My 2015 was a year of tremendous change. Well, so was 2014, actually. The past 2.5 years or so have been marked by many pretty major shifts in my life. In spite of that, I still managed to accomplish a few things this year that I’m pleased with, although of course I totally failed some things too. Here’s a recap of how I did on my goals:
Some of my successes this year
I got my first muscle-up! This was a goal of mine that I was really happy to check off. That said, I was expecting that getting my first one would be the hardest, and then I would start getting more and more fairly easily after that. Not so! Truth bomb: I haven’t gotten a single one since that one, and I certainly haven’t learned to string them together. So, it’s still a work in process.
Also in fitness goals and accomplishments: I got my first bodyweight clean and jerk. I snatched 73#. I ran my fastest mile ever at 7:44. I ran a 5k without stopping and, remarkably, actually felt pretty good afterwards. I upped my max overhead squat to 90#, too.
I checked off a big bucket list item when I hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-river in a day. My original goal was to hike rim-to-rim, but rim-to-river ended up being a better choice both logistically as well as physically. I’d love to do another mega-hike in the Big Ditch this coming year.
I visited other new places, too, both locally and further away. I visited Las Vegas, Durango, and Denver (including the inimitable Rocky Mountain National Park) for the first time. I had hoped to travel somewhere a little farther, but my vacation plans were sadly trumped by family obligations. Next year, though. For real.
On the blog front, I redesigned my site, started hiring a photographer to help with some of my posts, and bought a new camera to improve my own photos. And of course, I also grew my little activewear “museum”, which I wrote about in more detail yesterday.
Goals that maybe didn’t go so well this year
For several years, I’ve always set goals on the number of books I want to read. This year, my goal was 20. I massively, MASSIVELY failed there. My total was only 6! I’m not so much sad about not meeting the goal itself as I am sad about the fact that I really like reading, and am bummed I didn’t do more. With an increasingly busy schedule, it’s been hard to find the time.
My back squat PR hasn’t moved for a year. Womp. I also wanted to get a leaderboard score on the benchmark workout called “Cindy”, but that definitely didn’t happen either. In fact in general, my fitness progress has been nearly at a standstill for the past 6ish months as I’ve been adapting to a new schedule (see below).
Other things that happened
Of course, I could set all the goals I wanted, but the reality is that I couldn’t really know what the year was going to bring. Nobody can. The biggest things that shaped this year really had almost nothing to do with my goals.
A new space
After a year and a half in a townhouse that made me basically hate everything, I finally moved out this fall. In September, my boyfriend bought a house that we can make our own. Now I’ve added house renovations and decorating to my long list of time-consuming, expensive hobbies–hah. I finally kissed the old townhouse’s ugly tan walls goodbye after they’d served as my blog photo backdrop for so long. The yellow walls that graced my new office were mercifully short-lived, and I’ve now been properly upgraded to white. Hallelujah.
Work and blog transitions
A little backstory for you…
Most of you probably don’t know this, but I actually started AA while I was unemployed. I became the “trailing partner” when my boyfriend had gotten a job offer in northern AZ. Two years ago, I packed up my life and drove 2,048 miles across the country for a fresh start and new adventure. I started Agent Athletica in April 2014, 3 months after my move. What that meant is that for over a year (the rest of 2014 and a lot of 2015), I worked at least 40 hours a week on this blog, sometimes a lot more. When there were no traditional jobs for me where I could continue my career, I chose to create my own work in the form of this space. It made me feel like there was something productive I could do with my time. It was a way for me to harness my anxious energy, be intellectually engaged, and most importantly, actually see results from my efforts.
This blog was truly a lifeline for me during a disastrous time. For one, it was (rewarding!) work I could totally lose myself in when I was frustrated and stressed beyond words. I’m pretty sure I would’ve straight-up lost my mind without this outlet. For two, after several months and hundreds of hours, it eventually became a small source of income that buffered the financial free fall of unemployment. After a while, the hundreds of hours I put in meant I could put gas in my tank, pay for my “therapy” (aka the gym), and occasionally treat myself to some new activewear to review (after all, that’s how I earned the income in the first place). Little did you all know, your support on this blog meant a whole lot more to me than just the happy feeling that someone paid attention to my writing and pictures. It meant I could actually survive, both proverbially as well as more literally. For that, I am forever grateful for all of you.
Despite how gratifying my blog work was and still is, I had been building a career as a scientist before my move, and I didn’t want to abandon that. Not to mention, the practical need for a full-time income was an ever-looming concern. So, after a full 18 months jobless (in the traditional sense, anyway), my patience and never-settle tenacity paid off, this summer I started a full-time job as a biochemist. My story actually went backwards from most bloggers: starting full-time and then making the switch to part-time. As an aside, long-time readers may have noticed a pretty significant uptick in my new purchases around that time–well, now you know why. This shift is also why I slowed down on posting constant lululemon news back in May. I knew a job was coming, and the high-volume, fast-paced litany of lulu news I was posting was simply incompatible with working a 9-to-5.
I’m happy that 2015 marked the end of such a stressful chapter and that I’ve now moved into a new chapter of putting the pieces back together and moving forward. My hope for 2016 is that I can finally have space to settle into all these changes. When there’s a lot of uncertainty in your life and the landscape is shifting all around you, the lack of a stable foundation can make it feel like you’re just putting out fires instead of actually thriving. Rather than hoping for massive changes in 2016, I’m kind of going for the opposite. I want to focus on pretty much doing what I have been doing, just making small improvements and feeling happier about where I am.
As always: thank you for being here, for being a part of my story, and for supporting my blogging adventures in 2015. Have a happy New Year!
Having trouble finding the words to say how awesome this post (and you) are. Cheers to a 2016 full of accomplishing your own blogging goals on your terms, and not letting anyone else’s opinions get in the way of you doing YOU! :)
Aw thank you Katy!! Cheers indeed!! <3
I have been following your blog since pretty much the very beginning. As a chemist/professor with the same extensive training as you and a similar passion for active lifestyle, I feel so connected to you. Your blog has allowed me to escape from reality and stress. I got teary eyed reading this piece. Thank you for being you! I wish you stability and happiness in 2016!
I am so thankful to have had you around for so long!! I feel the same way: this blog has always been an escape from reality for me, and helps to remind me of the fun, happy things in my life. Really appreciate your comment. :’)
Love it. I love coming here for a bit of downtime in my day. You’re candor makes it that much more appealing and why I keep coming back. And I love your positivity…makes it fun to check out your latest news :)
Thank you so much for the kind words! I’m glad you’ve found something you like here. :)
Glad to hear things are getting better for you Suzanne. You had dropped hints here and there about being unemployed through your writing and blog comments so I am glad to hear you were able to find a job in your chosen field! Yay for lady scientists! Looking forward to 2016 being a great year for all of us. :)
Yeah, I felt like going full-on woe-is-me would’ve been a little off-putting, so I tried to avoid it, haha. Cheers to a great year for you, too! <3
Happy New Year to you! Glad everything is looking up and wishing you all the best. (Also, lady scientists are totally rad and I admire ya’ll so much!)
Thank you so much! Happy New Year to you too (though a little late at this point, haha).
So glad your hard work and tenacity have paid off! I love scientists; I’m married to one! Reading your blog has helped me stick to an active and healthy routine that allowed me to shed 25 lbs of pregnancy weight. Thank you for that and for your thoughtful posts. I can’t wait to see what you have in store next. Happy 2016!
That’s fantastic! :) I’m so glad to have played a little part in that. Thank you for the kind words. :)
So glad that your stars aligned in so many important respects for you! I admire all that you do and wish you many professional and personal successes in 2016.
Yes, totally! I hope this is a sign of better things to come. Wishing you the best in 2016, too. Thanks for being here! :)
What an amazing year you’ve had! I’m so happy that all your hard work and perseverance paid off and that you’re in a great place to start a new chapter of your life. Your story of building up your blog from scratch and generating an income from it is inspiring! I’m so happy to have “met” you through the blogging world. Here’s to an awesome 2016!
I’m so glad to have connected with you, too! It’s been a long road, but I’m hoping things are on the upswing. Wishing you the best in 2016 too!! :)
? yay for getting that job and doing an awesome job on this blog. Loved this post. Hope 2016 is amazing for you!
Thanks Sara! I hope it’s amazing for you too. :)
I find your blog incredibly professional and I applaud your dedication to the strategic vision and discipline of your blog. I appreciate what you post, but also what you don’t post. Thank you for all your hard work, and Happy New Year!
Thank you so much for the kind words! The strategic vision and discipline is a big part of what I love about blogging, so I guess that worked out pretty well. :) Wishing you a great 2016, too!!
Really enjoyed hearing about your goals (success and misses). Always love hearing from another chemist-I am an analytical chemist.
That’s awesome! My official title is also analytical chemist. But, I find that slightly misleading, so I just say biochemist. :P I work on a quality testing team for medical devices, so it’s pretty much just molecular bio (my wheelhouse), not so much into the weeds with chemistry. :)
Congrats Suzanne! This is such a wonderful post and I am so happy for you! I so appreciate you sharing your life so openly with us and building this community of respect, inspiration and humor. Best to you in 2016!
P.S. I had a dream last night that I won an AA blog giveaway in which the winner got to go camping with you as their prize. We camped together! We both wore cute athleisure outfits the whole time too and discussed at length how great our chosen clothes were for camping. lol.
Hahaha I love the camping story! That’s amazing. Thanks for the kind words, Carrie. :) Wishing you happiness and success in 2016, too!
yay for 2015 and for being fully employed!! I am kind of excited to see so many girls here in the sciences!! (I work in clinical research for drug development) Congrats to all your successes in 2015; I know that 2016 will be awesome!
Hooray for biotech!! :) I work for a medical device company, so somewhat similar, except that I’m on a quality team in production, rather than the R&D side. There aren’t really pharma companies in my town, otherwise I’d love to do something like you! Anyway, happy 2016 to you too, may it be amazing!
Congratulations on all that you have accomplished!!! You inspire me so so much!!! Thank you for creating your blog and for sharing your journey – I can’t really express how much it helped me reading this!!! Happy New Year!!!
Thank you so much, Michelle!!
So love your blog & pics! – thank you for sharing!! You are such an inspiration! Last pic on this page is such a great reminder (for me to) spend more time outdoors in 2016! Happy New Year!!! Oh & congrats on your new job!
Thank you!!! :) I really appreciate the kind words. I hope you do indeed get to spend a bit more time outside this year. Happy 2016! :)
Wonderful post that made me teary-eyed too! Yay for all you have achieved and are going to achieve! Super-proud to be a loyal AA follower :) Here’s to an amazing 2016 for you! Xo
Aw thanks so much! :’) Wishing you the best in the new year, too!! <3
Congrats on all you have accomplished! I know what it’s like having to put a career on hold because of significant others and it is definitely tough, especially with a relocation! Thanks for the blog and introducing me to so many awesome new workout brands! The majority of my favorite purchases this year have come from brands I first heard about here :)
Yes, the whole ordeal really ended up being a lot more than I bargained for! But, it brought this blog to life, so that’s a big thing. :) And so glad I’ve been able to help you find some awesome new brands!!
You are amazing.
Thank you for this blog.
Reading about what you did with yourself during unemployment, and the brave change in the blog’s direction when employed, inspires me.
Strong, beautiful, smart and brave. Truly an inspiration!!
Wow, thank you so much for saying that! I really appreciate the kind words. :’)
One of the best things that happened in 2015 was coming across this blog :)
well done! and I’m really amazed that you are still able to summon so much energy after working in a lab 9-5 to xfit and write a blog :)
Nice meeting a fellow lab professional haha I work in an anatomical pathology lab :) usually next to the biochemistry lab in my hospital.
congrats on your new PRs and that elusive MU (at least to me haha)
Really love that your blog has grown to be an inspirational life-style x athletic wear type of blog. It is certainly refreshing :)
happy new year to you and may 2016 be another year full of PRs (inside and outside the box)
Thank you for the kind words! I’m so glad to have you here, too. It’s awesome to hear there are so many technically inclined ladies around here. :) Wishing you the best in 2016, too!