And just like that, it’s 2017!

This is, of course, supposed to be my attempt at a summary of my romantic journey in 2016. Regrettably, I don’t have a great deal to report on for that topic, backed up by the fact that I only produced seven posts for the whole of the year. This could just as easily be attributed to me not having planned my time properly to write more regularly but in truth, the fact is, I didn’t actually try very hard. Apart from the strange encounter in September/October, the majority of my dating efforts took place within the first two months of 2016, with ‘Still searching’ now officially awarded as being the representative post of my year in dating!

And now I’ve managed to be starting off 2017 slightly worse than I did for 2016. Not only do I not have any real prospects on the horizon but following the deletion of my OKCupid account I no longer have a, dare I say, ‘easier’ route to obtaining one – as in, I’d now rather take my chances shopping for a suitor online than plucking one off the street.

Depending on your standpoint, the first of January is like any other day on this big, beautiful Earth. But for some, maybe even the majority, it’s another chance for a fresh start. I sit somewhere between the two.

I like to face a new challenge head on. Why wait to commence if I have the means to do so now? If there’s something I’d like to embark on, I’ll try my utmost to start as soon as possible.

The notion of ‘the right time’ is somewhat like a security blanket, as if to say that if certain conditions are met prior to starting a new venture/experience/chapter, then the likelihood of its success and/or positive outcome is almost guaranteed. But with waiting for the right time comes, well, waiting. And with waiting comes the delay of the outcome, whatever that may be.

When I came back from Chicago and decided to delete my dating account, this marked a reset for my mission. I had self-elected to postpone my journey by setting my own criteria to be met before continuing. This was back in July and with no other explanation than (here it comes again) I didn’t actually try very hard, I failed to reach the standard that I had outlined for myself.

The self-improvement I had aspired to didn’t come into fruition. I haven’t lost any of the ‘extra padding’ I managed to acquire last year, nor have I made way for a new beau in my home. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly made a start on both counts but lacked the vigour to see them through to completion.

Essentially, I started off throwing myself into my mission, only to later decide that actually, I should make a few personal tweaks first, which then put a halt to any further progress and initiated the waiting period. To quote myself again, ‘and with waiting comes the delay of the outcome, whatever that may be’…..

With all this in mind, I’m raising a glass for 2017. Many of my goals remain the same, so I’m not necessarily taking on any new challenges but I will definitely be continuing my romantic quest with all of its side projects, full of refreshed ‘New Year’ optimism.