Achievements

What are you most proud of this year?

It's a hard question to answer, for many reasons.

Maybe you think that you've achieved SO much in 2017 that it's hard to pinpoint what your biggest achievement is. Everything you've done is just so good. Well done, you.

I'd probably guess that most people have the opposite problem though. Sometimes it's hard to think of anything you've achieved at all. When December is coming to a close, everyone is still feeling fairly sluggish after Christmas and eating all of the chocolate in your house in the span of 72 hours. You can't wait for 2018 to finally roll around because, right now especially, it feels like the last 365 days have been a complete waste of time in which you have done absolutely nothing.

Very inspiring, right?

But, think back 12 months. This time last year, what did you hope 2017 would bring you? What did you hope you would do in the coming year? Did you complete or conquer anything at all? Think really hard.

It took me a while to come up with this list, but here are my top 5 achievements of the year (in no particular order). Perhaps they'll spark some memories of your own.

1. University. No, I haven't actually gone to uni yet. But this year I applied, which is something I thought I would never get to do. There was a time where I didn't want to go to uni at all, and there was a time where I thought that I would always be too ill to go. But this year my UCAS application went off and I've already got an unconditional offer from one uni, and an audition for another.
2. National Theatre Connections. Every year the National Theatre has a festival/competition for young actors in which you perform a play and the winning company gets to perform in London. It's an amazing opportunity. The competition isn't over yet, so I can't tell you if I've won or not. But, this year I was chosen to be the director of the group. This meant that I attended the Director's Weekend in London and that potentially, something I've directed could end up in the National Theatre. At this point, winning doesn't really bother me. This whole experience has been fantastic regardless of the final outcome.
3. Coming Off Meds. This is the first year, in a very very veryVERYlong time that I managed to get off all of my daily medications. Meaning, when I wake up in the morning, and go to bed at night, I don't have to take any pills at all. It's been many years since I've been able to do that, and trust me, it's a wonderful feeling.
4. One Play in a Week. This year I worked with a company and we created a play in a week. That's not very much time to make and perform an entire play.
5. No Make-Up. This one might seem very odd to some people, but for me this is a huge step. Since the age of 13/14 maybe, I've not left the house without make up on. I've never been a make up addict or anything like that - but I felt so self conscious that I could not go out if I didn't at least have mascara on and my eyebrows filled in. But, this has been something I've conquered in the last couple of months. I've been going to the store without make up on and seeing friends without make up on. The next step is to go to college without it on.

Well done to everyone for getting somewhere, wherever that may be, this year! Here's to a happy and healthy 2018!

1. University

No, I haven't actually gone to uni yet. But this year I applied, which is something I thought I would never get to do. There was a time where I didn't want to go to uni at all, and there was a time where I thought that I would always be too ill to go. But this year my UCAS application went off and I've already got an unconditional offer from one uni, and an audition for another.

2. National Theatre Connections

Every year the National Theatre has a festival/competition for young actors in which you perform a play and the winning company gets to perform in London. It's an amazing opportunity. The competition isn't over yet, so I can't tell you if I've won or not. But, this year I was chosen to be the director of the group. This meant that I attended the Director's Weekend in London and that potentially, something I've directed could end up in the National Theatre. At this point, winning doesn't really bother me. This whole experience has been fantastic regardless of the final outcome.

3. Coming Off Meds

This is the first year, in a very very very VERY long time that I managed to get off all of my daily medications. Meaning, when I wake up in the morning, and go to bed at night, I don't have to take any pills at all. It's been many years since I've been able to do that, and trust me, it's a wonderful feeling.

4. One Play in a Week

This year I worked with a company and we created a play in a week. That's not very much time to make and perform an entire play.

5. No Makeup

This one might seem very odd to some people, but for me this is a huge step. Since the age of 13/14 maybe, I've not left the house without makeup on. I've never been a makeup addict or anything like that - but I felt so self conscious that I could not go out if I didn't at least have mascara on and my eyebrows filled in. But, this has been something I've conquered in the last couple of months. I've been going to the store without makeup on and seeing friends without makeup on. The next step is to go to college without it on.

Well done to everyone for getting somewhere, wherever that may be, this year! Here's to a happy and healthy 2018!