Reflecting on 2017

When a new year arrives, I feel it's important to take a minute to yourself to sit and reflect on the last twelve months.

Every year throws us all a collection of ups and downs, highs and lows, exciting times and maybe even times we'd rather forget.

Regardless of the type of experience, if you can look back and appreciate it all, you'll feel a sense of calm. When it comes to those darker moments, appreciate the fact that you successfully got yourself from there, to here. That alone, is amazing!! 

Every experience we have contributes to the person we become. We learn from our mistakes & we grow with our achievements. 

I'm going to list some of my personal achievements from 2017. These are the things that I am really proud of and also situations that while they didn't feel pleasant at the time, they enabled me to learn a lot more about the person I am. 

My Achievements: 

• Being announced as the face of a global campaign (coming out this year!) 
• Completing and coming out alive from The Block 
• Winning The Block 2017
• Traveling to East Timor to explore the villages and learning how to best inform Australia how we can best help  
• Launching “Keep It North” with our new best mates Sticks & Wombat. To date, we've donated the profits to Water Aid and Muscular Dystrophy NSW and we plan to donate to many other amazing causes. 
• Being the cover girl for the Women's Health Summer addition - which is their biggest issue of the year. (The images below are some BTS shots from the shoot) 
• Shooting for my dream client, Seafolly
• Selling our first home. A home that Josh and I renovated by ourselves
• Buying a new home ... which has given Josh and I a brand new project and a massive goal for 2018!

I urge you to get out a notepad and write down all of the awesome things you did. Don't be shy or modest! Be brave and proudly admit the amazing feats you had!

Getting a new job, becoming fitter, learning a new skill, taking yourself on a holiday. Whatever it was... if you did it, celebrate! YOU achieved it.

Make sure to stop and look back at how far you've come before getting onto the next list of goals. 

My Learning Experiences (this list is just as important as my achievements): 

• Enduring The Block & being thrown straight into the deep end taught me how to be strong & confident in my own decisions. If you don't trust yourself, how can you expect others to trust you?
• Body image is always a hard one. I work very hard on keeping my body at a certain level. I have learnt to be more content with myself and what my body looks like. People tend to assume "models" are born with perfect bodies & fast metabolisms. Nope! It takes work, time, patience and a very positive attitude to not only get in shape, but to stay in shape (the key!)
• I have learnt not to compare myself. There is only one of me, no one can replace me.
• Throughout the year there were times I was taking on too much. I was becoming stressed and angry at the little things. I've since become more aware of how much I can cope with at any given time. Sometimes less is more.
• I have learnt to make sure I take time out for ME. Just me. 
• I have learnt to delegate. I can't do everything and you learn from others. Two hands are better than one
• Sleep deprivation! On The Block I learnt a lot about my limits and how far I can go before I break. My determination to complete a 10/10 room was next level! I never thought I had that level of competitiveness inside me! 
• The Block also challenged Josh and I as a couple (and in the public eye!). We dealt with conflict, stress, a heavy workload, exhaustion ... and we hardly fought at all. We always stuck together & have become stronger as a couple since as well as stronger individuals. We know each others breaking points and we know how & when to help each other through tough times.

I'm learning that true strength of character flourishes when you have the courage to confidently and proudly congratulate yourself on what you have achieved and what you have learned. It's not arrogant to be amazed by YOU and the personal achievements YOU have ticked off ... it's wonderful. 

So everyone, pens and paper out! Start those lists!