We may be 34 days into a new year, but today I wanted to share with you a few of my goals for 2019. Before I begin, I want to reassure you that these are not the typical resolutions that we make on the 1st January and break before we get to the end of February. Over the Christmas holidays, I really took time out to focus on what I want to do more of this year so here they are.
IMPROVE MY FITNESS: Under no circumstances do I want to lose ten stone and become a size 10! I love my curves and have no intentions of trying to get rid of them. I do however want to tone my body and build up my muscle strength and would quite like to be able to walk up a steep hill or a few flights of stairs without becoming breathless, all of this will also help my health in the long term.
To get me motivated I've downloaded the couch to 5K app and actually joined a gym. I've signed my self up for PT sessions as well as a range of classes such as body combat, Zumba and aqua fit. I'm hoping this list will grow as the months go on! I have also started dancing again, it's been over ten years since I last had my ballrooms shoes on and during my first lesson last week, it was as if I never stopped dancing and as one of my old dance teachers said...it was just like riding a bike!
READ MORE BOOKS: As you are reading this I'm actually on to my second book of the year, so I suppose I'm doing well with this one! I have always been a big lover of reading and would spend my weekends browsing the shelves in my local book shop waiting for an interesting cover to jump out at me. Sadly as we grow older the day to day tasks of work, socialising and life just life getting in the way it becomes harder to reach for a book. I have a pile of books by my bedside table that I'm determined to get through this year before I start on the ever-growing Waterstones wish list.
DO MORE THINGS ON MY OWN: Do you ever have those days when you want to do something like watch a play or musical at the theatre, visit a museum, see the latest exhibition at the art gallery or go to the flicks to see the latest movie everyone is raving about? Well, I'm like that all of the time, there are so many things to do and places to visit here in the north east that I need to man up and not be afraid to do something on my own. I know that I could do these things with my family and friends but with our busy schedules, it's just not practical to do things with them on a weekly basis and were not always interested in the same things.
So...I've decided that I'm going to choose somewhere to go every other weekend by myself! My anxiety levels are going through the roof just at the thought of this, but I'm hoping this will help with that and allow me to realise that it's OK to spend time in your own company and that opinions of the people around you really don't matter. I have a list of art exhibitions I want to go and see so that the next few weeks sorted and when the weather gets better I may even plan a little overnight stay at a spa in the lakes.
LISTEN TO MORE PODCASTS: Thanks to my obsession with everything that's
sheereluxe, podcasts have become my new favourite thing. While on holiday last November I started listening to their podcasts, chatting about everything from fashion, travel, beauty, and TV, it's just like being sat around the table with your friends chatting about everyday life. I've also started listening to The Fringe of it, You're Booked and Grazia life advice. There are hundreds of podcasts out there that I haven't even discovered yet, so if you have any recommendations please leave them below.
SHOP LESS, WEAR MORE: Towards the end of last year, sustainability was a very hot topic that really got me thinking about the way I shop for clothes. I've always been the kind of person that buys an item of clothing for two simple reasons; I really like it and will get a lot of wear out of it. I never ask myself if I really needed it or isn't it just the same as the other 5 plain black polo necks you already have in the wardrobe? Now it's the latter questions that I ask myself when looking at clothes, and considering I haven't bought anything new this year I'm all for streamlining my wardrobe.
For me, the reality is that I shouldn't have to be constantly on the lookout for new items of clothing to buy purely for a night out, to shoot for an Instagram or blog post and then shove it to the back of your wardrobe for the foreseeable. I want to be able to share the wardrobe of clothes that I already have, love and can be worn year after year, season after season with the occasional new dress, jumper, skirt or blazer thrown in because it will work with the rest of my wardrobe. With that said last weekend I had a wardrobe detox and got rid of over 80 items of clothing and shoes, some of which I will be donating to charity and the others I will be selling on my depop.
So there we have it my goals for the next 12 months, there may only be a few but something to work towards, I may achieve some quicker than others and I may even think of a few more as the year goes on!
Dress: Elvi | Roll Neck: ASOS Curve | Boots: Next | Earrings: Zara
