forever_wandering | 2012 Review

My first official post of the new year! I wish I could say I had a slew of New Years resolutions I wanted to share, but the truth is I don't. This year, I've decided to take a different approach. Instead of creating a list of tasks I hope to accomplish but will most likely forget about in a few months, I've decided to instead make a list of awesome things I've accomplished this new year, as they happen, then share them all at the end of the year. This way, I don't feel like a disappointment to myself and I don't restrict the changes in my life to a list of things I feel I want to accomplish right now.

I do however, want to take time to look back on 2012.
Without a doubt, it was a very tough year in which I spent a lot of time doing some difficult soul searching and evaluations on my life. I was harder on myself than I had ever been before. Fortunately, a lot of good came from it and I can say without a doubt that the Zia that existed in 2011 is long gone, and in her place stands a stronger, more confident woman proud of the steps she's taken and the path she's continuing down. Now stands a woman who doesn't fake confidence, but exudes it.

A while ago, I went out for some beer and a nabe meal with a friend of a friend I was meeting for the first time. "I can see why he likes you," she had told me,"He said you have this aura, this...I don't know. Something. That just calms the world." I don't know how true that is at the moment, but it's one step closer to who I want to become--a person who owns the room without even being in it. I want to be memorable.

Part of that plan to become memorable involved changing my appearance and health--something I've discussed often throughout my journal. This year, I managed to drop to my lightest weight (57kg) ever through healthy eating and routine exercise.

I'm not yet where I'd like to be (That still involves losing another 7kg!) but I'm definitely more confident that I can accomplish what I want to within the upcoming year.

2013, I'll really have to settle down and focus on work, but 2012 was definitely a year of travelling. I took a road trip which led me across the US, allowing me to visit a total of 16 states. I spent a week in New York with an old friend I never thought I'd become this close to. I made two small trips back to Japan before making my permanent return in December, but before that, I stopped by Korea and Thailand for a quick visit!

It was also an interesting year, emotionally. I was able to meet up with my one true best friend from my high school days for the first time in years and start a new friendship with an old classmate I had sometimes chatted with but never really got to know. My relationship with my brother strengthened and the left-for-dead relationship my sister and I had was suddenly revived with the birth of her daughter. Many new and exciting people have entered my life (I'll be writing more about these people soon!) but unfortunately, I had to say good-bye to a few I thought I'd never be able to part with--the most regrettable one being the infamous Mugen*
I had been extremely fond of him and willing to start a committed relationship. I waited patiently for him thinking he'd be the one to make me happy. But as we sat next to each other in a small shop, discussing our lives over a warm Korean meal, I realized that while I had changed so much, he had stayed the same and our priorities were now very different, meaning I'd have to wait a lot longer if I wanted something to happen. That wasn't something I was willing to do, and so, I plunged back in to the dating scene.

But I didn't stay there long ;)

A BIT MORE ABOUT 2012!!!

ARTISTS THAT RULED MY 2012:

NOVELIST THAT RULED MY 2012:

RED was my color of the year!

Found out I needed a serious SURGERY I can't afford because I blew all my money travelling.

Learned to COOK.
My vision changed. Now I rarely use my glasses.
Fell in love with: OGURI SHUN& HIROSHI TAMAKI

FAVORITE FOOD: OKONOMIYAKI
FAVORITE FRUIT: ORANGES
FAVORITE DRINK: GREEN TEA & COCOA!!

Also got a new phone (Samsung Galaxy IIIS).

2012 will be quite a memorable year, and a difficult one to top, but lets see what this new year brings!