2017 has been jam packed and non stop! I started the year with a pretty clear vision and lots of ambitious plans, but somewhere along the way I got a little distracted. Luckily, I figured it out pretty quickly (with a little help from my girls) and I’m heading towards the end of the year feeling more focused than ever before.
Here’s a recap, some thoughts and highlights of 2017…
RUNNING
At the start of the year, I literally hit the ground running. After going through IVF treatment and a heartbreaking miscarriage at the end of 2016, I really needed to focus on something else, I wasn’t exactly sure what to do, but I really wanted to commit my energy and focus into a new goal. Two weeks into the year I was offered a place in the London Marathon by the adidas UK team and I didn’t hesitate to say yes! A few days later, I started to consider the reality of not only the marathon itself, but, also the four months of preparation and training needed to get me ready for such a huge challenge. Once I got my head around the idea, I was totally committed and it was the best decision that I could have made. I realise now, how therapeutic running is for me. I learned that although I can be impulsive and indecisive sometimes, I can also be incredibly disciplined and focused. I enjoyed being a part of the marathon training community and I found myself encouraging and supporting others throughout the process.
When it came to the big day, to say that I enjoyed the race would be a lie. The last hour was particularly brutal and I swore that I’d NEVER sign up to that madness again. Eight months later, I’ve just about forgotten the pain and of course I’m planning to take on my second marathon next year, and this time I’m heading to Berlin! 🙂
WAKE UP, KICK ASS, REPEAT
After reading a lot about daily habits and pattern recognition, earlier this year I made the decision to start getting up before 6.00am constantly everyday. It was a total game changer! It’s made me way more productive and I have more energy to take on the day. I feel like I’m one step ahead by 9.00am everyday. As a result, I have been banging on about getting up early to anyone who’ll listen for the last nine months and I’m going to be leading a ‘Morning Routine’ workshop at the Hoxton Hotel, Fresh & Fit Festival in January 2018.
MUM LIFE
I totally love our little family of three and I’m so grateful for these two guys! I’m sure most people would agree that parenting can be challenging for many different reasons and this year I’ve been trying to let go of the inevitable ‘mum guilt’. Balancing work commitments, kids birthday parties, school fairs, swimming lessons and common exception word spellings (yes 6 year olds get homework!), can get a bit manic sometimes. More than anything, I would love for Jude to have a sibling and I must sound like a broken record, I’ve been saying this for the last four and a half years! I know that it’s not something that I can control, and this year I think I have truly accepted that. It doesn’t mean that I’m giving up hope, I’ll never do that, but, I’m not going to give in to the feeling of guilt. Us parents are all trying our best and whether you’re a new mum, a working mum, a step mum or whatever else, be brave in your parenting style, do what works for your family. Nobody’s family is perfect but our little team is doing alright.
HERE TO CREATE
In 2017 I became an official global ambassador for adidas and since then I’ve worked with the brand on some incredible projects like Run For The Oceans with adidas X Parley, I’ve worked out with Karlie Kloss, interviewed Dame Jessica Ennis Hill and traveled around the globe. I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the work that adidas continues to do to champion women and to empower us all through sport. It’s an honour to be a part of the three stripe dream team!
GRL PWR
This year I co-founded a women’s only networking community alongside two of my best mates! We launched Get To KNOW in September and we had no idea how quickly it would grow. We began by hosting a series of events, talks and workshops to facilitate peer to peer networking and to build a community for like minded women in the creative industries. We have big plans for Get To KNOW in 2018, watch this space! www.wearegettoknow.com
YOU DO YOU
In September this year, I turned 30! It wasn’t as daunting as everyone makes out. I celebrated for about two weeks with my family and friends and I also shared this post… ‘20 Thoughts About Turning 30′
I feel a lot more confident now than I did in my early 20’s and I am a lot happier with being who I truly am, unapologetically. I’m an eternal optimist, I love being around people, I talk too much, I love running, I love talking about running, I love God, I have opinions and ideas that might not be the same as everyone else’s. That’s okay. I’m not trying to be like anyone else and I’m not willing to limit my ambition or my passion. This is 30 and it feels GOOD.
Lastly… this year I’ve seen two of my best friends get married, I’ve gained a beautiful little nephew and I’ve unfortunately seen two of my friends lose loved ones. Life is incredibly unpredictable and who knows what next year will bring. It feels like I’ve been putting a lot of work into things this year in prep for next year. I haven’t made a list of goals or dreams for 2018 yet, but I hope that it’s going to be a year filled with new adventures. I’m going to say yes to more challenges, say no to things that I don’t actually like, spent less time planning, more time doing and I am going to keep documenting this crazy journey. It’s my three year blog anniversary next week, thanks for reading, commenting, sharing and for all of the love and virtual high fives. 🙂
Adrienne LDN 