Reflections and Goals For 2018
I was wondering what to call the title of this blog post and to be honest all I want to do is to tell 2017 to jump off a cliff because it was the suckiest year ever. My original title for this post was Flipping The Birdie To 2017. Ha. When I toasted hubby on new years eve to a better 2018 and told him that was the worst year ever he proceeded to tell me that I say that every year. I was a bit taken aback that I seem to have that attitude at the end of every year. I wanted to whine and complain about how bad this year was. How hard it was for me personally both physically and mentally and that I wanted 2018 to be a year that I would blossom. That I had the space to be able to grow and bloom as a person again and not suffocated as a mother piled high with to-do lists, sick and whiney kids and my own personal battles. I think everyone feels like that at the start of every year. The bad things always seem to take up the memory space rather than the good things. The triumphs and successes that you accomplish throughout the year are quickly forgotten because they seem to get swallowed up by the bad things. The hard times, the battles, the wars lost and the personal trials and family sicknesses that seem to be against you most of the year.
I have been reflecting on this past year so much that I feel like I am already preparing myself for battle in 2018 because that is what 2017 felt like... a war, a battle one waged both physically, mentally and spiritually. I feel battle weary entering into 2018 and I am trying to find space in my heart and mind to clear the badness of the past year and bring a new a fresh mindspace into the new year. Do you feel like this? I keep seeing people's highlights and yearly reflections on social media and I realise it is fairly edited but it's like there life was one big party for 2017 and they kicked 2017 out of the park with there work goals and life stuff. I am sitting here with greasy hair, badly in need of deodorant with a sick clingy child with tonsillitis grappling at me wondering if anyone else feels the same way I do? A mixture of dread and trepidation to enter into a new year.
I realise I am in a bit of a funk at the moment with a holiday hangover and the weariness of a mum who hasn't slept in over a week from a sick baby who had tonsilitis and we didn't realise until she was screaming her head off for days and nights. Mother of the year right there. So maybe after a week's straight of proper sleep, I might just be able to get my head around the new year and set my mind right on the year to come. I have been tossing up whether I want to set goals for the year to come and I feel like it's something I need to motivate me, get my mind refreshed and ready for 2018. I thought I would share them with you.
Personal Goals
1. Take my fitness to the next level. I feel like the past 5 years I have been barely maintaining a level of fitness due to three pregnancies in 4 years. It seemed like anytime I finally got to a level of fitness I was happy with I got pregnant again and it would be all undone. So now that there will be no more pregnancies on the horizon (fingers crossed) I want to concentrate properly on my fitness levels. Exercise has done great things for my PND and anxiety and I struggle without it. So this year I want to concentrate more on refining my fitness and strengthing up. I feel like my cardio has improved immensely through my local Boot Camp group and going to the gym but it's time for a little bit more. This involves more strength training and lifting weights. I had been doing a bit of weight work at the end of the year and I loved it. The thrill of seeing improvement and being able to lift more is intoxicating. It's nice not to feel like a complete weakling (still fairly weak though). I don't have any specific goals in mind in regards to this but to get stronger. My goal for 2017 was to be able to do a situp without any help and I achieved that in November this year. I was so ecstatic.
2. Take time for self-care. I have been horrible at taking time out for myself especially since number three come along. I mean who has time for themselves when they have three kids. You know what though I am a better mum and person when I have had time to restore myself for a time. So I want to slot a time once a fortnight or once a month to take time out for a few hours to be able to take a breath and have some time out. It might be as simple as having a cup of tea by myself with a book, a massage or going shopping on my own. It doesn't need to cost a lot but it's the time factor that means the most. Time away to reboot.
Blog Goals
1. Create more YouTube videos. I have really enjoyed creating YouTube videos for the blog (YES, I have a YouTube channel. Didn't know? Make sure you subscribe over here) and I hope to create more content this way in the coming year. It takes a bit more time to create video content, especially with three kids underfoot. I am hoping to even get in front of the camera more so I can be more present on the blog instead of hiding behind the camera. However, with all good intentions, I am not sure how far I am going to get with this goal but I will see how I go.
2. More DIY & Furniture Makeovers. Since having little Mis A I stopped a lot of my DIY & Furniture projects because I simply didn't have the time to do these projects. Now that she is a little older I have started back doing these types of projects and boy have I missed them. I always get a kick out of renovating a piece of furniture and making it new again. I have a bunch of furniture that I have been stockpiling under the house waiting for some paint. I can't wait to show you.
Freelance Goals
1. Work with new clients. If you didn't already know I am a freelance food photographer and stylist behind the scenes when I am not doing all my blog stuff. It's my bread and butter. You can check my portfolio and working website over here. Since having three kids in four years my freelance work has suffered as I haven't been able to expand and take on any new work. It takes time to build up clients and get your work noticed. This field also requires you to keep your hand in it and keep your mind sharp and practised. Styling food is an art and photographing it is even harder. It's something you need to keep doing often to keep in the groove. So this past year I have been learning, playing, practising and studying this area to improve my skills more and get back in the game so to speak. So this year I want to use my new skills to bring in some new clients to work with. I still haven't figured out how to do that but we will see how the year goes.
So there you go. That's what I am aiming for during the year and although these aren't resolutions they are something I can work towards as the year proceeds and maybe I will reach them and maybe I won't and that is okay too. I hope you all had great new year celebrations - I was in bed by 10 pm. Yes sad I know but that's what you get with young kids.
So what was 2017 like for you and your family? What are you goals for the year to come?
