This is question #11 of the Year End Countdown Challenge held in Dec 2012, where we count down to the new year with 13 reflective questions. The challenge is now over but you can do the tasks in your own time. Visit the overview page for all the challenge tasks.
Welcome to Day 3 of the 2013 Countdown Challenge! :D
2013 Countdown, Question #11…
The questions for the 13-day, 13-question countdown so far:
- #13: How has your year of 2012 been? | 143 Comments | Post Your Response
- #12: What are 12 things you love about year 2012? | 84 Comments | Post Your Response
Today’s question, question #11, is:
What were your lowest points this year? Why?
Your Task
- Reflect and answer today’s question. There’s no word limit – whether minimum or maximum. Write as few or as many words as you want. It’s all up to what you want to express!
- Share your answer. After you are done writing, copy and paste your answer in the comments area and post it there.
- Check out other participants’ answers. Other participants will be sharing their answers too, so feel free to read and reply to their answers.
Look forward to reading your answers! :)
(After you are done, proceed to #10: What lessons have you learned from those low points?)
(Images: Field, Gloomy person)
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Some professional problems with project coordination’s and some bad customers.
Not a lot of control in my personal behavior inside my relationships.
Got distracted from my shape program several times.
Spent a LOT of money.
Got in to some personal trouble involving myself with the wrong people at the wrong places.
Distance myself from family and friends.
1.) Seeing myself repeating doing things while not having enough energy to do a change.
2.) Trying very strong to connect with my feelings again after more than 6 years of being somehow a “ghost”. And then failing several times in doing it.
3.) Opening my heart to someone like I haven`t done it in about 10 years. I gained so much energy out of this moments while being delighted of meeting such a strong and inspiring person. Then after only 5 days I travel 2000miles to see her again and somehow all is gone. I feel like a ghost for a couple of days to finally leave on new year`s eve. Got my world turned around a bit.
Still, pain is change. While change is transformation which helds great learnings. It`s not the Up`s that make a mind, body or heart stronger. So i embrace the pain as well.
Spiritually –
Spiritual attacks
Emotionally –
Sorrow from lost friendships
Physically –
Temporary sorrow from food deprivation
This is a hard question to respond to as it is very personal.
My saddest times in 2012 were Aunty Pam’s funeral, being without family at Church on Christmas day, feeling alone a lot of the time, feeling unappreciated, not feeling welcomed, being hit in the face with a soft book by a student, being in hospital with chest pain wondering if this was my last night…, mum being extremely sick with heart failure, and that will do!
Lowest points for 2012
*Avoiding from my aunt who was sick and passed away in July
*Seeing that even your most loved ones can lose an amount of respect for you when you lose a title
*Seeing that I am all alone at the end of the day
*Seeing that it was not the lack of time I do not develop myself, it is procastination I can not get rid of
*Not being able to find what I want to do in my life, what my life purpose is
*Still not being happy with myself and feeling guilty that I am not working
*Not being able to find a job I want since September (the month I started actually looking for a job)
*One of my best friends not calling me as often as in old days-maybe she is trying to avoid me becouse of my low energy
*Finding out I am still complaining about the same things as I did when I was 18 (I am 36 now)
*Finding out my husband will never agree on having a child
Remembering the guy down the street when I was a 8-year-old kid who did his damnedest to sexually abuse me. The worst part about that was, I was afraid to tell anyone, so while he didn’t get me, he might have gotten someone else. Yeah, I was 8 at the time. Did not stop the guilt.
Learning that various personal traits of mine may in fact be responsible for the problems I’m having in my marriage, and unless I can get a handle on them, they may cost me my marriage.
Spending months trying and failing to get up the steam to work on the health of both my mind and my body, and only recently starting to get ahead of that struggle. My physical health in particular has suffered as a result. One of the biggest issues with this? Constantly being disappointed in myself.
#11: What were your lowest points this year? Why?
– Being a Manager, I believe I need training as practice makes perfect!! I am getting better and better. :)
– I experienced some conflicts with my family about a specific issue, I still feel a bit stuck but I am confident we will work it out soon and find a win-win solution.
– I know a lot of people and as a sociable and outgoing person I LOVE making new friends. At the same time, I know I can be a better friend and build better long lasting relationships with my old friends whom I know from university, secondary or even primary school! Tonight I spoke with an awesome Polish girl on the phone. We were class mates in primary school and neighbors for a long time. I want to let her know that she is important to me, give her support and call her more often! :heart:
– I want to call my grandparents more often and I feel a little sad that we did not meet in 2012. Time flies and I definitely need to let them know as quickly as possible how grateful I am for all they gave me!
– I would like to improve my relationship with my parents and sisters. I want my mum to come and visit me in Paris, I want to spend some quality time and have fun with her. I already invited her to my place and I hope we will do this in 2013! :angel:
LOVE,
Paulina
My lowest point this year is my home expances, which I am meeting with great diffculty.
Reason for that is price rise.
I am not able to think how poor people are living in this high price world.
For beating this price rise we are cutting our food items, which is not good.
The ruling party is the agent of rich peoples only.
The day will come shortly when poor people will start looting rich peoples…this is not far away.
Realising that friends are not always friends and how disappointing it can be when personal issues can create erupting volcanoes from small ant hills. Also how the ongoing paranoia of someone in your workplace can really mess with the dynamics and create a rebellion based on nothing. How this can get incredibly out of control and create a divide that really affects everything you think about yourself, your work ethic and your ability to manage a unit. How one person can make destroy your confidence and make you feel inadequate even when it is not true.
My boyfriend (who was very cute and sweet) broke up with me.
I didn’t make the honor roll in 11th grade due to bad anxiety.
One of my love interests called me “the ugliest and weirdest girl in school,” and said that he only went on a date with me because he lost a bet.
One of my other love interests dated a girl I’m way jealous of because she always seems to attract the guys I’m interested in.
The breakup between my ex and I was probably one of my lowest points. It seemed to come out of nowhere when it happened, though with later contemplation and reflection about the relationship as a whole, it made sense. The way that the breakup happened and the aftermath of it was just an absolute s**tshow. I cried harder and more frequently than I had in years. I really loved him, but our relationship was a wreck and it was probably for the best that the breakup happened. I still haven’t let the relationship go though, and I still wish I could get back together with him. I still feel so much regret and sadness for everything that happened, and I wish that there was a way I could make it up to him, but I know that I can’t.
Thankfully, that was my lowest point of this year. I have been very, very blessed this year and throughout my life.
My lowest point this year was my health. It was from Jan – June. I have always been a very healthy person, but to be knocked down and rely help from others to do for me, was difficult, since I have been the person that did those tasks for them. I understand how people feel when they have to stay inside the house and not be able to get out and feel the air and sunshine. Everyday is a blessing too me.
Lorenia
My lowest points:
1. I realize that I was an addict and got help. It was not easy as having an addiction just means that there was something that I was running from. I went from arrogance-denial-anger-sadness.
2. Remembering a memory I suppressed so long ago where I was “touched” in the wrong way by a family friend. I ended up crying so much because it was so painful relieving the memory and facing the truth.
3. Remembering The day I got a new job was when I found out a good guy friend of mine passed away due to brain cancer. I was not there for him.
4. My old boss telling me that I got the job because he “knew” my mother and that I was a useless human being.
Overall 2012 has been a good year, those low moments are there to remind me that I am only human. They made me appreciate things more and made me a better person.
Honestly, after reading all the difficult situations others have faced, I realise that 2012 has been very smooth for me and I really can’t recall any low points either. My family (and I) have been healthy and have not been injured/ill ‘majorly’, no one I personally known passed away, the financial situation (which has always been a little better than average) has improved with my mother getting more classes (as a gym instructor) and my father getting promotions, my brother and my results have also been improving.
The only thing I can answer is I felt that I hurt my friend’s feelings at those times I was blunt towards them. (However, they know that I have always been blunt and that I am trying to be, well…less blunt and more aware of how what I say can hurt their feelings, thus we patched things up really quickly.)
BTW, I posted this late because I went to Malaysia for a weekend trip to visit my maternal grandparents.
Some of my low points were relapsing during a two year recovery treatment. I tried not to dwell on it because then it would hinder my recovery even more. I am still taking it one day at a time.
I wish I had exercised more patience some with my daughters but I am also working on that.
I had to go through the loss of several loved ones and deaths hit me really hard.
I have went through points of depression and actually just visited a psychologist for the first time last week.
I have had issues with someone renting the home I own and it didn’t put me in a good place.
My best friend and I had a month of not really talking because I felt betrayed by her. Though I still find it hard to trust her completely, we have been friends and together since diapers.
I haven’t been in a great place with my boyfriend of 12 years and it’s caused depression.
I feel like I procrastinated too much and used depression as a reason to do so.
These have been my biggest issues of this year.
My lowest point this year was when my father died. He was 82 years old and had not been feeling good for a long time. I watched him withering away and knew that he was miserable. Part of me wanted him to pass away so he would no longer be in pain or unhappy. I thought I was ready for him to pass, but I was very wrong about that. It hit me harder than I could have imagined. Everything I embrace and love about myself I learned from him. I do feel better knowing that a part of him is with me always. I miss his hugs more than anything.
My next lowest point was a catch 22. I had my house on the market for a total of 3 years and finally sold it. I lived in this house for 13 years and raised my children there. Without a doubt I wanted to sell it and move on with my life. It was the final umbilical cord to a life I no longer had. It was hard to say good bye, but it was part of moving on.
I was laid off from my job after 20 years.
I struggled with a shaky relationship.
I had some health issues.
Ill health – a tumour causing endocrine system problems and heart problems such as severe depression, fatigue, insomnia, heart irregularities, osteoporosis, liver and kidney problems, aching bones and joints…… etc etc. The list went on and on. I had never had poor health before and couldn’t understand what was happening to me!
It made doing anything a nightmare. I was so exhausted and felt I was going insane. Got to the point where I didn’t want to keep living.It was affecting everything to do with my life ! Luckily for me an alert GP picked up a clue and after surgery and treatment I am beginning to feel a lot better.
January – The death of our family dog.
February – My husband’s grandmother passed away from cancer.
June – My father-in-law underwent a quad bypass surgery.
July – My father spent almost a month in the hospital and we found out he has CPD.
November – My best friend told me that she thinks I am ignoring her, which was very upsetting and not true.
December – My brother was diagnosed with chronic depression.
It seems like quite a list, but the important thing is that we stuck together through it all and are a stronger family from these experiences. For this, I am very grateful.
Loneliness – I gave up my career, house, car in order to pursue a career change. My friends just thought i was mad. We eventually drifted apart. On reflection I think they are no loss, but it has been a lonely few years while i’ve gone through the career change, and it is coming to an end soon. Positive: I can look back and see they clearly were not the type of people I want to consider my good friends. I am hoping for more from a friend!
Finances – It cost me so much to complete this career change. Every month, I was getting paid and having to really budget tightly. Its been 6-7 years of that now…it wears me down!! Positive: My budgeting and financial planning skills and knowledge are better than they’ve ever been and improving all the time.
Bumping in to ex-girlfriend – 3 years together, ended badly, shes still extremely beautiful! I really did love her for a while.Hurt for a while to hear about her new boyfriend. Kind of just didn’t need it. Positive: Realised quickly why we didn’t work. Surprised myself by quickly being genuinely happy for her and not upset. I really had let go.
Work – I work way too hard. The job hasn’t worked out for me as I or my boss had expected/hoped. Bonuses have not been not forthcoming and my response is to just work harder and longer. No life outside work/study. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! Positive: I’m still employed there so it’s not me thats failing, as far as I can see. I’ve realised it, started leaving on time, taking all my holiday time, lunch breaks etc
Health – The stress of this job helped me to start smoking for 18 months. Any social life disappeared as i was either always working or just too tired to go out. My poor diet, stress levels, lack of exercise and smoking were only headed one way. Down. Positive: From somewhere I realised that it all had to change. I value myself more than hurting myself with smoking etc etc
My lowest point was at college, feeling useless and and not good enough. I am in a performing arts college which is a tough industry. I didn’t get chosen to be in any of the numbers in our show when everyone else did. I wanted to give up, but I didn’t I kept on going just looking forward till it was all over. But I’m still there and working hard and I’m sure next year I’ll be chosen for lots more!
My pet dog died of a sudden heart attack. And it was a terrible loss.
My son was seriously injured and I had to deal with it by myself for the first couple of days.
The loss of innocence ….. losing trust on someone close.
Feeling let down by friends…… finally, one has to bear one’s own cross, isn’t it?
I may say the misunderstanding which i had with husband on various issues, considering myself on upper side among my colleagues and facing ego issues,getting angry or frustrated for petty things, being anxious for the things which is not going to come or happen…. All the lower points what ever was pertaining to me & myself which i learnt at each point of time but still doing the same thing again and again unconsciously. … :cry:
My low point was when i was at the shelter I fell for someone and cheated on my boyfriend who i was in a long distance relationship. I hurt someone who cared about me and yet I still went for this other guy. perhaps because we were in similar situations or maybe because I was always certain I’d never find somenoe. However he was’t the guy I should’ve been involved with. He was too full of himself and didn’t acknowledge me after I tried to make it so we could be friends. I wanted to make things right and yet he wasn’t interested. I tried so hard to reestablish the bridge and every now and then something or other would cause it to break. eventually in the end of march early april i finally talked to him and tried to understand why he acted the way he did. His response, Its not my battle, or how interepreted as its none of your business was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I had a panic attack and i screamed and cried because of the stress and anxiety caused by it. This scared him and after I calmed down he realized what i was going through however it was only short lived.
after we both went our ways to our respective transitional houses we were accepted into he said he didn’t want to deal with me anymore. I tried so hard on fb or texting to get him to talk to me but all that made him think i was being a nuissance. finally i got to talk to him when i saw him on a float at SF Pride and i followed the parade route to him. He was surprised and I finally got what i needed to off my chest. to him it didn’t matter but I had to say my piece. he did tell a mutual friend he would pres charge if I tried that again because he thought i was being a stalker but he really doesn’t have much of a defense on it.
However the same day my ex texted me asking if he wasnted to hook back up. we were still talking even after I hurt him and I was really happy to be with him again because he made me appreicate that someon does care about me
My lowest points this year were:
– A week before HSC Trials. I had a severe breakdown due to stress, anxiety and overwhelming workload.
– The first day at my new job after HSC.
#2013 Countdown day #11
What were your lowest points this year? Why?
Getting hacked because it seemed personal, personal
Conversations became visible to friends and it was
Upsetting to know I had an enemy like that.
Getting a bad reference from my previous employer as
I was shocked and found it really mean and unfair.
My favourite colleagues leaving as I had never before
Had such a fun work environment.
A couple of encounters with guys when I was trying to
Get over my ex because I undervalued myself.
My son fighting and scratching me because I knew my
Parenting was not very effective and it was very
Traumatic.
Arguing with ex many times throughout the year about
Child care as well as when we were trying to get back
Together as I find it very stressful.
Feeling overwhelmed with work, housework and
Parenting at several points as it made me feel a bit
Hopeless.
Not working on any of my creative ideas this year as
That is my passion and I feel a great need to express
My ideas and creativity.
Not developing a good morning routine as I know it
Would really improve the quality of my day.
Letting my exercise and healthy eating slip towards the
End of the year as I know how important it is to me and
How good it makes me feel.
My male boss and colleagues being sexist as I find it
Depressing and don’t know how to deal with it.
Feeling very overwhelmed about how disorganised I
Am at work and in my personal life as I don’t know how
To change this, it’s like I don’t know where to start.
#INFP
There were two major low points in my life this year but both of them turned out for the best for me in the end.
1. I accepted a job that seemed exciting and a good fit only to find myself seriously overworked (6 days a week, 12 hours per day with no lunch breaks.) I took this job with the optimism that it would give me social interaction, a place where I could use my talents and the money to invest in my own venture in my spare time. I had no time for myself and found myself in a viscious cycle of getting up early to rush to work and walking in my home door extremely late in the evening. My health suffered as I was eating late and no exercise, my relationship suffered as I had no time to invest and was emotionally drained at the end of my day. I had no time to pursue my real passion. Eventually, I was laid off due to the fact that they could not budget my position on the payroll (I was a new position and it was an experiment.) I was actually glad when that happened, in fact I felt free.
2. A “friend” of 16 years turned on me and it was devastating. This was also during the time of event #1 so it was doubly hurtful. I thought that this person was supportive of me and that we had a bond. In fact I had viewed this person as strongly spiritual and looked up to them in certain ways as a teacher. I have never had this happen before so I did not even know how to react or feel about it. I was in shock and it took me a while to get angry. I recieved text after text from this person with shoddy language and insults.
1. Can so relate to the long hours, no lunch breaks etc etc. Really pleased you realised that its just not worth it. I actually think one of the biggest problems is that you get no spare time for you, to do the things you love. Well done, I hope work goes better for you in future.
2. Very painful when an old friend does this, sorry to hear about your bad experience.
My low points this year were the breakups. There were two of them. The first was in February. It was one that I could see coming but was in denial about. I had a lot of hope for that relationship but it was clear that she did not share the same level of interest. Despite that I didn’t want to let go and felt extremely low when she finally put an end to it.
The second time is quite recent, just a few weeks ago. This was a different relationship, with a woman I was excited to be with and thought she felt the same. It seemed we were progressing to something special. Imagine my surprise then when I got the dreaded “we need to talk” and was told that she needed to take a break from dating. I went through a wide range of emotions after that, anger, sadness and confusion, and it certainly put a damper on the start of the holiday season.
i know the feeling. it really hurts. but I do hope that you can get through this and find the peace and happiness you deserve
I had my worse performance in my job in 2012.
I suffered from unbearable pain from a girl whom I loved more than my life.
I gained 10 Kgs of weight due to acute depression.
I started on alcohol to kill my depression.
I lost my mind and now I am unable to concentrate on my studies.
Last but not the least , I lost my self , by loving someone whom I should’t have. I am not the same man.
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