My New Year’s Resolutions

2016 was a rough year for the world and I think most of us breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was finally over!

For me, personally, 2016 was a year of self-discovery. I found out more about who I am and what I want from life and although it was definitely a year of ups and downs, it also helped me to come to a lot of important conclusions.

• I realised that writing is what makes me happiest and that it doesn’t really matter what job I’m doing as long as it allows me to work on my blog in my spare time.
• I realised that I needed to take better care of my health and went from not being able to run a mile to running my first half marathon in only six months.
• I realised that I have some absolutely wonderful friends that are always there for me regardless of whether they are around the corner or across the channel.
• I realised that I am excited to see what the future holds for me here in my home away from home.

So, based on all my realisations, I have made some new and positive resolutions that I hope will only help continue my journey of self-discovery!

NUMBER ONE

Conquer my anxiety issues – there, I said it, or rather, wrote it. The cat is out of the bag, I suffer from anxiety and I’ve decided to share this with you. I’ve always been a worry wart (as my mother would say) but I’ve suffered with anxiety since the age of about 22. After a bad relationship left me struggling to believe in my own self-worth, I found myself lost and confused, unsure how to proceed with my self-confidence in its current state …tatters. It was a difficult, long and painful process but time heals all wounds and it certainly helped heal mine. I spent a while alone, learning that self-worth came from within and that to be happy with yourself was the key to happiness later in life. These were important lessons which I continue to live by and I’m happy to say that with regards to my personal life I have no anxiety issues at all. However, I still have a long way to go regarding my anxiety issues when it comes to my professional life, with work still affecting me more than it should. That’s why this year I’d like to learn how to control these issues and hopefully be in a better place by the end of the year.

NUMBER TWO

Finish THAT book – Anyone who dreams of being a writer, or perhaps already is, will understand why this is my number one resolution for 2017. Writing a book is so much harder than I ever imagined but the only way I’ll ever finish one is if I dedicate enough time and effort to it. In 2017 I WANT to finish my novel!

NUMBER THREE

Don’t make a resolution to lose weight – This might sound odd but EVERY time I make this resolution I fail. I lose weight, look great for about a month and then put it back on. This year I want to set a different goal. My new and improved goal is to learn how to eat better and learn why it’s important to be healthy. I want to make better food choices, continue to exercise more and be a healthier person all-round.

NUMBER FOUR

Learn to cook! – Today’s blog seems to be all about confessions so here’s another one – I’m a god awful cook. My other half does all the cooking because if I’m left to my own devices I overcook pasta! Learning to cook is also an after effect of resolution number 3, as being healthier also means understanding what exactly you are putting in your body. Cooking helps with that, after all, you are what you eat!

NUMBER FIVE

Run at least 3 half marathons – This is my last but not least resolution for the year. Last year, thanks to my wonderful friend Laura, I discovered my love of running and I can’t wait to push myself further this year. If last year taught me anything it’s never underestimate yourself, you can do anything you set your mind to, you just have to have the courage to do it.

Et voilà! 

There you have it, my five resolutions for 2017 that I intend to follow. These are the things I want to accomplish most in the next year and I promise to update you all regularly on how it’s going!

I also want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for following my blog, I’m now up to over 1500 readers every single month and the blog is going from strength to strength. You all made this possible so from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU and I can’t wait to bring more blogging to you in this new and exciting year!

Chloe – My Life Living Abroad xox