Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020


Wow, long time no see! The last month has honestly been hectic for me and I feel as though I haven't stopped! Although you haven't missed anything interesting - after the excitement of Christmas wore down and the holiday blues set in, I've been drowning in revision and essay deadlines. Amidst all of this chaos, I thought it'd be nice to discuss my goals for the new year and little changes that I'd like to make in 2020, so I hope you enjoy hearing what I want to focus on!

Read more books that I genuinely want to read
Doing an English literature degree means that I naturally read a lot, and quite often I have an average of 3 texts each week that I study. Although I want to continue staying on top of this reading in 2020, I also want to make more time for the books that I want to read and that I'm passionate about, outside of my university curriculum. Working in a bookstore means I'm constantly seeing amazing new releases and intriguing books that I'm dying to read, and so I'm determined to make more time for these in the upcoming year. I'm also the sci-fi and fantasy section owner in my store, and so I want to ensure that I keep up-to-date with new releases and widen my horizons within this genre.

Establish a proper morning routine
When I'm at university, it can be incredibly easy to roll out of bed an hour before my first lecture begins, rush to get ready and then speedwalk to the bus stop to ensure that I make it in on time. However, I'm determined to make the most of my mornings this year and get up earlier to be productive and have a proper routine. Although I'm not back at uni yet, I've started by making sure I have breakfast every morning (either porridge or Weetabix are my go-to) and I've also been doing a workout a couple times a week, which has definitely left me feeling motivated and energised for the day. I've still got to finalise my morning routine, but once it's finished I'm sure I can write a post about it if that's something you'd like to see.

Have a healthier lifestyle
Following on from the last point, 2020 is the year that I really want to start living a much healthier lifestyle. Although I did this intermittently throughout 2019 and had phases of going to the gym and eating healthier, it's not something that I was consistent at. I've started getting back into working out again this year (although from home, since the gym is ridiculously expensive!) and I'm also eager for my dance classes to start again soon. I've also been making a conscious effort to eat more fruit and vegetables, as well as cutting out sugar and unhealthy foods where I can, and I've also been trying to cut down my meat intake where possible. It's actually been a lot easier than I expected - I'd become sick of takeaways by the end of December - but it's only been a few weeks so we'll have to see how it goes!


Up my blogging and social media game
I absolutely adore blogging and it's such a huge passion of mine, however, when I have necessary requirements like university and my part-time job, my blog can get pushed to the bottom of the pile. I really want to get back into posting frequently, both on here and on my social media accounts, and increasing the quality of what you see. I also received a ring light for Christmas so there's really no excuse for my photos to not be amazing now! I'm honestly incredibly excited for this year of blogging ahead, and I've already got tons of ideas that you'll have to keep an eye out for!

Focus on myself more
I love treating other people, but sometimes amongst my busy schedule and hectic life I can forget to treat myself. Whether that's by purchasing a new outfit, having a pamper evening or indulging in a slice of cake and a good book, I want to reward myself and dedicate more time to myself this year. Rather than seeing things like washing my hair as a chore, I want to try and indulge more in my hair and body care routine, taking the time to do little things that I enjoy like painting my nails and fake tanning. So not to be selfish or anything, but this year is going to be all about treating myself again.

Step outside of my comfort zone
I'm very much the type of person who stays within their comfort zone and will only do things that they're comfortable with, but I'm determined to change this and broaden my horizons more this year. I reached a point a few years ago of really challenging myself to be outside of my comfort zone, but when my mental health took a sharp decline I receded back into the comforts of the familiar. I don't really have any particular plans of how I'm going to do this, although my boyfriend and I are taking skiing lessons in a few weeks that I'm absolutely terrified of, so maybe that's a good place to start!

What are your resolutions and plans for the new year? I'd love to know down in the comments!

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