What I discovered in 2012

Lucy over at Loose and Leafy posted about things she'd learned about in the last year and I thought I'd do a short post about what I've discovered in the last year too. To see Lucy's post pop over to her brilliant blog: http://looseandleafy.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/what-i-have-learnt-through-year.html

 Mid-January last year I was signed off work with work-related stress, which was later diagnosed as depression and anxiety. For much of the year I rarely left the house, but found that I had an interest in flowers. Much of this blog is a testament to that interest.

I've discovered the people in my life that are real and that are there for me even though they may not have understood how ill I was. When I'm better, these are the people that I'll share my success with.

I've discovered that I have an even more wonderful girlfriend than I thought I had. Without whom I don't know what would have happened to me over the past year. If living with someone with depression wasn't bad enough, she was wonderful in looking after me when I suffered with appendicitis and began the road to recovery from that.

I've discovered that I can live on very little money without losing any comfort. Luckily Lucy and I have been on the same page with this and have budgeted so well that it takes less than 1 wage for us both to life. This has made me more confident with money and has made the ESA money stretch very far indeed.

I have discovered a new found trust in people. When my employer sacked me for being signed off work, it was the people at the job centre that told me I was too ill to work and that I should apply for ESA. My doctor has been great at supporting me and I've been lucky that my ESA assessment result allowed me time to recover.

I've discovered a wonderful interest, not only in photographing flowers, but in understanding them much better. I've watched many documentaries and lectures about plants and botany and even completed a short module with the Open University about Plants and People.

I discovered that I really like decluttering and being more minimal. This has meant many items being sold or given to charity shops so that others can get some use out of the things we longer have room for in our lives.

I discovered that I like cats! We have our own cat now called Toby. He's blind, mostly deaf and totally toothless; but he's brilliant and has brought much joy into our lives.

I've discovered that even in my darkest days, I am comfortable in my own company. That is a blessing as I rarely have any wish to spend time with many people. So while I'm not 100% yet, I do feel that I'm on my way.

Thank you to all those that have supported me, it was very important to me. And while from the outside it may have looked like I was wasting time or that my life had gone off the rails - I was actually very ill. Yet, I have achieved many things in the past year. It was done without some whom I had thought would be here, but has brought me much closer to those that were.

Thank you to everyone for my lessons and to those that read my blog. Happy 2012.