At the start of 2019 I made the conscious decision to share my goals in this very blog post. For some reason, seeing them written down and knowing that other people can see them too, gives me a whole lot more motivation to complete them. As I feel like I'm not the only one invested in whether or not I accomplish them.
So I thought that it might be worth sitting down at the end of each quarter of 2019 to let you know both how I'm getting on with those 2019 goals. And what I've been up to more generally since we last spoke.
I also wanted to share a couple of good things that have happened. Particularly at a time when all we're hearing about on the news or in the newspapers is doom and gloom. And a word that I wish I could mute in real life *Brexit*.
So here's how I'm getting on with my 2019 goals so far, some good things that have happened since January. And what I'm excited about going forward;
The first quarter...
January
Getting my finances in order - I wanted to start 2019 off right by doing something that I'd been meaning to do for ages. And that was to open up a Help To Buy ISA. The entire process was so quick and easy to do. And I kinda felt like kicking myself for not doing it sooner. If you're in a similar position to me and are even thinking about saving for a deposit in the next 5 years. You have until the end of November this year to open one. At least I could immediately check this goal off my list this year.
I also decided to have a real goal in mind in terms of what I want to earn in the new tax year, so from April onwards. I had a few out of the blue collaborations and paid campaigns in 2018. And I'm hoping that 2019 will be even more fruitful.
Konmari'ing my drawers - I also made a start to my Konmari goal by refolding everything in my set of drawers and just generally Marie Kondo'ing them. And I have to say, unbelievably, I have actually managed to maintain them as it just makes getting ready so much easier. All I need to do now is actually tackle all the other Konmari categories!
February
Turning 27 & I'm not complaining - I'm officially another year older. And it's something that I certainly don't take for granted. On the exact same day as my birthday my Dad had hobbled along to our favourite restaurant, thinking that he had a little blister in between his toes. A few days later he was rushed into hospital where they found out that he had had a blood clot. And very luckily, it had went down to his toe and not up to his heart or brain, which could have been fatal.
It's never nice seeing anyone not feeling 100%. But seeing how it's really impacted day to day life for him has been a little bit heartbreaking at times. It looks like he is on the mend now. But it was quite the scare for all of us for a little while.
The Blog & Beyond Workshop - That Saturday, unaware of what was happening at the hospital, I headed along to the first Blog & Beyond workshop that I've been able to make. And it was such an informative day that had me brimming with ideas and inspiration.
Charlotte and her guest speakers Kirsty and Briony, did such a great job. And even though I completely understand and support her decision to take a break from one of about 90 different jobs that Charlotte is juggling. I would be the first person to sign up for the next workshop! Let me know if you'd like to know some of the top tips and takeaways that I got from the workshop. And how I'll be putting them into practice on here and on social media.
March
Meeting Alex Steinherr - I've had a few pinch me moments during the 5 years I've been blogging. And having a meeting with one of my favourite stores and beauty writer inspirations to discuss her brilliant budget skincare range, has definitely now been added to that list. It was also so nice to spend the day with Sandra (The Black Pearl Blog) chatting, taking photos and having a snoop through Primark.
Switching to WordPress - Completely inspired by the Blog & Beyond workshop. I decided to finally bite the bullet and make the switch from Blogger to WordPress. This was one of my biggest 2019 goals.
I did quite a bit of research into everything (let me know if you'd like to read a blog post on how it wasn't as scary as I thought). But unfortunately you can't prepare for every eventuality.
It was just my luck that me making that change coincided with everything that happened regarding Pipdig. I won't go into too much detail here. But if you don't know what I'm talking about, simply type Pipdig into Twitter and you'll see exactly what I mean. The day that my new WordPress blog went live, my entire blog (every post that I'd ever written, every photo, every comment; everything) was wiped. Thankfully my web host Lyrical Host, who I can't recommend enough, do daily backups. Or I would have lost everything.
I'm still getting used to WordPress as it definitely is a big adjustment. But I've already seen a massive difference in my page speed. And hopefully my SEO will follow suit. Now just to find a new theme that I like, about two weeks after I purchased this one.
The next quarter...
I've got quite a few things to look forward to in the next quarter of 2019. And even more 2019 goals to achieve. So let's see what I have planned for April to June;
April
3 books in 3 months - I am mere pages away from finishing my third book of 2019! As someone who probably hasn't even read 3 books in the past 3 years, this is a real achievement for me. It took me a while to get into Crazy Rich Asians (book 3 of 2019). But I'm now set on picking up the next two books in the series this month.
To keep up to date with what I'm currently reading, be sure to check out my Goodreads bookshelf.
May
A mother/daughter trip to NYC & Miami - Me and my parents had planned on doing a few days in New York followed by our normal holiday to Orlando this May but sadly due to my Dad's blood clot and his doctor confirming that he would be unable to fly for at least the rest of 2019. We came to the decision to keep our NY booking and add a few days somewhere hot and sunny. So that we could still get what we love about Florida without having to worry about driving.
If you've ever been to Miami and specifically South Beach, what do we need to do? We're only spending a few nights in each city so really want to get the most out of our little trip to the US this year.
June
An overnight stay in London - Before my Dad took ill, me and my Mum had planned to have a little overnight getaway, like we did last year when we went to Edinburgh thanks to Kia Motors. Neither of us have been before. And all we really have planned is a spot of shopping and hopefully some good grub.
Again, if you've been to London before, what is a must-do?
How has 2019 been going for you so far? Do you have anything exciting planned or in the works for the rest of the year? And what have you been proud of yourself for doing recently?
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