Friday 1 January 2016

Hello 2016

For the most part, 2015 was a crap year. I spent most of the year feeling rubbish, full of depression and anxiety. It was like my life had just ground to a halt. Dealing with the losses of my grandad Dave and my poor furball Jackson quite early on in the year also made things really difficult.

However, hindsight is 20/20, and looking back on 2015 has made me realise that a lot of good things also happened. When you're in the middle of so much rubbish, you really don't notice when the positive stuff happens. And positive stuff did happen....
  • My lovely nephew Ethan was born! A new life really counters losing loved ones, and he really brightens up my day when I see him. Another new life this year was Sirius, my new furry friend. He's also therapeutic to have around, and has helped me a lot throughout this year.
  • I've gotten more physically healthy, despite quite often being too depressed to get up. I am now a hydration bore because I drink at least a litre and a half of water every day and it's been a big improvement. I've moved around a lot more, and kept an eye on my food intake, and I managed to lose a stone! I also look after my skin a lot more now, and it's positively glowing.
  • I got a job that I actually enjoy (that is now a permanent position, by the way - hurrah!). I work with great people, and I'm getting my social skills game back on track. It's been so good for me.
  • Speaking of social stuff, I also became good friends with Susie this year. She's helped me through a lot and we've had some fun, crazy experiences.
  • I went to Oxford for the first time and got to strike off a few sights on my wanderlust list.
  • The introduction of my baking blog, Sugar Induced Coma, and doing a lot more baking.
  • I also hit 2000 followers on twitter - I'm so pathetic that getting validation on there is an achievement for me.
On Tuesday, I was struck down with the gross cold that's been going around lately, but I managed to make it to midnight to see the fireworks at Big Ben on TV and watch Bryan Adams' great set. Then I simply had to go to bed because I was so woozy and tired. It was a pretty anti-climactic end to the year, to be honest. This blog entry has taken me forever to write, because I've mostly been resting up today. 

But anyway, here are my goals for 2016. As I said this time last year, I don't like to set resolutions because I feel too much like a failure if I don't do them. Goals are more kind, and it's something to just aim for, and if I only get some of the way towards achieving them it's a good thing.
  • Learn a new skill, like practicing cake decorating more, learning to dance, German, or something.
  • Go to Berlin in February (I know I'm going to achieve this because it's already booked and I am soooo excited!).
  • See more places on my wanderlust list.
  • Find exercises that I actually like doing, and do them loads.
  • Go back to eating better and staying super hydrated.
  • Lose 3 stone (or aim for it - I doubt that I'll lose that much in just a year, but that's the endgame).
  • Work hard and get more hours at my job, look for opportunities to work my way up in the company.
  • Go out more and redevelop my social life, make more friends, meet blokes, etc.
  • Take more photos of the world around me.
  • Continue to work on being nicer to myself, and not being so harsh on myself when I find setbacks.
  • Get another tattoo!
  • Get my bra size measured for the first time in aaaages, and get a nice new bra or five.
  • Hit 5000 twitter followers because I dream big, son.
  • Practice German every day, ever.
  • Keep up with my regular baking, and posting on Sugar Induced Coma.
  • Read a lot more - I've really not read enough lately, and I want to get back into the habit of reading loads like I used to.
  • Blog on here at least once a week.
  • Journal seriously, and loads more.
  • Keep up with hair, nails, and skin care.
Loads of goals. But I feel good about it - it's good to aim for something, and I'm glad that I'm feeling a lot more optimistic about this year. I feel like I can really take on these goals and maybe get a few of them done! So here's to 2016, I hope it's a brilliant one for everyone!