The Year That Was 2017

Happy New Year 2018!

It's 30 minutes into the new year now, the fireworks display outside my apartment had ceased and everyone at home was asleep since 11 pm. Ah, peace.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been reflecting on the events that have taken place in 2017 and I must say that it was actually better than what it had appeared on the surface.

Car Trouble
My car was in its 6th year in 2017, clocking a mileage of about 150,000km. Issues started from end 2016 itself with parts wear and tear happening one after another. Thank goodness things went back to normal by August.

The highlight of this was the time when we were travelling around Chinese New Year and its engine died on us about 100km away from home. That was the first and hopefully the last I rode in my car on top of a tow truck. On the upside, I won a lucky draw at the mechanic's place when I had to get my air-cond compressor changed. That was a huge relief.

Financial Challenges
The car troubles caused a huge dent in our finances and each month is a challenge managing the household cash flow. The damage was equivalent to about a year's worth of the hire purchase. We toyed with the idea of getting a new car but decided against it considering that we only have a couple more years before the car is paid off. Things are far from over but I am thankful for we still manage to pull through every month.

K-Drama

I watched my first K-drama in April 2016, just to see what the hype was all about - they were actually pretty good! Early in 2017, my group of friends started raving about this drama "Goblin" and went on and on about how good looking the male lead was. I went from a non-fan to a huge fan of Gong Yoo for the next 7 months :)

So how was watching K-drama beneficial?

• I picked up a bit of the Korean language and learned a new culture. There are actually a lot of words very similar to the Chinese language.
• I was inspired to look better due to the influence of the pretty leading ladies.
• A little bit of good looking distraction took away the stress of everyday life.

Another Child on the Way

I found out that I was pregnant with our third child sometime in July. We were overjoyed! Double joy when we later found out that the baby is a girl. I've always wanted a sister for my daughter because her girl cousins are at least 10 years older, so it's nice to have a sister closer to her age. Fingers crossed, I hope the baby will be healthy and normal and the rest of the pregnancy and delivery will be smooth like the previous ones.

Worries About the Future
Perhaps it's due the hormones, I started developing worries about the future:

"Will we be able to afford another child?"
"How are we going to manage when we get the keys to our new place next year?"
"What if I lose my job?"

Turns out my worries were valid because not long after that I got news about some restructuring in my company which translates to a pay cut but that also means less working days. I was upset at first but after putting more thoughts to it, I realised this could actually be a good thing for I now have time to explore other opportunities and I would also get to spend more time with the baby when she arrives.

Hopes, Opportunities & Soul Searching
I realised that the challenges we faced in life are not always bad if we choose to look at them positively. So many doors had opened as I looked for new opportunities. While not all of them are suitable, I am grateful for the things that turned up, with the Steemit platform being one of them.

Along the way, I have also met a lot of new friends who had been most helpful and had guided me in my soul-searching. One of the ladies I met told me that I need to let go and make peace with my past in order to move forward. She had also advised me to stop discounting myself and when I start telling myself that I am worth it, good things will start flowing in.

Turns out she was right after all. One thing's for sure, I stop having car troubles after heeding her advice.

Here's to a better new year ahead!