Hi Everyone!
As usual its been about a million years since my last post. I’m sure most people have forgotten I have a blog at all or just think I had given up. I almost thought I’d given up myself, but I started this post ages ago (as in August when I was due to post the yearly update) and I figured as its coming to year end and I’ve been thinking about my goals for next year, I’d finish the update and let you all know how I got on before skipping ahead to something else.
So in August last year, I was facing straight into the final year of my 20s and it was daunting to say the least. I don’t know what I expected but it felt like a chapter was closing and I had some shit to get done! Anyway as you probably know if you’ve been following my previous posts, I set about making ‘The Birthday List, a list of things I wanted to do in an attempt to hold myself accountable for some things I wanted to achieve by the time I turned 30. I’m a big believer in setting out goals and writing them down in order to to start putting a plan to action and I didn’t let myself down!
Now to be totally honest, at face value when I first looked at my list I felt like maybe I didn’t get through enough of the things I wrote down, but in reality, I’ve had a super busy year and feel like I’ve done soooo much that really it doesn’t matter that I didn’t get to everything. Here’s a run down of how I got on anyway…
FITNESS AND HEALTH
Do more Yoga– I’ve definitely been doing more yoga, once a week mostly (I’d go more if I had the time). Its really been teaching me about focus and achievement and I’m loving it- I’d recommend everyone to do it at least once!Take up PT at least once a week– Ok so I didn’t totally complete this one but I’m happy with how it went. I was going to a PT and then I joined a Strongfit class and went to that 3 times a week. I had to give it up since moving house but I’ll be getting back to the gym soon!Maintain my weightloss– I smashed this one if I do say so myself!!! I didn’t just maintain my weightloss, I lost what I needed to get to my target weight and got my 3 stone award in slimming world… Such a big achievement for me and one I’m super proud of!- Go on a Hike – Ok I didn’t do this one, I just kept putting it off as I was so busy
- Go Surfing – This one didn’t even get a look in- maybe next year?
LIFESTYLE
- Grow the Blog – Ok I’m not sure this was the right way to go- I should have said ‘Blog more’ which I definitely did but not so consistently. something I’m gonna work on now that things are settling down
Work hard– I’m doing my best, there’s ebbs and flows but I still love my job so I’m working as best I can.- Read a newspaper now and again – Really bad, I did not do this once. Thats terrible not to read the news in a whole year. I’ve literally only caught the big stories that come up online. I’m actually a bit ashamed of this one.
Do something for charity– I decided to donate money each month to the Dublin Simon Community, I wrote a blog on my reasons why so you can check that out here. I’ve also donated clothes during the year to charity shops.- Knit something – I didn’t complete this one, I started knitting a scarf and then I kind of just stopped. I’ll try again.
Get a massage and SPA treatment– I ticked this off the list… My lovely boss gave me a gift voucher for my birthday which I used after my wedding as a treat 🙂- Go to more events happening in Dublin – I didn’t really do this- again other things came up which were taking up a lot of time.
Go to the Ballet– I did this one! Orey got me tickets for christmas 2017 and we went to see Swan Lake, it was so funny we hadn’t a clue what was going on for a good portion of it until we read the synopsis of the story. Then we got into it, it was lovely.- Sign up to a pension – Pending January 2018… I sign papers next week!
Cook some stuff from my Jamie Oliver Superfood cookbook– I think I cooked one other thing lol.
BIG SPENDS
Own a designer handbag– Does Micheal Kors count? I’m not sure its quite a designer name but its a lot better than a Penny’s bag so I’m ticking this one off! I got my bag for Christmas 2017 and it comes everywhere with me.Complete my tattoo plans for my arm– Complete has become subjective… I did get two new pieces though so, I’m happy with that.- Buy a Macbook – I didn’t buy my own but my work Mac is more than sufficient at the minute.
- Go for an expensive meal and drinks – I don’t think I’ve had a particularly expensive meal, but there have been plenty of meals had!
Start saving for a house– Went one further and actually bought a house!!
TRAVEL
Go to Glastonbury– BOOM, did it, it was fantastic!- Book a trip to Vegas – This was probably a pipe dream… I’m putting this one on the back burner for a while.
- Party in Paris – Long story short, I was supposed to go, but it didn’t happen in the end.
- Go to Achill Island
- Go somewhere cool for New Years
- Take more day trips at the weekends
The last three things weren’t achieved at all! I didn’t get to some of the places I wanted to, but I did make it to Rome which was kind of unplanned. We got to do some sightseeing and celebrate a friends wedding, it was Fab!
So to summarise I didn’t get to everything, but sure look, I’m only one person. There’s only so much time (and money) to go around. And anyway, I ticked some major things off the list. I bought a house yo! I got married! I went to the most iconic festival probably in the world! I went to Rome! And there was so much more in between. Memories were made, drinks were drank, fun was had and I honestly couldn’t be happier how the last year and a bit has played out.
Now that i’ve gotten this post out of my system, I can move on to making more plans for the year ahead and head on to the next set of adventures!
If you’ve thought about setting out your own goals for 2018, I’d highly recommend it. And if you need some tips on how to achieve those, I’ve written a previous post full of my top tips! you can check that out here.
I’ll finish off with some photos that sum up some of the best memories and achievements i’ve had this year, big and small.
Later,
Jenny xo
pinkladyxo 