AIBU to ask what is the thing you've done in 2016 that's made you proudest?

Feared I had made a huge mistake after giving up a job that was making me miserable, but six months later got a new job that's better in so many ways! Leaving a job with with nothing to go to was risky, but I'm enormously proud that I succeeded all on my own.

Like your style 😀 People will be hiding....!

fingers crossed next year better all round.

MissWilla - thank you. I haven't spent time on the bereavement board here as that's not me. Although I know they help a lot of people.

Prefer to try and stay positive (and deploy black sense of humour).

I have a rather worrying perception that after this year my social skills are reduced to me approaching people saying "guess who's died now".

Onward and upwards will be attempted tomorrow.

occult and thought I'd had a shit year! You should be proud, onwards and upwards....

attended my husband's funeral and kept my shit together

seven months later attended my mother's funeral and kept my shit together.

two months later attended my son in law's funeral and kept my shit together.

restarting work tomorrow.

I got a Consultant post. 20 years of study and hard work at med school and as a junior doctor (minus 2 mat leaves). Such a relief.

derxa thanks

Had my son, and exclusively breast fed him for 5 months and counting despite a posterior tongue tie (eventually snipped, but unfortunately re-attached) causing various nipple damage and cows milk protein allergy meaning cutting all dairy and soya from my diet. He is thriving and the best thing I've ever done.

Gained my MSc after 2 years of being a part time student whilst working 60 hours per week.

I want to add that I just dyed my own hair! I have never done that before!

Passed my exams, got into university and started my Nursing degree.

Coped with the assessment and diagnosis of my 3 year old DS with autism and hypermobility syndrome - and we are plodding on beautifully together, he's thriving in his special needs nursery school and I am so proud of him.

Got DS through school and out the other side with the required grades to go and do what he wants to do at Uni.
Supported my DM through the last year of DFs cancer and dementia.
He died last week

Am hoping to move on next year - I've stagnated over the last 12 months.

Willstart

Completed the first year of my OU History degree. Passed with a distinction. Got the result in July and I still have a massive grin!

willstarttomorrow (((hug))) sending you lots of love & strength to keep on keeping on. It's not the life you were meant to be living, life can be a bastard like that. I hope in 2017 you can find a way of living alongside the grief in a slightly less raw way xx

For the second year running, my greatest achievement along with not walking out of my job has been bringing home an abandoned dog - not from a rescue, proper homeless and with no hope - and nursing him from being 23kg and skin and bones, full of ticks and suffering erlichia, to being a big bouncy 38kg old yellow man dog. And got his allergies treated properly.

I didn't jump off a cliff, so there's that.

I got engaged too. I forgot that. Two years ago I was pouring my heart out on here over my failed relationship (he cheated)

Having been diagnosed with an eating disorder at the age of 18 I have finally got to my ideal weight of 10st 4 at age 29! Very proud of myself for doing so and the "skinny" comments no longer work me up the way they do. And also facing my issues head on and being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder the start of 2016! Feel so much happier with myself now that I am finally aware of what's been going on

Building a set of bunk beds in my new house the week before I left my husband. Truly shit year, still not great but I remember how good that felt. That i wasn't utterly useless. Especially getting to the little diagram in the instructions showing two men lifting one of the beds to slot it on top of the other! Sometimes you just find the strength!

"I try to be a kind person. I try to help when I can." Dowser I can remember you being kind to me on a crappy day.

Passed my driving test first time after years of learning but being too scared to take the test.

Having a milestone birthday and generally feeling a bit more settled and comfortable in my own skin - feeling that I'd reached a point where I could look back and feel happy at some of the things I've achieved

This time last year my friend rang to say she had cancer and I promised to be there for her.

It has been so hard watching her and her gorgeous family suffer but last week she got the all clear.

I held her hand all the way.

2016 has been a terrible year for my family. The one thing that's made me proud was caring for my nan through her illness and being there holding her hand while she passed. Also supporting my mum through it.

for everyone else who's had a tough year!

Survived the life I am not meant to be living. 2 years since DH's death this week. The last six months have been the worst yet but I am still functioning and DC seems to still be the balanced, kind and fun-loving child he knew and adored. Tween years though so may all go down hill!

What a beautiful thread! It's made me feel quite emotional - so many inspirational and touching stories

I've lost over 2.5 stones, set up a new business and found a hobby class that my DC love.
Hopefully my biggest achievement of this year is still to come (I am wobbling slightly about the final steps but should take them this week).