happy new year – goals for 2018 – introducing my ideal me
At the start of 2017 I didn’t really bother with a resolution. I think we were all quite glad to see the back of 2016, so I simply decided that 2017 would be a better year. It was not a better year, though I do think the events of 2016 hardened me in such a way that it felt a lot easier that it could have done. Most things have resolved now anyway, so the year ended on a high, in my house with my best friends.
For 2018 I have decided that this WILL be the year I finally become the person I want to be. There are a lot of things I want to improve about myself, and have wanted to for ages but never quite got around to it. I’m fed up with never doing the things I say I’ll do, or that I need to do to feel happy with who I am. I made a list of things I’d consider to make up “my ideal me” and it was pretty long. From the list I’ve chosen eight areas to improve this year, which pretty much cover all the smaller points on the list. These are my eight areas:
Eight changes in 2018
Health
As for looking after the brain parts, I want to incorporate more yoga into my life, for the physical and the mental benefits. I also want to practise more mindfulness and maybe start keeping a journal again to help with negative thoughts, and to celebrate the positive ones. I need to slow down sometimes and just enjoy my life. This includes being less uptight about silly things. There’s just no need to get so stressed out about some of the things I let myself feel bothered by. In 2018 I’m going to practise techniques that I’ve learnt to be more controlled in my mood.
Money
After Christmas money is always tight, but this year feels especially hard. The credit card has taken most of the brunt, so I need to get that paid off. It’s not a huge amount, but it’s enough that it’s annoying me. I’ve set up a direct debit for every Friday (I get paid weekly) to pay that off over a few months.
The good thing is, I do still have savings. But I’d like to see those going up, not down, so I’ve included increasing my savings in my goals as well. I don’t want to be a stingey bean, so I need to make sure I get the balance right between being sensible and being tight fisted. As a spreadsheet nerd, I have put together a budget which hopefully leaves room for fun as well as a healthy bank balance.
Read more books
I’ve decided I’m going to make time this year. Given how much other stuff I want to do, it’s not going to be easy, but I think it’s important to make the time to just sit down and lose yourself in fiction for a while. Just ten minutes before bed will make all the difference, though I know how bad I am for staying up too late reading once I’ve started!
Education
In April I will be starting a part time Engineering degree with the Open University. I’m sick of drifting through life, so I’m going to get a really good qualification in an industry where I could do really well. I already work for a construction company, so I’m in a good place to spend the next six years getting experience while I do my degree. Hopefully I’ll end up with a WELL GOOD job in the thirties.
I will also have TWO degrees like a total smarty pants. I’m not sure yet which branch of engineering I want to specialise in, but I’ve got time to decide. Right now I work in communication, so that’s an option, but I might find out I really enjoy structures or even chemical engineering, in which case I’ll go down that route instead. We shall see. For this year, I’ll be concentrating on doing well in my assignments and building a really good foundation for next year.
Blogging
To help me post more regularly, I hope to be scheduling at least a week in advance all the time. It would also be nice to schedule some longer term content so if I do get really busy with other stuff there’s still at least something being posted.
I also want to be more active in the blogging community, and find the communities for the topics I post about and be active there too. This year I have made precisely zero actual blogger friends, and I’d really like to change that.
Learn a language
My boyfriend has been planning to go to Japan for a while now, and has been learning Japanese since college. As an exploring type person I have jumped onto his bandwagon, hoping to visit Japan with him someday. I’ve also decided I want to learn Japanese. Ask me again in a few months how sensible this decision was – I’m told it’s really difficult!
Learning a whole new load of characters does seem really hard, never mind the actual words and structure of it. I really want to learn though, so I’m going to at least give it a really good shot.
Creativity
Aside from craft, I’d quite like to try and find time to do some writing. I’ve got three unfinished stories sitting on my laptop which could really do with some love. Maybe I’ll find time between the exercise and Japanese and studying and reading….
Confidence and socialising
This one I think will fall into place while I’m doing the other stuff. Achieving stuff does wonders for confidence, and losing weight will definitely make me feel more confident when meeting people, old and new.
I would like to get out and about to see people more often. There’s a load of friends I just don’t see anymore because I spend so much time staying in the bean house bubble. I would like to see those people. There’s also the good ol’ anxiety poking its nose in, telling me those people don’t even like me anymore. But I’m pretty sure that’s not true soooooo I’ll have to try and ignore all those thoughts. Basically I just need to get dressed and bloody leave the house sometimes and I’ll probably be fine.
It’s so cool that you’re learning Japanese! That will be a fun trip. 🙂