New Year Goals

Happy New Year!

I took a little break in December, as you may have noticed from the telltale lack of content recently. I managed to get the flu and then was so busy with general life things that I didn't have the time or motivation to get back to writing. So I gave myself a little life-break, I didn't apply for jobs, I took a backseat on social media and just allowed myself to enjoy the holidays and spending all that extra time with family and friends. 

Not only was it refreshing to take a step back from the all-consuming bloggersphere, but it actually really helped me to focus in on what I want from 2017. I got to spend the entire Christmas period with Dan and in that time we have really planned our year and have some solid ideas in place for what we want from life this year. 

The new year is always a time when we reflect on our lives and the year that just passed and try to make commitments to do the next year differently or better. I don't really like the term "resolutions" purely because I don't want to have to resolve myself to do something, It's already starting off the year with a list of things I don't really want to do. Instead, I like to call them goals. It's a subtle difference in the language but it always makes me feel better. A goal I can work towards, a resolution I'm stuck with. 

So of course, I want to make a physical list of my New Year goals for not only my own benefit and holding myself accountable but also because it may inspire you to set a couple of goals yourself! 

• Stop buying so many books. I have an obscene amount of books that I've still not read and I was getting into the habit of buying books purely for the sake of buying books, This year I need to make better financial decisions and that includes not making silly purchases. I've written a refined list of 15 books to buy in the year of 2017. If it's not on the list, I'm not going to buy it. 
• Start my career. This probably doesn't even need to be here it's so painfully obvious, but 2017 is the year when I finally find my career path. I know I want to work in social media, marketing or publishing but I'm really looking for a position that gives me the opportunity to gain valuable experience so I can grow a career for myself. I've applied for some really exciting positions already in the past week so I'm feeling very hopeful. 
• Move out. Once I've managed to gain employment I will be able to save and move out of my family home. I love my parents and they are incredibly supportive and patient, but I am dying to have some freedom back since leaving University. Dan and I already have a pretty solid plan in place but it's pretty hush-hush for now so you will have to watch this space! 
• Lose my Uni weight. Like a lot of people, I gained a fair amount of weight at Uni and I have been struggling to lose it ever since. This year I'm really focusing on my diet and exercise and making sure that I eat predominately vegan in the weekdays with the occasional eggs & fish on the weekend. However, this is more than just a diet to lose weight, I have transitioned from a full-on Carnivore to a Pescetarian in 2016 and it took me the best part of 4-5 months to get to a happy and HEALTHY place with my diet. 
• Spend more time on self-care. Something I really improved in 2016, was the amount of time I spent looking after my mental health. I've learnt to balance my work/personal life and when to turn off my phone and enjoy the real world. It's something I really want to carry forward into 2017. 
• Create content that I want to create. I adore this little blog, 2017 will mark 4 years of Bambi's Blogs and I feel like it has changed so much since the early days when I set it up to talk about makeup and skincare in-between leaving college and starting university. Nowadays I'm less focused on beauty and makeup but more interested in books, lifestyle and cooking. I still do the occasional review posts and Lush is always going to be a regular feature, but as I'm entering my 23rd year, I really want my space on the net to reflect what I'm interested in right now and that is predominately lifestyle topics.

That's it! That's my goal list laid out in front of you for the world to see. I also hope to rescue a dog and a couple of cats but it's obviously subject to moving out and tenancy agreements so I'm keeping that one to myself for the most part until things become a little clearer in a couple of months time. However, do not fear, once those plans are made, this blog will become an animal showcase - I'm not even kidding.  

I hope you continue with me on this journey this year and I'm really excited to create some interesting and fun content in 2017!