Goodbye 2016 and hello 2017!
Amazing. I know we probably say this every single year - but damn this year really flew by! I am every bit the left-brainer so I'll just stick to the same title I have exactly one year ago
So 2016...
was a bit of a mixed bag year for me - immensely blessed in personal relationships and financial planning but not that great in terms of work. I guess you could say I gained some, and lost some 
WORK
It's my 4th year in this company and it's my longest serving company since I joined the workforce! It's pretty incredible what one year can change - my bosses went from being the biggest supporter of my career growth to telling me that they have no more value-add to it. All within one year! Big sigh.
The bright spark was I got to assist the Finance department in a performance review and audit trip to Yangon. I learned so much in the 2 weeks stationed on the property. It certainly helped immensely that the 2 colleagues I tagged along with were extremely helpful and willing to share their findings and experience.
On the whole, I felt stagnated in my current role as it offers very little challenges in my opinion.
HEALTH AND FITNESS
In terms of health, I think I fare pretty well! I caught a bout of flu somewhere mid-year after coming back from Shanghai and that was the only time I fell ill in the entire year.
My diet has changed a fair bit this year, steering towards that of a vegetarian diet. Having a co-worker who has the same diet certainly helps and most of my lunches in 2016 were vegetarian - not the fried-gluten-mock-meat kind of vegetarian though! I have certainly found joy in this diet as I find myself consuming lesser meat even with my family and casual dinners. As cliched as it sounds, I do feel lighter.
2016 was not as great a year for fitness as compared to 2015 I must admit. My gym schedule was going all well until that bout of flu (yup I'm blaming it on the flu hahaha) which saw me drop the gym for a straight 3 weeks as I wanted full recovery and steered clear from any form of exercise during that period. As with most things in life, once you stop, it requires herculean strength to kick start it all over again. Yes, 3 weeks was all it took to take away my drive. My gym sessions dropped from 3 times a week to 2 and sometimes once 
In the name of laziness, I certainly did not bother to drive myself harder as well. Yikes.
In the name of laziness, I certainly did not bother to drive myself harder as well. Yikes.
READING
I missed my reading target in 2016, reading only 19 books instead of the targeted 30. This meant missing my goal for the 2nd consecutive year! On the bright side, I cleared 4 more books than 2015. Hahahaha. A dear friend of mine read 100 in a year - incredible! That is a number I will find it hard to hit. Might have to start with quitting the mobile games
CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY
This is a year of proposals (myself included) and babies. My bestie announced her pregnancy after trying for almost 4 years - conceived naturally! So so happy for her! Different groups of friends saw the birth of their babies this year and wow conversations have definitely changed - from wedding planning previously to now diapers and childcare 
A few friends finally proposed or got proposed to this year, looks like it will be another wave of weddings in the next 1 to 2 years!
A few friends finally proposed or got proposed to this year, looks like it will be another wave of weddings in the next 1 to 2 years!
I wish I could say I am a better daughter and sister but I keep falling short of that. My tempers are still short, especially when it comes to my mum blasting the TV as her hearing deteriorates with age and her playing mobile games day in and out.
OTHER PERSONAL MATTERS
I fared not too shabbily in terms of financial planning. But of course, there will ALWAYS be room for improvement in this area. I do wish I had bought more stocks this year as I held back as there was just too much volatility this year for me to venture into the market. Well can take that as a lesson I guess!
In terms of my romantic relationship, I'm really really happy to have J back for good. No more long-distance! He brought our relationship to the next level when he popped the question after our anniversary dinner :) We have commenced our house hunting and booked the venue for our banquet. Exciting (and probably stressful as well) times ahead!
TRAVEL
I only traveled once for work this year and that was Yangon. It was a fruitful trip but I do wish that I had more opportunities to visit the overseas properties.Similarly, I only had one personal trip in 2016 to Shanghai. It was to meet the boy and we had a fun time exploring Beijing (you can read about our visits to Temple of Heaven, Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Lama Temple and Prince Gong Mansion).
For 2017...
It will definitely be an exciting year of changes (hello mortgage and wedding planning!) and setting deadlines for some dreams :) And may it be a year where I surprise myself with what I am capable of.
WORK
2016 is a year I feel I truly plateaued in terms of professional growth 
On a positive note, it does force me to reflect on what are the skillsets I should be focusing on in the next 3 to 5 years and how to find those opportunities either within the same company or elsewhere.
On a positive note, it does force me to reflect on what are the skillsets I should be focusing on in the next 3 to 5 years and how to find those opportunities either within the same company or elsewhere.
It's a little hard to plan if the job-hop will happen this year so I will focus on learning as much as I can in my current place by exposing myself to more cross-department training and property audits if possible. This would really help to build my portfolio towards my goal of being an effective asset manager.
HEALTH/WELLNESS AND FITNESS
With the pending wedding, I will have to start taking this more seriously. Hahaha. Especially so in terms of diet - while I'm happy I'm more into the whole vegetarian diet now, I do have to cut down on the junk food like cookies and chocolate, especially so at work.
Fitness seems more important now as well, I need to look fit and lean in my wedding gown! #priorities 
Will definitely to kick start the whole 3 times a week gym routine.
Will definitely to kick start the whole 3 times a week gym routine.
I've included one more WELLNESS category this year I do find it getting increasingly important as the age and responsibilities creep up. I have had negative thoughts running through my mind in 2016, especially so with the setbacks and growth plateau at work. I will want to practise more mindfulness in the coming year :)
READING
I'm going to be absolutely shameless and go for the same target I've set myself in the last 2 years. 30 books it shall be!
CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY
It is indeed true that the older you get, you cherish the quality friends a lot more. I guess it has something to do with having lesser personal time and also more family responsibilities. You prioritize meaningful relationships more than focusing on collecting a large number of friends just for the sake of it. 2016 was a great year in terms of friendships for me (didn't lose any! Hahaha) and I hope 2017 remains the same.
I will be a more tolerant child this year and will need to bear in mind that my parents are getting on in age. It is high time I disregard certain habits of my parents that will not change and that I should focus on cherishing my time with them.
OTHER PERSONAL MATTERS
2017 should be a year that I will see a lot of capital outflow with the pending wedding and house hunting that is going on. We hope to get our house within the first half of the year and that should see a huge hole in our pockets! The good thing is we have saved up a fair bit so far but we will have to continue to be prudent with our funds and continue the saving habits that we have.
On the investment front, I want to be less emotional about my money and stocks.
This year will see a lot of changes in the dynamics of my relationship with J, with plans to own our first matrimonial home and also plan our ROM and wedding. I'm honestly really excited about building a future together with the boy :)
I will have to add one more item to this category - which is to blog more on this platform. I have had this space for a good 12 years and it has been a great depository of wonderful memories. For it to continue that way, I will definitely need to be more active in keeping this page updated!
I will have to add one more item to this category - which is to blog more on this platform. I have had this space for a good 12 years and it has been a great depository of wonderful memories. For it to continue that way, I will definitely need to be more active in keeping this page updated!
TRAVEL
As I've put my hand up for more property audits next year (which hopefully materializes), I hope to be on more corporate travels!
For personal travels, J and I will probably plan for a short trip or no overseas trip at all especially with the house hunting, pending renovation and wedding planning that will take up the bulk of 2017.
Like good old tradition, I shall end this post with a quote for me to drive 2017:
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