The Highs Of 2018 (The Ordinary Moments)

I had meant to write this post a couple of weeks ago during Blogmas but I decided to pull the plug on everything for a while and just kick back and chill once Christmas Eve hit.

It’s been a crazy ride this last year and there were so many highlights, so I wanted to share my top moments with you. These are in no particular order.

Of course, starting A Rosie World was a big high. I’ve talked a lot about it in my previous post Hello 2019!, so please go and check that out if you haven’t done so already.We had an amazing holiday in the Dominican Republic last October. I’d always wanted to visit the Caribbean and I loved spending eleven days with Sukh and the kids in the glorious sunshine.

As a family, we love our active and adventurous holidays but it was good to just relax for once – with nothing but sun, sea, sand, lots of swimming and amazing food. We had had a busy year so we deserved to just spoil ourselves.We did venture out a couple of times to visit Saona Island and Catalina Island, which gave us the chance to experience the thrill of a catamaran and explore somewhere new. I’ll write about our holiday in more depth soon.

Shalini became a teenager last year. I went through mixed emotions leading up to the big day. I still can’t believe I have a thirteen-year-old! She is a beautiful, mature and sweet girl. She’s my best friend and as she gets older, we grow closer.I went on a work trip to Mumbai in January and enjoyed every minute of it (well maybe not the moments when I fell ill). The highlight for me though was tagging on two days on to the end of the trip just for myself.

I had a wonderful time shopping, eating at my favourite places in the city and spoiled myself with a few spa treatments. Work had been hectic, so it was great to have some time alone before I returned home. I had also just started my blog so it gave me great content to write about too.We had a couple of huge family weddings last year. Two of Sukh’s first cousins tied the knot and my nephew got married too. It was a crazy few months because if you don’t know already, Indian weddings last days with several ceremonies.

But I love a good wedding with all the singing, dancing and dressing up. You can read about what I wore at all three weddings here, here and here.My blog allowed me to work with some big brands last year like River Island, Boohoo and Boots. Never had I thought I would achieve so much as a newbie. I’m looking forward to bigger and better this year.I also started my YouTube channel. This was a massive deal for me because it’s one thing putting your writing out there. Putting your face and voice out there is a whole new ball game. Again, Sukh was the catalyst in making this happen.

At the moment, we’ve only put up our vlogs about our holiday in Orlando in the summer of 2017 but go and check them out, if you haven’t already. I’m sure you’ll find them fun and helpful too if you’re planning a holiday to Florida.

Sukh is the man behind the channel. He’s filmed and edited all of the videos – I’m just the face and voice. He’s worked tirelessly on them and it took ages to get them out there because he’s a perfectionist. He spent ages choosing the right music, editing them so that they tell a story, rather than just random clips thrown together.

It’s something Sukh has really focused on but I’ve been busy working on growing the blog in its first year. I hope to do the same with the channel this year and really push out the quality content Sukh has crafted, so watch this space.I had a really rough summer last year with ongoing back issues, which I’ve had since my early twenties. Basically, I’ve lost the gel-like substance around my two lower discs. This causes pain in my lower back and puts pressure on my left-hand side, which results in joint and leg pain.

I will suddenly feel a sharp pain in my side, and my back and legs will just give way. I’m in pain nearly every day and I’ve been in and out of appointments, seeking treatment.If I were doing highs and lows, this would definitely be the biggest low. The reason I include it here is because what I realised during this awful time was just how much support I have. Friends, family and colleagues have been extremely helpful and sympathetic.

I was off work for the entire summer and I had an outpouring of messages from so many people. It made me realise just how many amazing friends, and how wonderful a support system, I have.

If anything, friends were telling me I’m not relying on them enough! I love and value each of you who have helped me through this time.It’s something I am still in the process of dealing with and it affects me both mentally and physically.

But sometimes it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you deal with it. I will try to focus on the positive and hope for a healthier and better 2019.