MY 2018 PLANS & GOALS

Overall, the previous year served me somewhat pleasantly. I graduated college, embarked on a gap year, went on some amazing trips and experienced some great things. Hopefully this year, with all of the exciting things that are going to be happening, I'll be able to look back again with a positive mindset. Here's what I've got planned for 2018:

2018 Plans

In terms of Holidays or weekend getaways, I've currently got 3 very exciting little runaways planned and/or booked. The first one is our trip to Lincoln. Jamie and I are heading for a weekend in Lincoln during February for two reasons: we're going to visit our friend at Uni and will also be using it as our celebratory trip for our 2-year 'anniversary' from January. I'm excited to go there because I've never been before - I am so so excited to discover cool places, cafes, and shops in Lincoln. I'd love to see any recommendations for places to go.

After that, in March, Jamie and I are heading back to my favourite place for my Birthday; Edinburgh. I already know that that trip is going to be exciting because it's 100% my favourite place in the UK to visit. 

Later on in the year, in the midst of summer, my family and I are heading on a holiday to Nerja, Spain. We're all so excited to get some sun on ourselves as the last abroad holiday that we went on in 2016 was to not-so-sunny (or at least not sun-bathing material) Iceland. I've already got a bunch of bikinis from the post-summer sales last year and I'm incredibly eager to make new memories with not only my family but with Jamie too.

Beside those trips that we've already got planned and in the waiting, there are some places that seem to be lingering in my mind at the moment and I feel like, if I have the money and time, I'd love to visit them too. This is places like York and Chester. Besides having already visited York city multiple times (because of it's close proximity to where I live), it has such a cosy, welcoming feeling to it that means I always enjoy a visit there. Contrastingly, I don't think I've ever been to Chester. Aart from the obvious visit to the Zoo, the city centre has never been somewhere I've wandered into, so I'd love to have a little look.

So, as far as a year goes, there's already a lot of exciting times ahead, however, one of the biggest life changes is set to happen this year. Towards the end of this year, I will be moving out from living at home and heading up to University. Admittedly, the thought of that right now scares the sh*t out of me but hopefully, with a bit of growth and mental preparation, it should be something that I can face head-on.

Goals for 2018

1. Plan ahead for less stress.

As I was just discussing, going to Uni and moving away from home is a scary thought to me at the moment but I really want to tackle that sense of fear and stress, this year, by making sure the important, stressful stuff is all planned sensibly in advance. For example, looking for a place to live, looking for jobs, and generally getting organised.

2. Continuously set realistic goals.

Now that I'm putting my life into a planner, I think my motivation to set and review goals may be a bit better. So far this month I have set goals to go on at least one walk a week, be ready and focused on my driving test, and be motivated for job hunting. Now, while they sound reasonably realistic and straightforward, I do wish to get a bit more specific within the month and set weekly goals. The goals that will be set at the start of each week should be measurable e.g. 'read 40 pages of my book' or 'publish 2 blog posts' because I really do believe that, this way, they feel and are more achievable. 

3. Don't be afraid to be me and indulge.

To be honest, I think this is something that I really do need to hammer home this year. In 2017, I did sometimes find myself caught up in the whirlwind of FOMO or being down with the 'cool kids'. Or, to put it simply, I forced myself to go to nightclubs, drink alcohol and attend social events that just weren't my thing despite knowing 100% that these weren't the things that made me happy. I think, slowly but surely, I'm beginning to realise that life is just too short to waste it doing things that you don't enjoy. If you've been following my blog for a while, you will already know that I'm a firm believer in embracing your interests and, for me, that means defying all the teenage expectations of going out and drinking and bloody well enjoying that nature walk or that cosy night in at home. This year I'm determined to let myself be happy.

What are your plans and goals for 2018?

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