A Year-End Writing Prompt
What’s Your Best and Worst of 2023?
And a few other questions to ponder as the year ends
Scrolling through my newsfeed, I spied an article in The Current,¹ an offshoot publication by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that had asked Canadians what was the best thing that had happened to them in 2023.
There were stories of new immigrants accomplishing educational milestones after the pandemic, a sick patient receiving a much-awaited kidney transplant and a delightful story of a woman in her mid-sixties receiving a sports award for the first time.
It prompted me to think of my best moment of the year — and the worst. Then I got carried away thinking about other best and worst of’s; some accomplishments and failures.
Then, I figured, why not create a writing prompt? I’ve made an easy-to-cut-and-paste list below if you are interested!
Here goes for my ‘best and worst of’, 2023.
The Best Moment
My daughter and her partner surprised me for my birthday. It’s the first time anyone has taken my breath away with sheer astonishment and disbelief!
The Worst Moment
Spending an April day in Emergency with high blood pressure and a headache. I was terrified I was going to stroke out. Thankfully, I didn’t and am here to tell the tale.
It’s not remotely pleasant being a nurse on the other side of the fence. On one hand, it’s good to recognize signs and symptoms of trouble, but knowing all the possibilities of what they can mean is darned frightening.
Sitting on a gurney in a corridor is also demoralizing and the waiting game was frustrating. Maybe it’s a good idea for us nurses to be a patient now and then to appreciate what our clientele are experiencing.
An Accomplishment
Completing three months of a personal daily photography challenge between September and November was rewarding and I was also rather chuffed to finish the 52-week photograph challenge that Rodrigo S-C and the Full Frame team offered this year.
It took me a while to jump on board, but I got it done.
A Failure.
I kept on saying I’d get back into my fitness and I never did. In fact, I avoided the gym like the plague.
You’d think that given the facility is one floor below my apartment it would be easy to fling on some gym gear and head on down for a quick burst of exercise but, no. I made every excuse possible, with the main one being that I was too tired.
I’ve always maintained the hardest thing about going to the gym is getting there. Why? Because I know that if I make the effort, I will feel better and probably not be so tired. The hormonal response to exercise is remarkable. Endorphins are mood boosters, pain squashers, anti-depressants and back-patters. Our brains are inspired to do more.
Yet, I still didn’t go. My brain needs to be rewired!
So, as a result of my lazy-arsed and tired demeanour, I gained weight. Want to feel demoralized? Gain a few pounds and stare at a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes that don’t fit.
Incredibly, even that didn’t get me moving.
It wasn’t until I went to New Zealand and saw how amazing all my girlfriends my age looked that it hit home how miserable and disgusting I felt.
If I don’t do something in 2024, my health is now in danger. What better motivator is that?
What I was most grateful for
Travelling is not for the impatient or faint-hearted anymore. The aircraft may be getting bigger but they’re packing in more people and skimping on passenger comfort. I’ve started to loathe flying, so I’m grateful I still have the patience to do it.
Therefore, to be able to travel to see my daughter and her partner in Paris with my bestie from Montréal and also head back to New Zealand to catch up with my family and dearest friends were my two gratifying moments.
One thing that happened that I hope doesn’t ever again
When my Chicago-bound flight from New Zealand turned around in the mid-Pacific Ocean six hours into the journey, essentially travelling for 12 hours to nowhere!
One thing that happened that I hope DOES happen again
Having stories boosted here on Medium!
My Motto(s) for 2024
A new year comes with relief; a time to forgive oneself for failure. Perhaps not accomplishing pre-determined goals inspires one to make more realistic ones.
A new year comes with excitement and anticipation. It’s human nature to be enthusiastic about turning the calendar page over into another year.
A new year can also come with trepidation. The knowledge that there are hurdles and barriers ahead.
My motto? Live every day. Embrace opportunities. Do what feels right.
Here are the topics to cut and paste if you are interested in joining as the clock on 2023 ticks down.
- Your Best Moment
- Your Worst Moment
- An Accomplishment
- A Failure
- Something To Be Grateful For
- One thing that happened that you hope doesn’t ever again (aside from #2)
- One thing that happened that you hope DOES happen again ( aside from #1)
- Your motto for 2024
You can self-publish if you are not a writer for The Challenged, or become one! Be sure to tag me using the @ feature.
I’m going to tag a couple of Medium friends who are known to enjoy a challenge. Karen Schwartz, Bruce Coulter, Adrienne Beaumont, Nancy Oglesby, Julia A. Keirns and Lynn L. Alexander — I hope you’ll jump on board!