My 2019 Personal Highlights

I was on First Dates! I actually filmed my episode over a year ago(!!!), but they film so many dates that you aren’t guaranteed that yours will be shown on TV, so when I got a phone call earlier this year to say they were currently editing my episode and that it will be aired on Channel 4 later on in the year I was absolutely over the moon. Partly because there is still something inside me that’s dying to be famous (anything that doesn’t involve working), and partly because my number 1 fan, aka my mum had told every man and his dog about it so for the last 18 months I had been bombarded with ‘Hey Claudia when is your First Dates episode on?’ at LEAST once a week from random neighbours and family friends and there is only so many time you can reply with ‘soon I think!!’ before it starts getting embarrassing. Anyway, it was on TV on December 10^th, and I was absolutely howling the whole way through- it’s a brilliant episode (I may be slightly biased here though)

I started a new job! God, I swear it sounds like I’m just going through every cliché here and ticking them off one by one, but it’s been a pretty pivotal year for me. I’ve moved completely out of beauty PR, which to be honest is a massive breath of fresh air! I’m still working in social media, but on commercial property and retail locations, so it’s a massive challenge but I’m really enjoying being in a totally new environment with some lovely new colleagues and a nice new office in the city. I mean, it sounds fancy to say I work in central, but when I’m forcing myself into the sardine tin that is the Northern Line at Bank station twice a day- not so glam! Another benefit of having a career change and a bit more of a lengthy commute is that I’ve started reading! This year I’ve read 6 books- which to most people will sound like absolute peanuts, but for a girl who hasn’t read anything more than Heat magazine for the last 5 years it’s pretty big! I’ve just finished the Tattooist of Auschwitz (sob!) so I’m onto the next in the sequel – Cilka’s Journey. (So if you see me bawling on the tube you know why)

I GOT A BOYFRIEND! I realise that the fact I’m writing it in capitals makes me look like an absolute virgin but I can honestly say that I’ve not felt this happy for a loooong time, and a tiny bit (a lot) is down to meeting Mike. For all those who aren’t aware, we met on HINGE (Dating app for those still living under a stone) Mike’s actually mortified every time I tell people that this is how we met, but he lives in EdGy East London and is therefore way too cool for anything that becomes even slightly mainstream. Like Hinge. And Lovebox Festival. And Domino’s cheeseburger pizza. Also, who even meets IRL anymore, it’s 2019! *eye roll* We’ve been together for 8 months now, and I was actually looking through my photo album on my iPhone the other day and smiling at alllll the fun stuff we’ve done and the places we’ve been this year, which is making me even more excited for next year when we will hopefully be moving in together and looking at doing some travelling over late Summer/Christmas/as long as he can make me stay out of the UK for! (He’s from New Zealand and hates cold weather so he can't cope with another British winter.)

I finally got comfortable with my body! I am sure you are all bored to the back teeth of me banging on about F45 but it really has changed my life. Not only have a met a really amazing new group of friends who motivate and inspire me daily, but I’ve also learnt so much about fitness and nutrition. The main thing being, no matter how hard I smash the workouts, if I’m still inhaling family sized lasagnes every weekend then I AM going to put on weight. and body fat. (As highlighted by my lovely friend Jack who got me a ‘WHALE DONE’ card for being the only person who gained weight after the summer 8-week challenge.) Regardless, I’ve finally found a workout that I actually love to do. It challenges me and sometimes I wanna leave after the warm-up, but I absolutely love it, and I’ve seen some really great results in my body and my positive mind set.

My braces came off! It’s very rare to have a 27-year-old woman with full on train track braces, but that was me! I got my braces earlier this year in February, with the presumption that I would only need them on for a couple of months. That was the case with my top teeth (thank god) but I had one annoying little snaggletooth on the bottom row that just would not move! Fast forward to December, and I was actually supposed to get them off on the 10^th but my appointment got pushed back to January. Which makes this highlight not exaccctly true cos it will now be a v. early 2020 highlight. But it’s close. Also, how crazy that Mike met me WITH the braces!? And it’s not just the fact I had tinfoil teeth blinding him all summer, it’s the daily spinach stuck on my front tooth, or herbs stuck in the bottom bracket or me constantly sucking food out of the back teeth (soz guys it’s grim but true) He really has started from the bottom now he’s here!! What a guy!!

What are your 2019 highlights?