I woke up this morning and I was 1 year older.

Birthdays are such odd days. You go to bed one age and wake up another. Such an odd transformation. One nights' sleep and them Boom! I'm a whole year older.

I've been reminiscing about the year just past. All the triumphs and pitfalls and everything in between. In terms of highlights, the past year has been the year MP and I moved into our own place, the year we set up our own home. It's the year we became mortgage owners, the year I met Anthony Robbins (and did the Fire Walk!) and the year I moved into management.

The pitfalls have been few. The only one which has left a scar was the sudden death of my auntie. But her death has served a reminder to treasure the good times and give the ones I love an extra tight hug, every time.

But highlights and lowlights aside, it's the "in-betweens" that make up life. The day to day, habitual acts that are often deemed boring and monotonous. Life on a plotted graph would look like a sine curve and the "in-betweens" is just that - everything in between the crests and troughs.

Looking back, my sine curve over the last year looks different to other years. It's like the whole graph shifted up a notch on the y-axis.

I gained independence. I gained financial freedom. My relationship with MP has moved onto a whole new playing field. My relationship with my parents has morphed into one of mutual respect. My little sister is all grown up.

I learnt to marinate authentic Chinese pork ribs. I am more cautious about energy consumption. I learned to sew. I learned to bind books. I crocheted a couch throw.

I met Matthew, the homeless guy outside work and I buy him a coffee every time I see him. I learnt that not all people are motivated by pleasure and opportunities, as some are motivated by pain and the fear of loss. (That was a big lesson for me.)

I say "yes" more. I remind myself to thank God every day.

I wake up smiling.

The past year has been a great year. I feel like I woke up this year. I became more conscious of life. I've become more present.

This shift out of auto-pilot has changed everything and I can honestly say that it's been the best year of my life...

(...but I say that every birthday.)

Happy Birthday me.