A Year in Motion

If I had to sum up this year in one word, it would be movement.

I moved across cities, across physical limits, across my budget. 😅

This year, I boarded the plane 16 times. Yes, I’ve traveled more in other years, crossed more borders, collected more stamps. But this year is, without a doubt, the most meaningful.

We took unforgettable trips with our families here and abroad. Then Jan and I had another J.U.N.K. time, the kind of trip that reminds us why we chose each other beyond our daily routines. The rest of my flights were for events I was invited to attend. I mean, I've had all-expense paid trips before, but this year was a result of the work I’ve put into my blogs. Consistency truly pays off.

And when I wasn’t moving through the air, I was moving on foot. 

Yes, I ran.

Which is wild. Because if you told January me that by December I’d be running long distances voluntarily, I would’ve laughed, and my stiff and inflamed joints would've laughed louder.

I started running in March, and somehow clocked almost 700 kilometers. For most runners, that number might seem modest. But for me, every step gave me space to think, to breathe, and to process. In a year that demanded slowing down and even pausing, especially now that I'm living with rheumatoid arthritis, running kept me in motion. Sure, some runs required more patience and more effort. But choosing to run was often choosing relief. Running became my therapy, rebellion, and medicine all in one.

And because no new habit is complete without financial chaos, my finances also moved. Only it wasn't upward. Haha. I moved a concerning amount of money out of my savings by buying six running shoes in a span of few months. Six! Not to mention other running gears and the races I signed up for. At this point, a hobo has more money than me. But I have no regrets because running and spending for running carried me through days.

L-R: Adidas Adizero SL2, Asics Gel Nimbus 27, Asics S4+ Yogiri, Mizuno Neo Zen, New Balance Rebel V4, Nike Alphafly 3

This year, I moved a lot. And movement, I’ve learned, isn’t measured only in distance, pace, and bank statements. It’s measured in how it changes you. This year, movement kept me grounded, sane, and stronger than I expected.