Truth time: 2023 almost broke me

If you had a tough year and feel like you haven't achieved anything, I want you to know that you're not alone. And that it will get better. If I had to give this year a name, I'd call it "A year of pain." Except "A year of pain" was last year. So, let's call this one "A year of lost purpose." Another knee injury. Three more surgeries. Months on crutches, followed by exhausting physiotherapy and inability to walk without pain to this day. My cPTSD, a "gift" from childhood abandonment and neglect I thought I finally learned to manage, blew open new old wounds, giving me anxiety attacks and emotional flashbacks that would leave me paralyzed for weeks. New wars, new disasters, more grief and suffering in the world took the last bits of motivation to create I had left. Who would possibly want to hear about website improvement tips? How does it matter? It's not going to save lives or heal someone's depression. Everything I've been doing for the past 6 years suddenly stopped being important. I couldn't get myself to write a single line for weeks in a row. Things that used to bring me so much joy - sharing my knowledge, interacting with people on social media, going on podcasts, shooting videos - became a chore and a burden. When I wasn't working on a client project, I'd spend up to 6 hours a day binge-watching Big Bang Theory and playing computer games, resenting myself but unable to do anything about it. I lost my purpose. It's a miracle I made enough money to get by this year. I don't remember the exact day it started to get better. Maybe it didn’t happen in a day but was a combination of those few days spread around the year where I had deep conversations with friends, went outside, or listened to YouTube videos learning to understand my brain. “When you can’t run, walk. When you can’t walk, crawl. When you can’t crawl, lie down pointing in the right direction.” Professionally speaking, I achieved absolutely nothing in 2023. I didn’t make any new friends in my personal life either. The only thing I was able to master this year was “lying on the ground while pointing in the right direction.” And a week ago, I woke up and I felt that I can create again. That I WANT to create again. That I CAN’T WAIT to create again. And so I did. I spent a day recording videos for my YouTube series “100 copy & design tips for smart business owners.”, and it was one of the happiest days of the year. I still have to edit these videos, so the one below with the bloopers behind the scenes is one of my very few achievements this year. It’s not much, but it means a lot to me. It shows that this year failed to break me (although it really tried), and that I finally found my way back to doing what I love. *** I wish us all a better 2024. A year when we stop surviving and start living. A year we don’t have to stay strong but can finally breathe out and relax. A year that in 365 days, we would call one of the best years of our lives 🥂🎊 [Video thumbnail](=.TXgllcxSc3faDUawr4ake3my76D1T2fEJRnPFvn4-FY) This would be all from me for the year. Warm greetings from Germany, Gill [Website review](=.VgWiyW0G-YdpScETue6rEsx8E1-BCHllbc8ASVBVMvA) | [Copywriting](=.RO5twYwXe9xClUBw3tremqFmYUa7z40esU13C8NnAkY) | [📙 My book](=.ibKG1vgqKuU4m8fB0gT7j1-bWfszD6EzhqeGJt7u-O8) | [My course](=.9s2YeiZ4TnKPxuaDW57r3yBnLxMEueM1_hCyMyO3lwQ) P.S. This email may contain typos, and I'm fine with them because cloning humans is, unfortunately, still impossible. Spending more time proofreading my emails would mean I'll have to share fewer tips with you. And sharing more and better tips is more important to me than sharing tips that are grammatically perfect. I hope that's fine with you, too. [Gill Andrews] [gillandrews.com](=.NqLNAKUtZRUtgs6ZfsRSXzQMRZ5lwvo-ViUmc_abOFI) [Share to Facebook](=.hG9BP94fNis015MI3P74FU8uCOAO0nkRsI4XxWbKfxs) [Share to Facebook](=.1QWhPLPi4Y8yrXqlsj_riZmSLaM6zqfzIgpYJ9OvT-c) [Share to Twitter](=.5JgBSbTOC_eA1PCPSs19Zd2Bqot_BmETeW7NXEzemdo) [Share to Twitter](=.MiBvzc1G7Nj-WJ26YxZ2NiI-wppEFzATvlbs0jqsNO0) [Forward email](=.K1ytqrPtZWzxGV6BMb77TD-nkfrZb3jG0zypeFBX_zE) [Forward email](=.2GfScj54fjTyRCCrFqxXi9Yll7aA1V9nJ-x7KqkApSQ) Gill Andrews You received this email because you signed up to my updates. Changed your mind? No problem. Unsubscribe using the link below. [Unsubscribe](=.fpysRjQW6vxJZ0Jv_KHte_-I40a7q5WKJ62z4FA0kqQ)