And then one thing just kinda led to another...

Wow! What a year.  About a week and a year ago I decided to set myself a goal of learning 3 new skills over 3 consecutive months (largely to see if I could as well as learning things I'd been meaning to for a while).  Struggling to decide on what the third one should be (too many options as opposed to not enough) a friend suggested I did a whole year of it. What's a girl to do? Of course I did it.

I've learnt lots both from the skills/interests I've looked further at but lots, lots more and here I just wanted to mention the way I'd noticed so many of the things I've done have led me done interesting, relevant but unexpected paths. 

Back to the beginning.  I think the idea was initially inspired by the gorgeous, tactile, beautiful colours and textures of the yarns at Purl and Jane and I wanted to learn how to do something with them. Other than making pom poms or crocheting miles of chain together. So on the 29th November I turned up to one of the early Yarnaholics Anonymous evenings for a lot of concentrating and to rekindle something I could do when I was 7.

My first project in wonderful Mirasol Hacha yarn

Knitting was followed by mindful meditation which seemed to deepen my joy of life, smooth out issues and create a sense of calm and happiness (although I did already feel fairly joyful, calm and happy it seemed to further enhance that).  My can do, experiment a bit and see what happens attitude led to this year saying yes to the great north swim.  That in turn led to needing to practice open water swimming which meant I joined the local triathlon club. Watching the men's triathlon in the Olympics with the club saw me getting recommended Chrissie Wellington's autobiography, which, inspirational as it is was merely a stepping stone for me. Next stop Born to Run and my journey into barefoot running. Leading neatly into Scott Jurek's Eat and Run and my excitement about the health benefits of a plant based, vegan led diet.

Just about to swim a mile at Ulswater.  This year we're planning a 3.8k swim there.

A road trip and friend's birthday earlier in the year had resulted in my doing some training on food intolerance testing and now, following inspiration from Scott and more, December's planned for yoga month has been overtaken by my beginning diplomas in both nutrition and kinesiology.

I've still lots I haven't done that was on my initial lists - pilates, yoga, French, rollerblading - as well as more I'd like to have done more of during some months. However as an exercise, taken on with a sort of 'who knows what's going to happen' I would have to say it's been one of the most enriching, fabulous, exciting, unpredictable things to try out. Who knew I'd have made the centre pages of the Guardian back at the beginning, on the 29th November last year? I would have to say I'd no idea but the experience that led me there was a magical, life affirming, restoring faith in humanity-type-of-thing and a wonderful appreciation of the simple joys of life.

A little like my year really.