely cute dogs. I went on a pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island. I started a wonderful new job. I wrote 147 blog posts, read 127 books (look for my full nerdy books & reading recap post soon), took 17 flights, and learned how to throw on the wheel in pottery class. I learned that I like kale. I also ate a lot of tacos.
Most popular blog posts of the year (by views):
- Bookstores and libraries around the world [Travelogue]
- The Lares Trek [Travelogue]
- On downsizing material possessions, and The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo [Book Review]
- One Year Ago [Travelogue]
- Words to live by: Anne Frank [Quote]
- The 10 best books I’ve read in 2015… so far
- Hay-on-Wye: A bookworm’s paradise in Wales [Travelogue]
- American Road Trip: My 10 favorite photos [Travelogue]
- Book Expo America / BEA 2015 Recap
- 10 books I will probably never read
Most popular Instagram photos of 2015:
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And, here are my favorite photos of 2015:
Cheers to 2016, I hope it holds happiness and joy for you and me. And here’s to not knowing all the answers about what 2016 holds – that’s part of the fun, isn’t it?
I am so very impressed by your willingness to try and let go. For some it’s easy, but I’m on the other end and know how hard it can be for those of us who live there. I think as you get older, especially, you will be so glad you did these things. I’m proud and envious and so very happy you did them. And shared them with all of us, living vicariously through your travels has been a blast. Here’s to more fun and adventure, great photographs, puppies and foxes in 2016!
Oh hello – just me getting way behind on comment replying again, big apologies. :(
Thank you so much for your lovely comment. It’s been hard for me to learn, but so very necessary. I’m still not great with it, but slowly making progress. Cheers to a wonderful 2016!
Great post Emily.
I’m glad to hear you have a wonderful year and I hope you have a wonderful 2016! I’m not good with new year resolutions, but, after reading your post, I’ve decided to try and learn to take life one thing at a time.
Looking forward your reading recap post.
I’m so happy to hear that this post has inspired you to focus on taking life one thing at a time Lu – cheers to a more mindful (and wonderful!) 2016!
What an amazing, crazy, beautiful year. I’m terrible with uncertainty (it’s one of my biggest hurdles, honestly), so your ability to face it is pretty damn admirable. Here’s hoping 2016 is just as great ;)
I still consider it one of my biggest hurdles too, it’s just gotten somewhat easier through repeatedly choosing to get into situations where I have to confront it! :D Cheers to a wonderful 2016!!
What an amazing year you’ve had!! I’ve been following your blog for most of 2015 and enjoyed your many travels and adventures. I truly admire what you’ve accomplished and wish you all the best in 2016.
Thank you so much Carol! It’s so lovely to hear that you’ve enjoyed following my blog – thank you! Wishing you all the best for 2016 as well!
A very good year! Love all the photos. The one with Graham being “attacked” by parakeets is hilarious!
Thank you Stefanie! I love that one too! :D
Cheers to 2016!
I know this is late, but what a happy, happy post. It’s great when we can accept that we don’t have control over certain things and then have them unfold even more brilliantly than we could have imagined. :)
Happy 2016!