My 2013, a review of The Life Of Me.

Hey Everyone!

So it's the end of 2013, another time span of 365 days has passed. This year has been a really intriguing year for me, but as Augustus Water said ''I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up my friend'' and I feel that this year was similar for me, things only went up, even when others were trying to bring it down. I feel I really matured this year and learnt a lot of life lessons. I even started properly blogging on this blog in 2013 which is a huge thing for me, blogging is just one of my favourite hobbies now!

I started this year in a bad place, let's be honest! I have discussed this in a blog post here about my mental health and how negative my thoughts were(how wonderfully optimistic).But this not dominating this blog post. I started this year in denial, unsure about what my future held in store for me, I had dreams yes, but I had no idea how to achieve them or if I ever would. I eventually figured out that I had a future, I'd been scared I would never ''achieve my potential'' A bright future had been promised for me for years by teachers and so many more people. I was terrified I would amount to very little in life. I eventually saw the light in late May (ironically the end of the school year I was in, I'm saying nothing) I contribute this milestone to obviously my family and friends, but also to writing on this blog helped so much, so I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who reads my blog and supports me through everything. (Don't worry this entire blog post isn't a sob story)

I know my peers slag off my blog at every possible opportunity (please stop lying to my face thanks) but another life lesson I learnt is to not care about what everyone else thinks of you. What's more important is how you view yourself, if you view yourself negatively, then everyone else will too, that's not right. View yourself as a good, positive person. You can only be yourself and you might as well accept who you are instead of constantly changing to please everyone around you. Over this year my self image has improved tremendously, I feel much more comfortable in myself and I'm so glad about that. I used to be so self conscious (I still am at times, nobody is perfect but it's nowhere near as bad as I was) and I used to worry about what everyone in school would say about me and think about me. I thought how other people viewed me was more important than how I viewed myself, which is wrong. Now, it doesn't bother me, if you hate me, it's your problem. (Wow Aveen, such a nice thing to say in your 2013 review)

Of course, this year hasn't only been about peasant fighting and inner turmoil, I feel that I have achieved a lot this year. I went all over Ireland and even to London! I began properly blogging in March 2013 and it's something I truly love. I've always wanted to write, but I felt I was too young to write a book/novel (I've several idea's written down in notebooks and whatnot) so blogging is a way for me to constantly write and even receive feedback and get to know other bloggers all over Ireland, the UK and even further away. It also helped me see what I was doing with my life during a time when I had no idea what the future held for me. I now know exactly what I want in life and I'm edging closer and closer everyday to achieving the dreams I've dreamt for as long as I can remember.

It's been an interesting year, but I wouldn't take back anything for the world. Every experience, both positive and negative, builds our character and our coping mechanisms for the future, I feel fearless in ways,I even jumped on a zip wire when I'm afraid of heights! I also learnt that people have ulterior motives and I have to stop taking people at face value. I read about these kind of people in books, but I never experienced anyone like that until this year, but it's a good life lesson to know people like that, so it won't happen again in the future. I've learnt that everybody isn't your friend, but you shouldn't jump to conclusions about people, and I shouldn't judge everyone by their cover as I hate when people judge me by mine.

I also joined the school public speaking team which was a huge leap for me. I've always loved public speaking for some reason, the thrill of the audience has always enthralled me. It was my first speech in years, we had to have a ''speak off '' for the four places on the team and the topic was mental health. It was a huge feeling for me to be discussing mental health, I couldn't believe it when I made the team. At our first competition the topic was mental health. I was our first speaker which was a huge thing for me, you have no idea! As a girl who isolated herself from everyone for months, pretending to be fine and became socially awkward, speaking in front of an audience was an adrenaline rush of excitement and fear, and one I relive and feel happy about.

As you will see below, I had a tin in the shape of a London bus with random pieces of paper. From January 1st to late March approx, every time I had a happy memory, anything that made me happy during that time, I wrote it down on a scrap of paper and put it into the tin. I eventually stopped as I felt I didn't need to cling as much to these pieces of paper. Yesterday, for the first time since March, I opened the tin and I read every single piece of paper. It was quite interesting and it showed to me how far I've come this year and I felt slightly proud of that. It really hit me when I saw one dated as ''January 1st 2013'' and two words ''Be Strong'' it was quite a shock for me, this year I feel I became strong, happy and fearless.

 Through blogging, I've met so many new people who I would have never met unless I started blogging, huge shout out to all my blogging friends and to the blogs I read, you all know who you are and I'd be afraid I would forget someone if I tried listing everyone! The Life Of Me has opened a huge new corner of the Internet to me, a community filled with lovely genuine people who I've never met in real life and share similar interests and hobbies, but make me feel as though I do know really well outside the computer screen. *Coughs, you all know who you are, even if we've only tweeted once or twice, I still consider you a bloggy friend!*

With Grace of Dainty Sprinkles! 

All the scraps of 'happy memories' from January to March, I stopped after the London trip.

The very first.

In January, I attended the NUI Maynooth Essay Law Competition, I came fourth (I think) in the category of cyber-bullying, they even quoted me ! 

It snowed for like two hours that one day.

Accurate (Source Tumblr ~ KickThePJ)

The first photo of myself I posted on my blog! Oh the memories! 

The Lovely Dan Howell (Danisnotonfire) whose videos made me laugh so much my stomach hurt, thank you.

The mental health group Project Smilier (we were to help increase positive mental health in the community, my life is one ironic moment I swear)

This year I became obsessed with Tumblr and these two! Phil Lester and Dan Howell, if you know me IRL or stalk my Tumblr, you'll understand the depth of my love for these two YouTubers

Siobhan and I on the London Eye, March 2013. 

Tower bridge (this was my laptop screen saver for months)

Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, I went to London on a school trip and I'd love to go back there again, I simply adored London!

The photo of me that seems to be everywhere..

A group of people who also went on the group, this was on our last night after we saw Stomp in the West End.

Posing outside a phone box with my cousin Olivia 

With Emer in London

I have to admit, this wasn't taken in Downing Street, it's from the Churchill Museum ssh!

I won a certificate from the Seanad (Senate in Ireland) for my speech about ''The Challenges That Face Ireland And Does My Future Lie Here?'' 

                  

A photo of Project Smilier on the set of Fair City with Jim Breen of Cycle Against Suicide, we even made the newspaper! 

On the same day with Colm Hayes (of 2FM), Jim Breen and the other student leaders of CAS. 

At the Leaders On Our Level conference in Croke Park with Colm ''The Gooch'' Cooper! He's a Gaelic footballer and a pure legend. At the conference I also met people like Enda McNulty (who now follows me on Twitter, holla) and lots more interesting people.

Two of my friends Maeve & Caítlín with the model Roz Purcell (she's so lovely in real life)

Always very mature.. 

Caítlín & Maeve on the last day of TY in May

My current profile picture on nearly every single social networking site I'm on!

With my crazy cousins Owen and Oisin! 

The John Green book shrine! 

With Grace from Dainty Sprinkles!! 

My name (in Irish) during the Coca Cola epidemic of names on bottles.. 

RAWR! 

On my 17th with Tara :) 

With Mary, Grace, myself, Tara and Viv for my 17th in September! 

With Aoileann in Tayto Park with the Irish club :)

Grace and I recording one of our YouTube videos

A meme made by the lovely Grace ! (Several others were not suitable for public viewing) haha

Beside the Catching Fire poster! 

Halloween! In a cow onesie.. oh dear. 

Another meme! 

Testing out my tripod (FredOrGeorge)

With my friend Emily at the Spleodar (Irish club) Christmas dinner

With Shannon at the Spleodar Christmas dinner (In Irish of course)

With my friend Maeve of Maeve's Fashion ! 

With Grace filming another YouTube video! 

We're normal people I swear. 

Christmas Eve!

Selfies beside the silage pit

One of the MANY quotes that I live by.

(Source Google Images)

With Harry Styles (ahem he's real I swear)

Christmas Day with my cousin Owen :) 

So I guess that's it for now! Let 2014 begin! 

If you're wondering why this blog post is before New Year's Day, it's due to Sherlock season 3 starting on New Year's Day and I doubt I would be in a calm state to blog on the day. #SherlockLives if you're a Sherlockian check out my Tumblr and we can squeal over Benedict Cumberbatch together! 

A huge thank you to everyone who reads my blog, it's a huge support. I wish every single one of you a brilliant 2014 and the wealth of health and happiness.

Stay Strong, Happy and Fearless! 

Aveen xx