top 10 of 2010.

When thinking about what sort of “best of 2010” list to compile, I considered going through fashion trends, cultural events, recipes, etc…

…but those things wouldn’t really do this year justice.

2010 was a unique year for me because I’ve never learned so much about myself in a 12-month period. In fact, for probably the first time in my life, I’m actually sad to see a year come to a close. Not only did I grow as a person, but I also had some darn good times. Here are my top 10 experiences from 2010 (in mostly chronological order) and why they’re ones that I’ll never forget.

1. not being a student any more.

2010 marked the first year in my entire life that I was not a student. HOLLA! At first, I didn’t know how to deal with the transition. There was definitely a period of regressing going on; for a while there I became way too “play it safe” and insecure about my abilities. In the end, though, I’m glad I had to fight through that because it made me become a stronger and more confident person. I definitely still have some work to do when it comes to living up to my potential, but my first year in the real world taught me more than I had ever anticipated.

2. starting a blog.

After reading blogs for over a year, January 2nd marked the day when I created one of my own. To be perfectly honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I didn’t have a clear direction or concept of how much work went into maintaining a blog at all, but I also had no clue just how rewarding and FUN it would be. Blogging has changed my life in ways that I didn’t expect. It has helped me to realize my passions, my strengths, and best of all - I’ve gained some incredible friendships along the way.

3. travelling to Mexico.

Ohh Mexico, where to even start? Going to Playa Del Carmen with my cousin Liz in early March was hands down the best week of my life. End of story. It was also my first time travelling outside of the country!

4. my first blogging conferences.

FitBloggin’ was my very first blogging conference, and it was also my first time meeting other bloggers! I wouldn’t say I nervous, but I was anxious and curious to see what the experience would be like. To sum up the weekend in three words: it. was. epic.

My second conference was the Healthy Living Summit, which was great not only because I met even more fabulous blogettes, but I got to see the wonderful city of Chicago.

5. trip to Florida.

Directly after FitBloggin’ in March, my mom and I began a road trip to Florida. Our first stop was visiting my aunt and uncle in southwest Florida, followed by about a week in Disney World. If you’ve ever wondered if mother-daughter road trips are fun…THEY ARE! I worried that Disney World wouldn’t be the same as a 23-year-old, but it was just as magical and exciting as ever. Most of all, it was so great to spend time away with my mom…especially since we probably won’t get many more chances like it.

6. weekends in LI.

In July, my girlfriend Erica and I headed up for what would be the first of many weekend trips to visit Amanda in Long Island. I had no idea what to expect out of the weekend, and it ended up being one of the best I’ve ever had. Our 3-day rendezvous included ample amounts of sun and fun (maybe a little too much fun. ahem). Best of all was that we realized just how in sync the three of us are. I am so blessed to have these girls in my life!

7. summer at the shore.

Since I work for my father’s company and most of my job is completed on the computer, I can essentially work from anywhere. And, considering this was probably my last summer working for him, I took full advantage of that flexibility by working from our shore house. I was able to soak in one last summer of freedom and relaxation. It was a great time for me to reflect on the past, enjoy the present, and figure out what I want my future to look like. Oh, and it was just downright fun.

8. changing to Girl Meets Life.

As I previously mentioned, I didn’t have much of a direction or idea of what blogging would be all about when I first created Girl Meets Health. And, apparently it took blogging about health for me to realize that I just wasn’t very passionate about health anymore! Making the shift from GMH to GML wasn’t easy, but it was entirely worth it. I hope that you agree!

9. screwing up.

While 2010 was full of mostly positive experiences, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t make my fair share of mistakes. And you know what? I still regret them to this very moment. I think that facing regret (rather than being in denial) is important, though, because I’m sure as heck not going to make those same mistakes again. I may have learned some things the hard way, but I’ve become a better person because of it.

10. deciding to move.

And now…here we are! I’ve taken all of my experiences, mistakes, and goals, and now I’m taking a leap. I’ll never say I’m positive that this is exactly what I should be doing right now, but does anyone ever really know that for sure? All I can do is have faith, hold on to my support system, and keep moving forward. Here’s to 2011…may it be bigger and better than its predecessor.

What were your highlights from 2010??