This past year was one of the most challenging years of my life. It started out with a loose foundation: fresh out of a long-term relationship, living in a new space, still new at my job. I had some early successes with running, but that changed abruptly when I developed pain in my left foot that would keep me from running for the rest of the year. Running was therapy for me. It provided me with a physical outlet, a meditative space, a constant cycle of challenge and reward. It gave me confidence and kept me healthy—except when it didn't. So without a lot of stability to begin with, my world as I knew it was shaken, and I had little to fall on. And rather than reach out to loved ones, I wanted to fall apart. I was lucky to have some close friends and family members help pick me up. I was able to end the year on a good note, spending lots of time with family, dedicating myself more to swimming, and appreciating whatever abilities I had in a given day, even when it wasn't running...

I promised a post on 2015 goals. Before I do that, I want to look back on 2014's list of goals  to see how they panned out (I'm scared!): 2014's Goals in Review Work on relieving anxiety . This one gets a "halfway met," because while I feel I tried to work on it, I didn't get very far and still was overcome with crippling anxiety at times. By the very end of the year, though, I felt my best. Do speed work . Not met. Not close. Visit a new place . Sadly, no. I traveled, but to the same places I've been. Do more yoga . Nope. I did do some, but I had a really hard time finding a studio that felt like my yoga home. The only place I really looked forward to was Curtis Hixon Park, which has yoga in the park each Sunday. There's just something more freeing being outside, in a an unconfined area. Perhaps I'm just lacking discipline. Eat less sugar . Met! I had very few cupcakes this year. And I didn't replace them with anything else. One w...