How has 2023 been for you?

[baubletits]

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?

After a run of poor years from even before Covid, 2023 has been a big improvement. The health (mental/physical) of both my DDs is better now than a year ago, and hence so is mine. I am really hoping 2024 continues that way.

It’s been horrendous. Don’t get me wrong we’ve had some good times, but overall I can’t wait to see the back of it.

Annoyingly I can’t even mention some of it so there’s that going on which has had a HUGE impact.

After the above slightly started in January/February we thought we were out of the woods, and I unexpectedly fell pregnant so we had something to look forward too. My best friend also announced she was two weeks behind us in pregnancy.

In March hubbys car then fails the MOT to beyond repair, so we had to use our only savings to buy a second hand car (we’d bought our first house end of last year so we were trying to rebuild).

The guy who sold us that was an utter cunt. Sold us a dodgy car, had to then find another £800 to get it fixed.

In April we found our we’d had a Missed Miscarriage and I was completely broken.

In May my car then needed a new clutch, so it was all feeling a bit relentless!

We got through June okay, but emotionally struggled as periods etc returned and I was reminded of our loss again.

July we found out we were pregnant, excited but absolutely terrified of it going wrong. Thankfully, I’m here now lying on the sofa feeling little bub wriggling away.

August/September we’re okay, just very anxious about baby.

October i didn’t get a job I’ve been working towards for the last 18months, and I was devastated by that in all honesty. Especially as the reason I didn’t get it, it nothing I can control or do anything about.
Our boiler broke so we had no hot water for a week until BG realised they actually needed to come out.

November the thing from January reared its head and it’s come to an almighty fucking crash recently. We know we’ll be okay, but we’ve got a road to go down yet.

Theres been more, but this is more than enough to write down!

so quite frankly, off you fuck 2023!!

The good bits:
We’ve managed to decorate 1.5 rooms in the house, with the plan to get the other 1.5 bedrooms done before baby arrives.
My husband is incredible, he deserves the world.
My family are all healthy.
Our beautiful little rainbow baby is doing really well.

2024:
baby is due at Easter
Hopefully we will have some good news in January/February putting a close to the shit.
We’ve got a nice line up of theatre/gigs planned throughout the year so little milestones to look forward to.
Praying we can manage a holiday.

I'm sorry to hear how hard 2023 has been for many of you. Wishing you all a better 2024.

I had 6 months off work earlier this year due to a brain injury. My partner broke up with me a couple of months ago. It's been one of the shittier years of my life - I've previously had about three outstandingly shit years in my life, this is probably the fourth.

A really good year. I was in a new job at the start of 2023 and I've settled in and am free if the rage I'd been carrying around about how I was treated in my last job. I had thought that permanently boiling with rage was a perimenopause thing but no, it was my old job.

Dd's dad remains off the scene, thank God, presumably still in prison. Dd has thrown herself into activities and schoolwork, is full of enthusiasm about life, and we've done lots of cycling trips and overnight stays and a good holiday. I'm so proud of her and I really enjoy her company.

2024 - dd has gcses and I turn 50. I'm planning a big post-gcse trip for us both. I'm conscious that soon she'll be off doing her own thing. There are never any guarantees in life but I want to enjoy the good bits while I can

Congratulations! Wishing you a healthy and happy 9 months 🥰

2023 has been all about recovery for me. I'm so grateful for my heart donor, the reason I am still alive today ❤recovery on the whole has been good with a few set backs but I back on form again. I'm able to do so much more than I probably ever have. I can finally be the mum iv always wanted to be.
I'm always thinking of my donor family and how they are doing. Iv been trying to write a letter to them but it's so hard to put pen to paper.

It’s been truly perfect. And I’m celebrating that.

It's been tough. I got a really good job in January. Company went bust in April. We've had to live on very, very little, while at the same time the cost of everything was rising around us.

DP and I decided to start a new venture, which has been incredibly hard work, but finally started making money from it. So actually, 2024 is looking much better. I'm happy to have sacrificed this year for long term happiness and comfort.

Lots of ups and downs in 2023. In January had to have our beloved cat put down due to heart failure which was devastating. Things then went well for a while: finally had enough money to get some home improvements done; had a couple of weekends away with DH and a family holiday; adopted 2 rescue kittens who have brought us so much joy; DD2 qualified as a midwife and has now moved out; DH got made redundant but fortunately found a new job quite quickly which pays more than his previous job did.
Since October though, I have had some health issues which have effected me both physically and emotionally, and feels like a big, black cloud over my head currently. My aging mother's health is also deteriorating and so she is requiring more and more support.

2024 - hoping that I find out what is causing my health issues so it can be treated and I start feeling better. Have 2 holidays abroad booked and a couple of weekends away. DD2's graduation ceremony in Jan to look forward to.

Pretty shit, specifically due to finances. Especially because it's was just a culmination of a lot of challenges over the past 5 years

2019: new baby + Mat leave budget
2020: Covid, partner first furloughed then laid-off. Living on a single income
2021: By autumn partner finally back to full employment.
2022: better until September and then I got laid off
2023: financial stress, I have the bigger income, so had to burn through savings to keep us afloat. Tough mentally, couldn't go anywhere, living like students. Bad job market, lots of interviews, no offers. Finally landed some freelance work in August, but only earning 50% of previous income. Working with a coach now to help me improve with interviewing.

2024: crossing fingers I'm finally back at full employment again. I want my life back again. Job hunting is hard miserable work that's unpaid.

Throughout all of the past 5 years, I've tried hard to focus on what was going ok: good health for everyone + our son got more time with us than he normally would have because covid and only having him in PT childcare for 3/4 years due to job situations/finances.

2023 - homelessness, family fall out. Had a baby and father left. Graduated but pregnant so job follow up. DD struggling in school turns out glasses were needed. Relative died. Ended up being carer for my father who has dementia. Not ideal career choice but as a single mum I'm naturally caring everyday regardless. Over 40 and genuinely needing 2024 to be better... I'm aware the atrocities going on around the globe also so I say that lightly. I wish the best for all humanity

Mine has been an absolute shitter. One huge problem (sick parent) accompanied by many many small problems: car trouble, cat trouble, financial woes (including but not limited to my ex paying fuck all maintenance because he is a total scumbag), personal health problems, unsupportive (aka selfish as can be) siblings. But, my children through all of it that they know about (they know nothing of their scumbag father and the related financial woes or of my health problems or indeed of my crap siblings), have been so grown up and so resilient and they’ve made me so proud. They are just wonderful and I can’t believe how great they are. I’m just hoping 2024 is quiet.

Worst of our lives.

Busy but great.

I've been on mat leave most of the year since having my baby daughter early Feb.

I've moved twice and now into a beautiful house I own.

I split with the kids' father and feel really positive about that decision.

Haven't been abroad but will make up for that next year.

Meh....

Pretty good overall. My mother's doing well with her exercise-physio sessions (she's 91 and had a stroke seven years ago, so her balance and memory are shit). My carer pension actually increased, wonder of wonders. I bought a couple of new armchairs, better than the previous ones. I'm still enjoying my knitting group. My darling cats are well, if still extremely expensive with their prescription diets and medications!

I married the love of my love but we've had 3 miscarriages. So the best year and and the worst year ever.

Pretty terrible. DD17´s behaviour goes from bad to worse and she is dropping out of school. SIL committed suicide (massive shock) 6 weeks ago. I am trying to end an unhappy marriage.
But positives: middle DS started at Uni and loving it. I enjoy my job and have a new great colleague.
I need to make some very serious and scary decisions in 2024 but I am determined to put myself first for once. I deserve better

A mixed bag for me. I always set annual goals, personal and career minded ones.
This year was ive hit 5/6 career goals, and about half personal ones. Managed to get the garden landscaped and a trampoline installed but didn't stick with my swimming so not as healthy as i aspired.
Only a 4% pay rise this year but got a 26k bonus for last years work.
Conversely we had a miscarriage so swings and roundabouts.
Goals for next year - install an outside hot tap for garden - game changer for paddling pools. Take it easy at work, last two have been very intense. Take kids to Florida. Probably a few more but will mull over the break.

Awful year.

In July I left my husband of 16 years and then our teenage DS was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. This week I have found a lump in my breast and I'm waiting for a referral to the breast clinic.

2024 I will be getting divorced, hoping my son survives his cancer and finding out what this lump is.

Also mixed.

My M.E. is no better and that's depressing. I really want to contribute to the household finances but still can't.

My cat was run over by a COMBINE HARVESTER. However, because she is no longer here to sleep on my bed, I can stretch out more and am in less pain.

I consider myself lucky that the OH still has a job because he works in tech and 60k have been lost in his field this year, BUT, his ADHD has had spates of being completely out of control, and he has been passed up for a promotion for the second year in a row. They didn't give anyone good payrises at Xmas, but we sat down and did a tax return a few weeks ago, then it dawned on me that after the £1600 we now owe HMRC which they will take from his pay since April, he has actually netted £25 a month from his pay rise. Which is not ideal when your energy bill is £400 a month and you had to move to a house that costs an extra £150 before you step through the door, because the old house felt like living in a refrigerator all year. I feel kind of angry that his company seem to think it's okay to say 'because you are at the top of your pay band.' Yeah? Well increase the pay band by the 10% inflation was at Xmas, you a'holes. He is very pessimistic about payrises and bonuses due in March. But on the upside, they had to let 900 people go, and he wasn't one of them. I do actually suspect his isn't performing all that well because being stressed makes his ADHD bad and he can't focus. But they won't actually bloody say it (he gave an ADHD disclosure when joining, they said they give special measures for all disabilities - lol).

I thought I had fibromyalgia for many years, but now I think most of the leg pain is from lack of good sleep and just being tense all the time (we really, really hate the house we live in, it causes us so much stress). But if I don't have fibromyalgia, that's a big win.

We have saved up a fairly okay deposit for a house this year by basically not spending a penny on ourselves. But there are no good houses out there to buy.

My throat has been so sore today that I couldn't eat until 7pm :(

I am hoping some good things happen next year.

Utterly shit , my dad was diagnosed with a terminal illness and my sister and I nursed him at home . He was given 'carers' who were either hopeless or down right cruel, we asked for him to go into a hospice but kept being told it wasn't time. His death was so traumatic that I'm still in shock I think. We all miss him terribly.

I just wanted to wish you and your DS well and I hope you both have a better 2024 ♥️

I'm sat crying at some of these, I really wish all of you that have had an awful 2023, health and happiness in 2024 ♥️

Good and bad start to the year, had a new baby. Hes number 6
Unfortunately it was my first and only csection which was an emergency one.its horrible and he had breathing difficulties and we were both really poorly. He's doing much better now and is very cute and almost 1!
Kids got good grades at the end of summer term. Had a lovely summer holidays. Husbands new businesses are doing well.
I'm doing well homeschooling the middle girl and running a small business from home.

2024

Maybe baby number 7 or try for baby number 7 and we are done. We have agreed number 7 is the last. We can afford and we work hard and look after them all and love them all equally, before anyone has anything negative to say!

Definitely move house once the eldest gcses are over. We want a new bigger house completely out of the area. A fresh start in a new town or city.
But I want to wait until he has finished so there's no upheaval.

Lose a bit of weight. Even if it is just one dress size.
Learn Arabic.