So I was all full of the new year, new me malarkey, practically a walking positive affirmation on new year’s eve, but as January 1st rolled around and brought with it a level 10 hangover, I feel like the new year has caught me a little off-guard. I was super smug that the year started on a Monday, I mean, it’s super satisfying and to top it off I have a shiny new notebook which automatically equals a productive first day back at work, but yet here I am surrounded by the remnants of Christmas, baubles put away, tree still up (mostly because I found a giant spider on one of the branches) and a chocolate just fell into my mouth. Don’t even ask me about my nails. I feel the year has started without me. I’m experiencing full-on year 7 PE vibes when you find yourself somehow on the rounders team when you can’t catch or throw and you miss a ball flying past your face because you are too busy daydreaming and you realise the whole team is waiting for you to run but you have no idea what base to go to and WHAT ARE THE RULES AGAIN? You know those I wasn’t ready, can we start again moments. I think the new year is the perfect time to set some goals and chat about what we all hope to achieve in the year ahead. I’m all about the positive affirmations and laws of attraction at the moment so I’m putting it out there into the universe that 2018 is going to be the best year of my life. Just let’s start with something small like getting my nails done yes??
TRAVEL
For me, travel is high on the agenda again for 2018. I’m feeling antsy as I have nothing planned. NOTHING. I’m not sure how I’m ever going to top last year, I went on 7 trips and my year looked a little like this. Drinking rum on a pirate ship on a Bahamian island. Living the dream floating on a lilo with a rum-filled coconut at The Shore Club in Miami. Going to two incredible weddings abroad before ending my travels in Vegas drinking yard long drinks on the Strip before watching Britney perform at Planet Hollywood. To sum up…I had a ball.
Leeds to Tenerife>>Liverpool to Morocco>>Leeds to Mallorca>>Leeds to Portugal>>Manchester to Miami>>Miami to The Bahamas>>Manchester to Vegas.
This year, above all, I want to try a solo travel trip. The thought of it makes me laugh out loud as I’m not sure I’d make it out of the airport. My Grandma did lots of solo trips and wrote them all in her journal and it’s inspired me to give it a go. Or at least flirt with the idea. She went to China, which, let’s face it isn’t realistic at all food wise as all I eat is cheese sandwiches. I want to create my own writing retreat somewhere lovely maybe for a week or so. Somewhere near the sea.
I’d love to do this but what if I went all that way and couldn’t write anything good? I mean, what if all I achieved was a personal best for consuming tater tots? I’ve been on fitness retreats alone before, but I’ve never been to one abroad so maybe that is the natural next step. A yoga retreat or one of those resorts where you drink five different types of coconut water and learn to meditate. I really feel like I’ve conquered my fear of flying this year, jumping on a plane every other month has really helped to make it seem less daunting, but whether I could do it without holding on to the person next to me is questionable.
America is where my heart is, it’s somewhere I visit more than once a year and somewhere I’ll always go back to, ticking off a new destination each time while revisiting our favourites. Some of my favourite memories have been made there. AND. They have tater tots. There is so much of it left to see but I’m thinking Santa Monica, San Diego and maybe Santa Barbara.
WORK
2017 just got better and better work wise and by the end of December I was literally drowning in deadlines, but when you work for yourself, having too much work is a lot more appealing than being too poor to shop at M & S. So, you condition yourself to never say no. I lost a client this year as they took on an in-house content writer but I gained a lot more. The freelance landscape is ever-changing and you really just have to go with it and adapt. I feel that after 3 years, I’ve really learned the lay of the land and I need a new challenge. I’m going to set myself a scary goal for 2018 that focuses on a creative project rather than a client project. I’m going to try my hand at writing children’s books. There. I said it. EEEEEEEK. But I’ve got it in my head that I need to be somewhere fabulously expensive to be inspired so we’ll see how that goes. If anyone wants to give me an advance, I’ll pay you back in lovely words??
BLOGGING
It’s been a funny old year in the blogging world and I still don’t feel like I’ve found my place. This year I’m going to grow my following with more conviction and plan my posts a little more carefully. I want to concentrate on my blog imagery and maybe even try a few fashion posts. If I ever buy new clothes or wear anything other than an all black outfit, you’ll be the first to know. Right now though, stretchy pants are all that fit. What would you like to see on my blog in 2018?
FITNESS
One thing I have been consistent with this year is fitness, but I’ve also been really consistent with putting calorific food in my mouth so you know, it’s been swings and roundabouts on the fitness front. I’m rolling into 2018 looking rather like a Christmas pudding so the goal here is to be slightly less pudding-like in the foreseeable future.
What are your goals for 2018?
