2014 - the year of light, love and hope

Special thanks to Neil Ingebrigtsen for taking this photo

Tonight, I was fortunate enough to find myself a part of Edinburgh's annual torchlight procession. It's the first time I attended the event and I didn't even expect to go at the start of today. But tonight's event brought home some very important thoughts with just one more day left until the start of 2014.

The event to me is symbolised by light, love and hope for the future. It heartened me when I came to that conclusion as the night progressed. There were approximately around 30,000 people who took part in the event tonight in the city centre and it was just such an innocent, family orientated and happy occasion - truly Scotland's capital city found itself on winning form once again, especially at this time of the year.

I've had a very interesting year over those last twelve months. There were many highs. For example, starting work for the first time as a self-employed registered pharmacist, driving my own car for the first time and making major progress in my life within the media and as a broadcaster. 

I also had the lucky opportunities to travel once again this year, making my second visit to Dublin and visiting Derry/Londonderry for the first time in Northern Ireland and taking part in all kinds of event (my highlight was the emotional final ever recording of "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?" in Elstree). My own personal growth was so joyful to experience and I know that I have a lot of potential within myself to be a massive success story in the future years ahead, God willing. 

But there were some lows as well. The year got off to a very bleak start where I struggled to get off the mark in the job market. It was so bad that I even ended up on the news (in many parts of Scotland only). I also have to admit that I came to really realise over these many months how badly my own social life had been knocked over the last few years - a difficult thing to mention in public, I know, but I don't apologise for it. 

A lot of my close friends from university moved all over the country and seeing them now is very difficult these days. However it's reassuring to have made some new friends back at home and I really think we should step things up in 2014 when it comes to organising social gatherings and events. I love people and keeping in contact with as many people as possible is very important. I also admit that I could have achieved more within my professional life this year, but then again, am I asking for too much?

So, to conclude, what do I want from 2014? To keep going in the right direction with regard to my career and become more and more of an attractive asset. Socially, there are many people I still want to meet and get talking with again. I have an incredibly social personality, despite my setbacks, and I know that. And finally, to love myself more than ever before. 

You may find that last sentence as an arrogant thing of me to say, but it really isn't. Confidence is one of the most important attributes that any individual can have and it means a lot to me to be confident. Because without confidence, nobody else will show that confidence in me to be a successful human being in this world. When I leave this world, I want my family, friends and those who know me to remember me as a man who shows nothing but love for everyone I meet, everything that I do and to show respect, even if difficulties step into my path. I want to thank all of you for being part of my year for 2013 and a special thanks to my family, friends and everyone that I know and have met in 2013.

And finally, tonight love, light and hope symbolised all the fun in Edinburgh. And it will symbolise 2014 for me. Have a very happy Hogmanay and a successful 2014.