My Highlights of 2017

2017 has already come to an end about 2 weeks ago, almost 3 weeks ago and I thought it might be nice to share some of my highlights with all of you. Featuring pictures, haha.

2017 was a year with ups and downs for me, just like every other year because life has up and downs no matter how hard you try to change not having those downsides. However, this year was different for me when it comes to how I handled those downsides and problems. This year was the first year that I dealt with my problems/emotions on my own and without a psychologist (like the years before 2017) and I must say that I feel quite proud of myself. I feel like I was able to be sad at times, have a good cry over it and then get over it 1 hour later and continue with life. I was able to speak to myself and encourage/motivate me to move on and realise that everything is and will be okay even if I felt down sometimes. While in the past, every struggle demotivated me and made me even sadder. I was a self-fulling prophecy for most of my life and in 2017 I started to change that. This year, after leaving high school in June, was a lot easier to put certain issues/emotions in perspective and I feel content that I was able to do this. There has been a change in my mind.  I feel like I am able to do stuff now that I want to do, I feel like I am a lot happier and more content with whom I am, inside and out, and have the spirit to continue through struggles and certain bad days, whereas it used to be completely different. I felt incapable to do things I wanted, I felt insecure about how I looked, I felt dumb and ugly at times. So, I’m really happy with that progress that I made and the state of my mental health. I want to thank everybody close to me, like my family and friends and in particular my boyfriend for sticking by my side for these last couple of years that have been a struggle sometimes and for helping me change to whom I am now. So highlights of 2017, here we go!

STOCKHOLM – SWEDENI think you all knew this was coming. This was the first trip together with my boyfriend and it was amazing. I highly recommend visiting Stockholm in your life and do try the cinnamon rolls. They’re delicious!

Friends (Ghent and Halloween)

This year was extremely fun and my friends are most definitely the reason for that. Halloween was spent as a birthday party for my best friend Iris which you can see on the top left and bottom left picture, together with another friend of mine Fien and my boyfriend. Iris and I have known each other for 4 years and my ‘Sunshine in the bakkes vriendje’ finally became 18 in 2017. We also went to Ghent to do some shopping and we looked for the same exact place where we took a picture in 2014 and remade that picture. As you can see, my hairstyle changed but my height hasn’t, haha. The bottom right picture holds a very special place in my heart. I used to live in a small village before I moved to the city where I live right now and the two girls in the picture used to be my best friends in the street where I lived. We have been through a lot, we learned each other a lot when it came to having a different cultural background and I will never forget the fond memories that I have of them. Unfortunately, I lost contact with them for about six years until I decided to take my bicycle and go to my former village to meet them again. Needless to say that it was a very emotional moment and definitely one of the biggest highlights of 2017. Look how those little girls have grown! Feel like a mother letting go of her children and realising they’ve grown up.

Pairi Daiza, so pretty.

Climbing trees was a must-do in 2017.
Btw, this was pretty high even though you cannot see. 

The first snow that had fallen in 2017. Always so pretty.

Last but not least, my father and stepmom’s wedding and a beautiful picture with my mom after applying for university. Good times!

What are some of your favourite moments of 2017?
I wish you all a happy and healthy 2018. Let’s rock this year!
Lots of love and see you next time!