4 {simple} things for 2017

The start of a New Year brings with it an opportunity to reflect.  On years past and hopes for the future.  A New Year, a chance for new beginnings, to start over.  You may well poo poo New Year resolutions which inevitably fall by the way side by spring but I think there’s something nice about taking stock and mindfully looking ahead to a potentially more fulfilling life.  No matter how big or small your resolutions may be - to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or have a weekly coffee date with yourself it doesn’t really matter.  The point is you’re taking the time to look forward positively.

Reflecting on 2016

2016 has been quite a year.   One of the major adjustments for us has been my return to work after maternity leave and balancing this with life as new parents {blog post coming soon}, I lost my baby weight {plus some}, then regained a few pounds, I trained for and completed a 10k trail race, celebrated the boys’ first birthday, celebrated 3 weddings, made new friends and reconnected with old ones, had some amazing days out and continued to navigate the ever changing landscape of parenthood whilst sneaking in the occasional date night and baby free latte.  It’s been another emotional  rollercoaster of a year and, as with the year before, it’s one I’m very thankful for but also happy to draw a line under and start a fresh in 2017.  

So following on from my last New Year's post - 4 {simple} things for 2016 here are my 4 {simple} things for 2017:

1. To focus on health

This is my main goal for 2017.  I don’t want to diet. I don’t want to restrict. I don’t want to slave away at the gym.  I want to be healthy, eat and live cleanly and hopefully reap the benefits there of.  I’d like to gradually introduce healthy habits and exercise into our daily lives - drink more water, walk, get to bed earlier.  The reality is I don’t have the time, energy or motivation to commit to anything more than that.  So why beat myself up or set unrealistic goals?  I’d like to look after myself, to take pride in how I look and feel and also focus more on mental health.  Watch this space {or takea peek at my latest Pinterest board}.

2. To be more adventurous

I’ve just painted my nails black.  That may sound very mediocre but for a girl who hardly ever ventures away from pinks and pastel this is quite a feat!  And I love it!  So this year I’d  like to try stepping out of my comfort zone and be more adventurous, take more risks, big or small and embrace change J  

3. To have regular family days and date nights

Life is busy.  Mr H has been working 6 days a week for the last ~6 months and his only day off is for daddy daycare {!} whilst I’m at work.  It’s great that he gets to spend a whole day just him and his boys but we hardly ever get to spend any proper time together as a family or just the two of us.  This is something I feel quite strongly about as, you may be shocked to know, I quite like my husband and miss spending time together on a regular basis.  Marrying a chef you expect the unsociable hours and being passing ships in the night but that doesn’t make it any easier.  This year we will be celebrating being together for 10 years – a whole decade {who knew anyone would choose to put up with me for that long?!} and to spend time together is precious. 

4. To blog more regularly!

This year I’d like to commit building up the blog with regular posts and social media.  Why?  Because it’s my outlet, my therapy, it helps me think more clearly and focus.  It helps my confidence, shares experiences, allows self-exploration and connects me with people.  It documents our life and shares our hopes and dreams.  It makes me happy and is something I think about a lot even though I  haven’t been posting very often J  One thing I’m not going to do it put pressure on myself to post every week etc but I definitely want to commit more to posting more regularly J 

So Happy New Year to you all and may 2017 bring you health, peace and prosperity.   

4 Simple Goals Before 2014

In case you hadn't noticed, it's November. Where has the year gone exactly?! If, like me, you  feel like life passes you by in a bit of a blur then this post is for you.  Being busy isn't necessarily a bad thing but sometimes it's helpful to take a step back and refocus before diving back into the bedlam of your daily routine.

Whilst catching up on a few of my favourite blogs I came across a post by A Beautiful Mess called "4 Simple Goals before 2014".  The basis of the challenge is to choose 4 simple goals that will challenge and remind you to create healthy, life-enriching habits before the New Year.

 The rules are simple:

1) Choose simple goals that you may not otherwise get done but that are achievable.

2) Don't choose result orientated goals i.e. rather than to lose 10lbs choose to watch your portion sizes.

3) Choose personal goals.  They can be daily, weekly or one time achievements.

4) Reward yourself when each goal is achieved.

5) Blog about your goals - about each one plus a round up of how you've gotten on before the New Year then leave a link to your blog on the A Beautiful Mess post comment section.

Simples!

So, I've been thinking about what my 4 simple goals would be. There are so many things that, in an ideal world, I would like to achieve but the beauty of this challenge is that by limiting your goals to 4 simple things you're forced to focus on things that you think would really enrich your life. So instead of listing out 100 things that I think would make me happy, what 4 simple things could I focus on between now and 2014 that would really make a difference to my life.

So here we go, my 4 simple goals before 2014 are:

1) To schedule in regular date nights/adventure days with Mr H

2) To fit in some kind of exercise everyday

3) To cook at least one homemade meal from scratch every week

4) To spend more quality time with friends and family

What would your 4 simple goals before 2014 be?