Updated 20/08/16
With 1 day till my birthday, I thought I would update you all on my progress!
Today is my birthday…my 34th Birthday to be exact. In the weeks leading up to my birthday I am always in a reflective mood. Taking time to examine area’s in my life in which I have grown and areas that I feel most definitely could be improved.
This year I approached my birthday in a very different way. I find it somewhat cliché that on the 1st January everyone sets New Year resolutions or goals for the next 365 days. So with that, I decided I would use my birthday this year to set some personal goals for myself for the next year. These goals are more about making positive changes within my life, changes that will allow me to fulfil my dreams.
So…..
My 10 Goals for August 2015 – August 2016
Staying Positive!
Although this may sound very cliché, I have decided to remain positive even when faced with negative situations and people. In the past I have always allowed negative energy to affect my energy especially when I am in a good space. I will stay positive by not allowing anyone’s negative comments or thoughts to set up shop in my mind. I have to always remember that my dreams are just that MY DREAMS and most times some people will not understand or be able to see my vision and that’s all right, as long as I truly believe in my dreams anything is POSSIBLE!
I can definitely stay that I have stuck to this goal this year and I have remained not only positive but thankful and grateful and some wonderful things have happened as a result! This will be a continual goal throughout life!!
A Successful Business
Last year I started my own business and to say it has been challenging is an understatement. This year I will push my business to its full potential by planning more and trying new things to help market my brand better.
This goal has somewhat been a challenge but I will not give up. I am now taking my business in a new direction. I will continue to work on this goal for the next year until I can achieve this goal!
Travel More
Being a single parent with a low or no existent income at times has meant that Ky and I haven’t been able to travel as much as we both would like. Yes…Ky has the travel bug also. So this year I would love to travel more and the goal is to have at least 2 holidays this year, with one holiday being to Florida!
I have not been able to achieve this goal due to a number of other big changes. That has meant we have been unable to really focus on this goal. I am however in the process of booking to attend my Brother’s wedding In Ibiza and to also visit my Cousin in Germany!
New Home
Again I am not financially in the greatest position to be buying a house…well at least not in London and so I am in the process of getting us moved. Do not underestimate, I AM thankful and grateful for having a place to call my own but the flat is in need of repair and we have also outgrown it and need more space. So I AM affirming that….KY and I will be in our new home before the end of 2015.
Yippee! This goal has been achieved!! Can you tell I have a big fat smile on my face?! It’s funny because I affirmed at the beginning of 2015 that this was the last year Ky and I would live in the place we were in. Everyone asked me how and my reply was always I don’t know but we will have moved by 2016! We officially moved into our new place at the end of January 2016! It was literally in October that we got confirmation that we would be moving. Again another example of how faith and affirmations can help you to achieve your goals even when you have no idea how you will!!
Being more CREATIVE
I AM a very creative person but in the last few years my creative self has taken a back seat, as I have been trying to make a life for myself and my son. However in the last couple of weeks I have started to understand that I could use this creativity to create a better life for myself and Ky. I AM at my happiest when I AM creating and so I will be drawing and painting more, making more videos, vlogs and also working on building this blog!
For this goal, I can say I am somewhat being more creative in terms of my business but not really for pleasure. So this coming year I am really going to being working harder on both my blog and YouTube channel.
Getting Healthier
Well I am proud to say I started this with my 30 day pescetarian diet challenge in June. However as well as eating better, I want to exercise more to a point it becomes a part of my lifestyle and not just something I am doing to lose weight and then stop when I have achieved my goal weight. At the moment I AM walking Ky to school which is at least 25 minutes away. So by the time I have walked there and back I have done 50 minutes of walking all before 9.30am! I have also decided to get another Xbox 360 as I have a few fitness games that I used before that really helped especially as our schedule is getting busy again.
This is another goal I can half say is completed, but there are still areas for improvement. I transitioned to a Pescetarian diet back in 2015 but went back to eating meat during and after we moved as life was a little hectic. However in April 2016, I transitioned back but I still need to improve but doing more exercise!
Quality Time with Family and Friends
We all say this…I wish I had more time to spend with my family and friends and I have started to realised that you will make time for those that are most important to you. For me, my main goal is to make more time. I especially would like to spend more time with my niece and nephew and brother and sister. They all live in both Rochdale and Oldham and Ky and I rarely get to see them. I promised them, Ky and I that we will come up during the holidays so that the kids could bond and we could get to know each other better as we were all separated during our childhood.
I have been really trying to make more time and I can definitely say I have seen and spoken to family and friends more than I have the previous year. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to get up to Manchester at all, with moving and starting a new job but my Brother, his Fiancée, my niece and Nephew are coming down to spend a few days with Ky and I.
Reading More
I have always loved reading, but as life got more complicated and hectic, I didn’t seem to have the time to read. I believe it’s important to read not only self educate but to expand your imagination and escape for the reality of life even if its for just 30 minutes a day! I always love reading stories that leave an impact on my life. Especially when a writer makes a character so real that, long after you finish the book, you wonder, what is going on in their life now! I also want to help encourage Ky to read more and feel this would be a perfect way to set a great example. I plan to read for at least 30 minutes a day either in the morning or at night or even both.
Another goal that is half completed. I did hope to have read more books than I have. However there was one book I wanted to re-read and that I have completed. I can truly say it has been hard to find 30 minutes each day to read with some much upheaval and due to our place needing a lot of decorating, we are still somewhat living out of boxes. I have though started a new book and this goal will be taken over to next year but a little more refined!
Graphic Design
Over the last few months I have become more interested in doing Graphic Design or at least using it within my business. I would like to complete a course but many are very expensive and so I will be saving this next year so that I can enrol to start my course September 2016, if it becomes feasible I will enrol in January 2016.
I have not been able to complete this goal but it’s understandable as only moved in January and then started a new job in April so life has been very hectic! I am aiming to be enrolled by January 2018 or September 2018. I haven’t given up on this goal!
Raising My Confidence
This last goal is almost the key to completing all of the 9 above! My confidence over the last nearly 10 years has taken a bashing! Sometimes we can allow what others think of us to affect who we are. You may be confident in your choices and beliefs and who you are but they will have you second guessing yourself to the point that you no longer know who you are. I have worked over the last few years to gain my confidence back, not just my self confidence but my confidence in my abilities. This is again in line with goal number 1…staying positive…not allowing anyone to plant any seeds of doubt in my mind!! One of my daily affirmations that will help me is, ‘I AM now free from self-doubt and filled with self confidence that I AM confident in my ability to do whatever I set my mind to!’
This goal will forever be a work in progress! Confidence I believe changes as you get older and have certain experiences. Some experiences can help to boost your confidence and others can affect it but as long as you can identify when your confidence has been knocked you can always work on raising your confidence!
I believe all of these goals are achievable! It may seem like a lot of goals but I have 365 days to complete or implement them! No excuses…As long as I stay positive…I can achieve anything I set my mind to.
I would love to hear, how do you set goals for yourself? Do you also set yourself goals on your birthday or just on New Year’s Eve or day? If so what are those goals and have you completed any?
