Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

How has 2023 been for you?

101 replies

baubletits · 15/12/2023 08:12

Reflecting on this year as I know it's been a shitter for many people with the cost of living etc.

2023 - jobs steady, first family holiday abroad, DD1 applied for secondary school, promised ai would lose weight and currently am heavier than I was this time last year, absolutely no idea where the year as gone as it feels like it's flown by without me noticing

2024 - DD1 will be starting secondary school (Welp!), new kitchen as ours is falling to bits around us, mortgage fix coming to an end in March so going on to the variable to see what is happening with the rates, no other exciting plans and no holidays for at least a good 6 years!

So just because I'm nosy, how has your 2023 been and what is 2024 looking like for you?

OP posts:
FoleyHuck · 15/12/2023 08:16

Just reverting back to a prior name as this is identifiable, 2023 for me was very relaxed until September, since which time I've turned 40,
got pregnant, travelled to Asia for the first time, mortgage fixed term ended and repayments increased by 50% but roof also blew off property so we're not currently living there. Quite a lot for 3 months!

Interested to see what 2024 brings 😄

escapethemaze · 15/12/2023 08:18

it’s been a good one

landed my dream job
both children happy, healthy and doing very well at school
and financially feeling comfortable

not perfect by any means
but pretty bloody decent

CrunchyCarrot · 15/12/2023 08:20

Was good until 3 months ago when all sorts of problems reared their heads, still dealing with stuff now and health also hit. I expect it's just a difficult season, onwards and upwards.

socks1107 · 15/12/2023 08:23

It's been great professionally and happy in my marriage. My young adult children are living great lives and really doing well and happy.
Then there is a huge cloud that has dominated the year. So in many ways a great year, in another way horrendous and I'll be glad to love on from it

catlovingdoctor · 15/12/2023 08:45

It's been quite rough but I've achieved lots. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead though.

aLeagueOfTheirOwn · 15/12/2023 08:45

2023 -

Done loads of home improvements
DS1 started nursery
Went on our first family holiday abroad
Lost 1.5st

Looking ahead to 2024 -

More home improvements
Have 3 foreign holidays booked
DH and I both turn 40 so it's the start of a new chapter for us

Christabelladaisy · 15/12/2023 08:48

It has been a good one. Ds turned two at the end of last year and I’ve gone from (to be honest) finding my days off with him a chore to a pleasure (mostly.) I also had a baby in July so am adjusting to being a mum to two. I’ve lost a lot of baby weight - just another stone and a half to go, and generally in a good place, most of the time.

megletthesecond · 15/12/2023 08:49

Horrible. Illness and injury in family. MH of younger teen shot to pieces with no support from CAMHS. Having to spend Xmas at home and not with family.

Next year will probably bring non school attendance fines and the financial cliff of moving over to universal credit. So, yay 😁.

OwlWeiwei · 15/12/2023 09:03

Weird year. DC both finally left home. DS1 to buy his first flat, DS2 to live with uni friends. I travelled on my own a fair bit as DH didn't want to travel, but also went on holiday with him. There were weddings and graduations. DH decided we needed a date every week so we have been out a lot to concerts and theatres. And I had some new projects at work which I loved.

All this was lovely but empty nesting hit me hard and a change in work patterns meant I gave up all my regular exercise classes and have put on a stone. I feel a bit unsettled but happy that DC's lives are going well.

dothehokeycokey · 15/12/2023 09:07

Family surgery at beginning of the year which went well luckily but straight into another close family member having a phycotic breakdown so a year of enduring the complete lack of any mental health help and social services being absolutely amazing in their role to help to access what we needed.

Lots of changes with the dc.

One separated from partner and moved out of their joint house which was horrendously rocky and kept me from sleeping for many months.

Other dc decided a year out before uni however is now thinking of not uni so next year will bring a year of more big decisions.

I've learnt that you never know what's round any corner and it goes in peaks and troughs.

TokyoSushi · 15/12/2023 09:08

Was great until September then all seems to have gone to shit.

Before September, 2 lovely holidays, DC/DH all happy, doing well at work, loads of friends, lost 2st, all good.

Since September, 3 friendship groups have fallen apart, 2 through circumstance and one through a big fallout between A & B, I am C in this one. Also FIL has been very unwell since the summer and is likely to move to palliative care in the next few days. So not looking forward to the start of 2024 but then hopefully things will improve.

EmpressSoleil · 15/12/2023 09:24

I'd say it's been pretty neutral. COL is somewhat of an issue but I'm lucky in that I can still pay my bills, buy what I need etc. I know others who have it a lot worse so I appreciate what I have. Nothing significant has happened, either positive or negative.

2024 will be mostly the same, barring any disasters. Although I am going on holiday, so that's something to look forward to. I'm all for a quiet life now. I've had so many years of dramas and issues. It's nice to have some peace.

Mamadothehump · 15/12/2023 09:26

Highs and lows but the highs are definitely lower than the lows, most notably being DD1's major struggle with anorexia and my DM being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer 😢

SandyWaves · 15/12/2023 09:33

A real eye opener.

2024 is going to be a great year.

LonelyMom123 · 15/12/2023 09:56

Worst year ever. Marriage fell apart, family fallouts, supported DD through an abortion which was very traumatic for her. Dread to think what 2024 will bring but live in hope better times are coming.

jay55 · 15/12/2023 10:10

It's been dreadful. Two terrible years in a row and I'm exhausted.
Hopeful for 2024 but I'm expecting another death so not all that hopeful.

Vettrianofan · 15/12/2023 10:19

Not the best year, tbh. Finding out one of my kids had been keeping a secret from us about trauma for several years and having to go through a police investigation to document it. Things will never be the same again. That was February.

Despite all the difficulties of moving schools and sitting his national qualifications he passed them all.

Difficult to keep going for the others after hearing this kind of news. But tried our best to get on with the spring /summer. Wishing it was a new year already for a new beginning.

DH been on sick leave around 6 months now, so things haven't been great. Really hoping for lots of positive news in 2024🤞

beguilingeyes · 15/12/2023 10:35

One of the worst things about getting older is that time speeds up. A year seems to last about three months now.
2023 - using up all our savings getting stuff done to the house. No holiday. MIL diagnosed with dementia. Terrified about gas/electricity bills
2024 - trying to live on my (company) pension. Still working part-time at the moment. A holiday would be good.

Original poster
baubletits · 15/12/2023 11:20

Vettrianofan · 15/12/2023 10:19

Not the best year, tbh. Finding out one of my kids had been keeping a secret from us about trauma for several years and having to go through a police investigation to document it. Things will never be the same again. That was February.

Despite all the difficulties of moving schools and sitting his national qualifications he passed them all.

Difficult to keep going for the others after hearing this kind of news. But tried our best to get on with the spring /summer. Wishing it was a new year already for a new beginning.

DH been on sick leave around 6 months now, so things haven't been great. Really hoping for lots of positive news in 2024🤞

I'm so sorry about your DC, we had a similar experience over 2 years ago with a close relative. It has been one of the most horrific times in mine and my families lives however after over a year of trauma and fighting, the perpetrator has finally been sentenced this month to a hefty prison sentence. It will never be over really, but it feels now we can breathe a good long sigh of relief and he can't hurt anyone else where he is.

Your DC is lucky to have you by their side ❤️

OP posts:
Original poster
baubletits · 15/12/2023 11:22

"One of the worst things about getting older is that time speeds up"

@beguilingeyes how true this is! I remember my dad telling me this when I was in school and I rolled my eyes because I couldn't wait to leave school and be a grown up! Now that I'm here I don't like it so much, wish I could have a day as a carefree teenager again, it would be bliss!

OP posts:
icanlovemebetter · 15/12/2023 11:31

Second half of the year did 3 holidays abroad for the first time since 2019 including one to home country - all were my 2 year old DS first. I passed my driving test after 3 attempts over the course of 1 year, last week finally and bought an old car with my savings.

The negatives- my job has been shitty. I'm continually placed on performance plans. My health is no good. Very anaemic and if I forget my high dose iron and B12 supplements my brain becomes slower to process things and I don't understand half the things. Even tv / movies are hard to follow. I'm getting help but it's not looking good.

icanlovemebetter · 15/12/2023 11:33

2024 - hoping my health becomes better and I change jobs or get removed from the plan.

Squeaky2023 · 15/12/2023 12:00

The worst yet. I cannot believe how cruel the world can be and how much this country has fallen with people suffering.
And that's before I even get to me and my family. No one has died, but my eldest son has been suicidal and in trouble with police, I'm struggling with ADHD (new diagnosis and no meds available) and perimenopause. I thought I'd feel so happy and care free in my 50s with the DSs being older, but it's the worst.

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 15/12/2023 12:30

It's been pretty shit. My dad died suddenly in October. Dd1 has developed anxiety and an eating disorder. The preschool youngest dd has had her name down for since birth shut down and there is nowhere else with space before she starts school. Ds with autism has struggled massively. Pretty much every appliance in the house broke, and with cost of living we have struggled to replace them. The car battery died and 2 tires got punctured (probably due to the massive potholes down our road) We got mice. My uncle has cancer. Basically, if it could go wrong, it went wrong

Roll on 2024. It certainly can't be much worse than 2023

JamSandle · 15/12/2023 12:31

2023 has been good for me overall. I love my job, lots of fun with friends and some great holidays.

2024 more holidays and may consider looking for a different job or bringing some changes in. I'll use social media less and connect in with myself more. It's helped me a lot in 2023.