Happy New Year!

I wanted to wish a very happy 2019 to you all and let you know that yes, I am still here! This blog part of my website has always been close to my heart, but sadly it is often the first thing to fall to the wayside when the days and weeks start to get busy!

But I wanted to sign on today to let you know, that moving forward, one of my goals is a weekly blog post for 2019! I don't love public vows for new year's resolutions (for the obvious fact that majority of them end up being a bust which leads me to not updating on them, which leads to less blog posts, which leads to where we are right now!).

I'm going to be honest - 2018 was a bit of a tough one as well. I moved back to Canada at the end of 2017 after almost a decade in London UK. The adjustment to a slower life out in the country has been a little trying at times. It's temporary and we're looking to move this spring (yay adulting!) but throw in a relationship (with a foreigner I uprooted to come with me!), friendships old and new, family commitments, career growth and a puppy (freaking adorable puppy but still) made this year one of the most trying in a long time. I found I let things pile up on me more than I have in the past - my motivation and drive to work on myself took a nosedive in the latter half of the year. 

2018 was also the first year I worked full time start to finish for myself as a freelancer. The freedom it provides is obviously the top attraction for many people - no sole boss, no stuffy office, no annoying team building days. But it can also be very isolating and taxing. There is no "off" time when you work for yourself. I find I constantly blur the lines between "working day" and "off the clock". These are constantly shifting. Work is also usually a constant on vacation which makes it hard to switch my brain off. Setting boundaries is something I'm working on to make sure I'm giving 100% of myself (and still have 100% to give).

Now I'm going into 2019 a little more organized and aware of what this process entails. It's scary but it's also exciting! Along with continuing to work in the luxury yachting world as a marketer and freelance writer, I'm proud to include two new clients in my portfolio for the future - both are part of the local community in different fields, and that was a wee goal of mine for 2018 - grow that sense of community that I found lacking in a big city like London.

And I'm not writing today to say that the clock changed to 12:01 on January 1 and suddenly my perspective shifted. I'm saying it's ok to not have all the plans work out; it's ok to not have 10 resolutions to become the best you; it's ok to have them and not reach them too. Because of this overload, I didn't even have a bright idea of what I wanted to accomplish or create in my 2019 until halfway through the Christmas break when I locked myself in my office and wrote a few things down. I always have plenty of little goals flitting around my head - I have become that person that normally has three or four different books on the go - but I wanted them to be tangible and smart about how I wanted my year to unfold. 

So with a new year beginning with new promises for the year ahead, I thought I'd share just a few of the items I jotted down (perhaps these are the ones I'm most sure about but who can say!)

• Learn to play guitar - this has been a goal for as long as I can remember. I finally bought a guitar in 2017 but it has sat and collected dust in a corner since then (the closest it gets to being played is when our pup, Kingsley's tail hits the strings passing by 😅) BUT this year, I was smart. In our (very large and growing family!) we draw names and with a $50 limit only buy for that person. I asked for guitar lessons offered locally and have the gift certificate to get my butt in gear!
• Run at least one 10km race - I finished 2017 completing one but a few niggly injuries this past year caused me to slow way down. I know one is feasible so I'm putting that down but I'd love to make it more!
• Meditate daily - anyone else constantly have this as their new year goal then by January 16 just can't be bothered? I want to break that chain!
• 10,000 steps a day for 100 days. Having a 6 month old puppy means I have to get my butt up and out (even when it is -30 here in the winter) so I'm hoping this one is a challenge yet achievable! I was getting annoyed that working from home meant plenty less movement. Coupled with living in North America where car is life, I am moving way less than I did in London. I cycled to and from work, used my bike to get around on weekends or had to walk to a bus/tube stop. Making it part of my life is doing wonders for my mood. And oddly, I think I enjoy being outside in winter more and more! ❄️ 
• Finish my novel - this one makes me feel a little vulnerable as I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to tick it off but I started it around this time last year and sit at about 35,000 words so nearly halfway there!

How about you? Have you set any goals for 2019?

*Not forgetting to show gratitude for all the amazing things that also happened in 2018, a small highlight reel: