2016 was a big year for me – I wasn’t feeling my best at the start of the year, which led to a few changes that I think really helped me with my personal growth. When the beginning of a new year draws closer and I start to think about my goals for the coming year, I always find myself hoping for the same results: to be more confident in myself and to take more risks. I think I made some major strides this year on that front, which I’m proud of! I was also able to travel to a few awesome places, started a new adventure (hello angelachauxo.com!), all while working my full time job.

Here’s a recap of the major highlights of my 2016:

I focused on getting in shape (somewhat)

I’m probably the least athletic person I know – I’ve never been into sports, never cared for exercise, and have an unhealthy obsession with food to boot. My low point at the beginning of the year is actually what motivated me to take little steps towards a healthier lifestyle. I needed something to strive towards and to keep me preoccupied, so I started being conscious of what I ate and exercising regularly, and was able to lose 10lbs over the course of a few months!

Visited the most magical place on Earth

I visited my favourite place on the planet in March – Disney World in Orlando, FL. My family visited Disney World almost every summer of my childhood, but I will never get tired of eating Mickey ice cream bars and watching the “Wishes” fireworks at night from Main Street USA.

Chopped my hair off!

My long hair had always been my security blanket – I never trusted anyone to touch it and would only get it cut every 1-2 years. But when spring rolled around, I had a sudden urge to make a drastic change and decided to cut 12 inches off in favour of a lob. I don’t regret my decision and I’ve probably saved hundreds of hours in hair washing, drying and styling time.

Went camping for the first time

In addition to being the least athletic person I know, I’ve also had a lack of certain life experiences including going to the cottage and camping. I was able to check the latter of my list in 2016 with a two day trip to Sandbanks, ON. I survived sleeping in a tent and totally recommend visiting this beautiful part of Ontario – the beaches are stunning and the water is crystal clear!

Had a year full of weddings

It was a year for weddings! I took a quick trip to San Fran in June for my cousin’s wedding, and also attended another cousin’s wedding in Toronto earlier in May. In the fall one of my coworkers was married, and the year rounded out with my eldest sister tying the knot in an intimate ceremony at City Hall!

Visited beautiful Barcelona, Spain

This may have been my favourite trip of the year – my boyfriend and I ended the summer with a trip to Barcelona. This was such a beautiful city and the perfect mix of historic European culture and picturesque beaches. You can read my Barcelona travel guide here.

Started my blog!

This is one of my favourite accomplishments of 2016 – finally taking the plunge and starting my blog. I was also able to work with some awesome brands (hi Tim Hortons!) on my Instagram channel throughout the year, which really gave me the push I needed to start this site and share more of my life with you.

Finished the year with a trip to London, UK

My boyfriend and I have been officially long distance since September, as he’s finishing a year of school in the UK. I took the opportunity to visit him in December and got an insider’s look at the bustling city! The holidays are such a beautiful time to visit London, with beautiful twinkling lights lining every street you pass. I’ll be posting my guide to visiting London soon!

Overall, 2016 was a great year and I’m so excited to see what 2017 brings.