Happy New Year!
I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve.
Gary and I had dinner at home (he cooked me a roast!), then we went to a friend’s house for the actual countdown.
We drank bubbles, sang Auld Lang Syne, danced to Robbie (what the heck was up with that hand sanitizer?!) and watched the fireworks from the living room window.
It was so much fun, and the best start to 2017 I could have asked for!
I’m feeling incredibly positive about this year.
I know that on a global and political level, things are probably about to get a whole lot worse (I mean, for one, He Who Shall Not Be Named is about to become POTUS…)
But on a personal level, I’m really optimistic.
2016 was a year of big changes, but now that things are more settled, I’m ready to change gears and kick everything up a notch.
Here are my goals for the new year!
PERSONAL
I learned a lot about myself in 2016.
I figured out what my priorities are, and where I want my career to go, and I actually have a pretty solid idea of what I want my life to look like, not just for this year, but further in the future.
So in 2017 I want to start putting things in motion so that my vision comes to pass.
GOALS
– Grow my savings. I’m setting up a standing order to transfer 10% of my income into my savings account.
– Prep all my lunches for the week on Sundays. Packed lunch every day!
– Ironing. This might be the most bizarre goal ever, but I have some awesome clothes that I don’t wear cos I just can’t be bothered to iron them… So I’m starting a Sunday night routine of ironing all my clean clothes for the week.
– Stop procrastinating. I’m too good at putting things off for another day and that has to stop. Step one: register at the doctor’s near our “new” address! #adulting
– Say no to FOMO. I already got so much better at this, but I’m going to be even pickier about the events and opportunities I say yes to this year. Which will leave me with more time and energy for…
FITNESS
I ignored my health a lot in 2016. There was so much else going on, that it just fell to the very bottom on my list of priorities.
I’m ridiculously unfit, I can’t fit into half my clothes anymore, and my dodgy old-lady hip is creaking more than ever. (Strength training actually helps alleviate the cramping pains.)
And then there’s the added benefit of my mental health. I feel SO much better in my head when I’m exercising.
So this year, I have several fitness goals I want to achieve.
And to make sure I stick to my programme, I’m taking Erica’s advice and scheduling my gym sessions into my diary, same as I would meetings or events. If it’s in the diary, it’s non-negotiable.
I actually started on Saturday morning, with a Legs, Bums and Tums class that left me feeling jelly-legged but proud of myself for pushing through it.
(Until Sunday morning, when I was filled with regrets because apart from an NYE prosecco headache, I couldn’t roll out of bed without crying from muscle soreness…)
GOALS:
– Work out at the gym at least three times a week, working up to 5 days a week by the end of 2017.
– Run 5km under 30 minutes.
– Run a half marathon.
– Complete 3 pull ups.
– Do one stretching or yoga session every week.
BLOG
My number one priority for this year is my business.
Friends and family are important to me, and I’m determined to keep making time for them, but I have plans for next year, that rely heavily on this blog becoming a success.
I’m in the very fortunate position to be able to work on my blog during the day, when I’m working on the reception desk, and I’m going to start actually taking advantage of that, instead of wasting so much time reading Buzzfeed articles and browsing ASOS…
Someone sent me a quote yesterday which goes something like: you’ll not always be motivated, so you have to learn to be disciplined.
So that’s my BIG goal for 2017: learn how to be self-disciplined.
GOALS
– Post daily.
– Reply to ALL blog and Instagram comments.
– Read and comment on 10 blog posts a day.
– Plan and schedule posts at LEAST one week in advance.
– Start shooting in RAW, and improve my Lightroom editing skills.
