2017 the wrap up of the year that was

We are about to leave 2017 and are now hurtling towards 2018, there is no stopping time. How was 2017 for you? Is it a year you embraced and loved or one you would rather forget. I do this thing at the end of a year, I reflect and write down the good the bad and the amazing. I don’t normally do it in any order but writing stuff down has a way of allowing me to feel, to reminisce, to acknowledge and to let go. Sometimes there is a hi5 to myself and other times there is a lesson, you should try it because believe it or not, it’s actually freeing.

I want to go into 2018 with a clean slate, to do that I need to acknowledge everything from 2017 and put it to bed. This post is basically a roundup of the year, in no particular order…so let’s go….

MEETING MY COMMUNITY

I was lucky enough to host multiple workshops in Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, while the interstate workshops are logistically challenging I do love them. Any chance to meet my community face to face is something I always welcome. To all who purchased a ticket, booked a spot and turned up with open hearts and warm hugs, I say THANKYOU.

THIS IS HEALTHIER ME

At the beginning of 2017 I was feeling the after effects of a hysterectomy and needed some support in my wellness challenges so I started a closed group This Is Healthier Me. It’s a group just for women (all applicants are individually looked at before being admitted to group) where we cheer and share everything health and wellness related. No, not just diet but makeup, beauty products, recipes, mental health, family, exercise, products and more. It’s a fab little group that for the most part ticks along on its own steam and the ladies support and look after each other. 

GIVING BACK

Speaking of groups I was lucky enough to be mentored for a year near the start of my blogging journey and in 2017 I really wanted to give back to others in the blogging community. In January I reached out to a few bloggers and invited them to be mentored by me. For the past year I have mentored five bloggers and have loved it! It’s a fun group with no pressure, just support and it has given me some balance and also helped me to remember my roots. In fact one of those ladies will be coming on board here at Styling Curvy in 2018 to help me a little behind the scenes, I can’t wait!

I also give back to my local community here in South Australia as ambassador for The Hospital Research Foundation. As well as being involved in The Longest Table campaign

and The Under Our Roof project something else VERY FREAKIN EXCITING happened this year.

The Newman’s Own Foundation chose Styling Curvy to be a recipient of a US $100,000 grant! Yup, all I had to do was choose the charity of my choice for the money to be donated to, some paperwork was done, I designed a salad using Newmans Own dressings and The Hospital Research Foundation had AUS$126,000 deposited into their account to assist with The under Our Roof project. Proud as punch moment right there! Read more HERE

I didn’t stop there, or should I say ‘we’ didn’t stop there. After a successful campaign with Modibodi ‘we’ were able to donate 140 pairs of knickers to the the ladies at Catherine House, of course this could not have been done without all of YOU purchasing knickers so, THANKYOU!

TRAVEL

This year the Huz and I took a few ‘staycations’, holidaying in our own lovely state. We took a road-trip to Stansbury on the Yorke Peninsula, relaxed at the beach huts in Middleton and closer to home we took a few days to rest up and connect staying at the Seawall Apartments in Glenelg. Sometimes a few days away does wonders 🙂

The Huz and I also took another trip back to Bali, this time we did minimal sight seeing and maximum relaxation. Read more here.

Speaking of Bali I hosted my first Styling Curvy On Tour in August and we had a ball in Bali, in fact I loved it so much I am hosting sold out tours in March and August 2018. You can read about our last tour here.

I was also lucky enough to visit Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane (several times each). My work with Styling Curvy means travelling so when I travel I always try to mix business with pleasure catching up with interstate family and friends, it just makes it more fun. It’s always nice to get back home though

ALWAYS TALKING…

I have been invited to speak on a few podcasts and to do some live speaking at events and even had live spot on the nine news to chat about the huge donation to The Hospital Research Foundation. I love a chat and look forward to doing more of this in 2018.

I was also thrilled to be asked to a judge for this years Bupa Blog awards, a month of judging fab Aussie blogs finished off with a night at the awards, I even had the pleasure of presenting an award.

MY HEALTH HAS BEEN A ROLLER COASTER BUT I THINK I AM WINNING

I have had times this year when I have felt great but I have also had patches where I have felt very, very crap. I even had a few patches that scared the shit outa me so I have made changes. I now have a new GP who is helping me to manage ongoing side effects of cancer treatment and I am seeing a dietician. I realize that some foods react poorly to me and some heighten pain and inflammation so Stelios (the dietician) and I are working on changing my diet. I am not ‘on a diet’…just trying to do better for health, wellness and energy.

Less of this…

and more of this…

 

Exercise wise I tried working out with a PT and loved it for six months. I have given it up (for a while) because I had adrenal fatigue and was flat, instead I introduced water walking and Pilates. Both of these are great choices for me.

Oh and yeah, at the start of the year I purchased a bike…I even ride it!

In September I celebrated my 5 year cancerversary, I didn’t think it would affect me but it kinda got me choked up and emotional, see here.

I have also graduated from 6 monthly appointments to yearly appointments with my breast specialist. Now that was a hi 5 moment, took five years but I did it!

PURCHASED A FEW NEW THINGS…

This year I made a few big purchases like a fridge and washing machine because those fuckers don’t last forever, I also had new floors laid see here, and more recently we are now enjoying a new outdoor table, but the best one was a new car! A ‘brand new’ car, read more about what that meant to me.

INTRODUCED SOME NEW STUFF TO STYLING CURVY

This year saw the newsletter fire up to regular fortnightly deliveries into your inbox, I am getting some help behind the scenes with this one because I just can’t do everything myself. If you would like to sign up to the newsletter click here.

There has even been a weekly roundup blog post…

and I also started Styling Curvy Community Catch-ups, bringing us together for special events. You can read more about the very first one here.

I also took the step to outsource some photography, for the most part my photos are taken using a tripod on my back deck or the Huz snaps them when we are out but life can get busy so I enlisted help. Once a month I hired a photographer to take some daily style shots, nothing fancy or styled, just me with my regular hair and makeup. This has been an enormous help as I can use the pics in blog posts and sometimes the labels I partner with can use them too. The son still takes the odd photo too, keeping it in the family 🙂

GRATEFUL TO PARTNER WITH WONDERFUL BRANDS.

Wow, what a year I have had. I feel so bloody fortunate to work with good brands run by good people. Even better I love that they allow me to just be ‘me’. They never tell me what to say, there are no pushy sales pitches, I am free to say ‘no’ if product doesn’t suit and they care about my community. I love what I do!

I also love that my community embrace and support the brands I partner with, to be honest I could not do this gig day in and day out without either them or you so it’s a win-win.

I have had some incredible opportunities in 2017, traveling, photo shoots, interviews, spots on TV, published pics in magazines,giveaways, fun campaigns, helping to create new product and soooo much more. I told you I love what I do, right 🙂

One of the highlights of this year was being involved in the Yarra Trail campaign, Trailblazers. You can read more here.

Stay tuned because there is some pretty amazing stuff lined up for 2018, I can’t wait.

CLOSER TO HOME

Things have changed in our home this year. We have no children at school and can I just say that’s a fucken relief. When our youngest did year 12 in 2016 it was a bloody nightmare, he hated every second and I spent the year with my heart in my mouth, walking on eggshells and just trying to get him through the year alive. I am super happy (and proud) to say he is doing well and is now following his bliss with a mechanical apprenticeship. Hallelujah!

Our oldest son took the big leap this year and moved out of home, in fact he moved interstate. He was ready for the move, oh god was he ready! He is loving his life in Melbourne, it’s not been without challenges but he’s handling them all and isn’t that what growing up is all about? I miss him like crazy though, it’s strange not having his energy nearby.

Yeah, 5ft7 V’s 6ft4...

I don’t often talk about my boys because their story is not mine to share, however the mumming stuff totally is. You know what, mumming adult kids is hard, it’s challenging and lonely and no bright spark has written a book on THAT!

Sure, we have books on pregnancy, babies, toddlers and tweens. We even have books on raising boys and raising girls but no one has shared how to raise an adult that grunts and tells you to ‘fuck off’ all while sitting in his dirty clothes on your clean lounge while eating cereal that you paid for because the fucker conveniently forgot to pay board….again. Yeah, I love my boys deeply and fiercely but parenting them through this stage of their lives while they are living at home has been a challenge, so I created the hashtag #mummingneverends

I share this hashtag (and encourage you to share it also) when I need to talk about those mumming moments that challenge me. Sometimes it’s having my heart break as I watch my son leave home or pulling my hair out and throwing his clothes on the lawn 20 minutes before a news crew arrive at my home to film. Yes, that totally happened.

I left home at seventeen so parenting through this stage has been a bit of uncharted territory for me. Letting go, giving in and loving them through it all is the key. That and the odd gin 🙂 I do love them , it’s incredible watching them live and learn and being loved by them. One thing I now know is #mummingneverends Read more here and here.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

2018 is already shaping up to be a great year, I have lots of things in the works for Styling Curvy and YOU…my fabulous community.

One thing I know foe sure is I I won’t get by without coffee, flowers, the beach and my three hearts.

Thankyou for sticking around in 2017, thanks for your messages, likes, comments and for being so bloody ace. Hope to do it all again with you in 2018

Til next time,

Jen x