I had reflected much mid-2022 and I will simply adapt from/ add on to
the mid-year post. 2022 was a year where we slowly came to terms with life post-pandemic - a life that was somewhat similar to pre-COVID days but with many changes in the way we perceive things, and conduct our lives. Let's take a look at my 2022:
Health & Well-being
I wanted to focus on my health and well-being in 2022. Other than the COVID-19 infection in Jan 22 and the effects I continued to experience, my health remained relatively good - no relapse of kidney stones, heart remained stable, cleared my 3-/ 6-monthly health checks, got myself vaccinated & boosted, etc. I had also continued my daily walks and hikes to the central reserve areas. My mental well-being took centre stage this year. I took a 6-month sabbatical from Apr - Sep to get away from the workplace. Apart from giving myself the time and space to consolidate my life and finances, catch up with many friends, and travel, I was also able to rekindle quite a few hobbies such as macrame, crochet, and gardening. I also managed to travel out of country - something that I couldn't do during the pandemic. I went back to work in Oct 22, optimistic of the new role I would assume. The sabbatical did wonders to address the burn out I suffered. However, given the many changes at the workplace, the positive effects wore out very quickly. I ended the year with transition anxiety disorder. Despite the less than rosy end to the year, I thought I had handled my health and well-being relatively well in 2022 - the sabbatical, the continued walks, the stable health overall, etc. For 2023, I will continue to work hard on my health and well-being.
Travels
The world gradually opened up in 2022. It was exciting to be able to travel again after being trapped on this tiny island for so many months. My first trip was to Malaysia in Feb 22. It was somewhat a blessing in disguise that I had COVID the month before for it allowed me to be exempted from some of the tests etc that were imposed both in Malaysia and Singapore. Since then, I had done 5 - 6 trips up north - including twice where I drove all the way up to Penang! Objectively, I'd prefer to head off to cold countries for holidays but that would mean having to pay for the airfares etc. So the next best alternative was to take trips to Malaysia as it has this 1970/ 80-easy going vibes that contrasts starkly with Singapore's ultra-modern and somewhat clinical and boring feel. The highlight of my travels was
the trip in Jul/ Aug 22 where my partner and I spent a good 16 days in Scotland/ England. It was the longest trip for me in over 2-decades and we managed to cover many places that I had wanted to visit since my childhood days. The cold weather was a welcome change compared to the warm and humid Singapore! These trip contributed significantly to my health and mental well-being.
For 2023, I will continue travelling!
Work-Life
Work happened in the first and last quarters of 2022. In between, I went on a 6-month work break to address my burn out (following a very difficult 2021) and to get the performance bonus I so deserved. During the sabbatical, I was able to spend good time by myself and achieved much things. I felt much energised after the sabbatical. Regrettably, whatever positive effects I got from the sabbatical dissipated within a month or two after I returned to work. Without going too much details, let’s just say I have a boss whose promises of resources and support were nothing but lip service. I now have a lot of work but no one to help me. It didn't help that the office I returned to was relatively foreign-feeling with a lot of new colleagues and processes. It's not a good place to end the year with. This was one major factor that contributed to my transition anxiety disorder. Unless things improve, I will have to rethink the way ahead professionally and possibly make some hard decisions in 2023. Let's cross the bridge when the time comes. For 2023, I will seek better workplace conditions for myself.
Me & My Family
I had much time to catch up with myself over the course of the year. This was due to the extended periods of times when my partner returned to his home country and during my sabbatical where I spend most of the day to myself. But I was not lonely. I was able to catch up with my hobbies, reflect on and consolidate my life, and catch up with many colleagues and friends, etc. It was certainly most energising. Life with my partner had its ups and downs but on the whole, it was stable. He changed his job towards the end of the year and together with my returning to work, there was quite a major shift in our routines. I supposed this also contributed to the transition stress for me. On the family-front, my relationship with my eldest sis improved. There were more contacts and I made a visit to her place mid-year. Her second daughter (my niece) had also invited me to her upcoming wedding end-Jan 2023. Other than that, things with my second sis and the extended family (my paternal aunts/ uncle) were as normal as it could possibly be. There were the usually meals, visitations, sharing of home cooked food, etc. But one thing was clear, with each passing year, everyone of us are getting on with age. My aunts/ uncle are in their 70s/ 80s. My eldest sis is also down with some health issues. I wish them health and that they will live for many more years. For 2023, I will continue playing my role - as a partner, brother, cousin, nephew, uncle, or for that matter, granduncle - well.
My Friends
I was more selective with who I wanted to spent time with.
Life is too short to give my energies to people whom I feel did not trust me. This sentence described my attitudes towards my friends in 2022. It was not usual for me - a person who would usually go all out for my friends - to be like this. But that was how I was. Two groups of friends made an impact on me in 2022 - my long time friends, and my tigerair (and one scoot) friends. Amongst my long time friends, one of them retired towards the end of 2022. Frankly, I felt somewhat jealous that he could do so so comfortably (given the very positive financial position of his). I do not think I will ever be like him. But I was really happy for him. Another long time friend is
Jeremy - my unofficial “tee” aka little brother. 2022 was a stressful year for him - challenges at work, changed job, and amidst these changes, he moved house. Not easy for both him and his wife Margaret. I didn’t think I helped much, but was glad he kept me in the know. I was glad to see his career picking up again and things ending smoothly for them by year end. My tigerair (and one scoot) friends were the ones I hanged out with most through the year. A few from the group have drifted (as to be expected, by choice or otherwise) but on the whole, I was thankful for their friendship and presence. Most of them are in their 30s and at this age, getting partnered, pregnant, miscarriage, give birth, death of family members, etc were the order of the day through the year. For a gay person like me, friends like these are the closest I can ever get to
in lieu of a proper family of my own and their respective life journeys, and ups and downs shaped much of my 2022 experiences.
For 2023, I will continue valuing people who trust me and build on the friendship.
My Physical Environment
I have specially dedicated a paragraph to my physical environment. Physical environment plays a significant part in shaping our daily experiences and contributes directly to our well-being. Firstly, home. I decided to finally give my home a facelift. It was something that I had procrastinated for the longest time. So just before I started my sabbatical, I got a contractor to repaint the house, the doors and polished the parquet flooring. I went on to install shelves in my utility area, digital lock for the main door, changed the living room furniture, bought a Chinese table lamp, and organised a small garden at my balcony! It's really nice these days to get visits by birds, butterflies, and an occasional bees. It's nice to be able to live in an environment that is physically pleasing to the senses. Regrettably, I cannot say the same for my workplace. In my new role, I am not longer based in the Raffles Place. Instead, I now work from the headquarters in an open office that comprise close to a hundred other colleagues. Will need time to get use to such work environment. There is not much I can change for my work environment but for 2023, I will make sure my home environment continues to be as homely as it can possibly be!
2022 was a year of contrast. I will probably feel the impact of 2022 well into 2023. It could possibly mark the start of my transition to an eventual retirement. With Lunar New Year round the corner, I have noted many Chinese zodiac predictions about an upswing in luck for persons born in my year (year of the horse). Well, I am not a superstitious person and don't really believe in predictions. But I supposed there is nothing wrong in hoping for the best.
Happy 2023!
:-)