New year, new me.

New year, same me... just with some improvements.

What I love about a new year is how we have a significate amount of time to reflect on. Personally, I always think about who I was at the start of the year, and who I'm taking with me into the new year. I look back over the year and pick out the memories that stand out for me the most; the good and the bad. The things I said I would do but didn't, and the things I said I would never do, but did. The people who have come into my life, and the ones who have left. My proudest moments, and those times I felt amazing.

Even though I'm sure you already know, but just in case you're very new here, last month I took part in Blogmas, and it became my biggest blogging achievement to date. It wasn't because my stats had increased, or that I was able to post for 24 days, (you can read more about it here), but more of what it signified to me. I took an idea which just popped into my head and turned it into a concept. I planned it, executed it, and shared it. It was something I had worked so hard on, and finally seeing it all come together was a proud feeling I never feel too often. I had done something I never thought I could do, and not only that, but I had the time of my life completing it, which evidently made it even better than I could have ever imagined.

Finishing the year off in that way was perfect for me. I was literally touching the top of a metaphorical graph of life, and even though I am looking down, and I can feel myself slightly tipping over, I can still remember that feeling of being on top, and I'm going to work hard this year, and for every year after, to feel that way again.

So what are my plans?

I clearly can't wait until December to take part in Blogmas again, so I have a few more ideas. Every year I would make a list of resolutions on the things I wanted to change about myself. It was great, but not the greatest way to achieve the real things for me. Then I started to make goals, which was an improvement as they did help, but I guess they were just a rush of ideas, which made them seem slightly pointless. I was writing things down which could be achieved but they had no real significance to me after. Looking back, all the goals were set to improve my life. To make me feel good about myself, and what I can do, so this is the idea I am taking forward with me into 2018.

I am concentrating on me.

I'm not going back on my word, but I have made goals. The difference being, these goals probably won't get completed until the end of the year, if that. I'm not putting myself up for failure, but I'm the type of person who likes to think about long-term goals. Goals that allow me to see a progression, and grow as a person. I want to spend my time working on things that I enjoy, that I love, and what I want to do.

For the first time, I am putting myself first; my time, my efforts, my health, and my achievements. I need to start thinking more about if this is what I want to do. It doesn't matter how small it may seem, going forward, I'll be doing it for me, and only me.

I really want to challenge myself this year, because I feel like I need it. I have become too concerned about how people will see me, rather than doing things for me. There are so many things I'd love to do and when I can't think of a real logical reason of why I can't do them, other than the opinions of others, it's now becoming slightly uneasy with me. I want to try things that scare me to the point of no speech. I want to plan things that will keep me up at night for days. I want to feel things other than concern or worry. I want to push my limits and do things I know I'll regret right then, but will love in weeks to come. I don't want to sit here and write a list of everything I want to do, not only will the list be never-ending, but sometimes I need to keep them close to my heart, so this is what I am doing with mine.

I really, really, really, want to start looking after myself more. I will be writing a post about my self-care plan in the next few weeks so I don't want to end up repeating myself, but I really do have to start being strict with myself. I have to take care of my mind, my body, and my soul. To start being a lot more selfish with where and who I spend my time and energy on. Don't worry, I'm not going to turn into a cold-hearted bitch, but I believe that you should put into the world what you want out of it, and the same goes for people. I'm the type of person who will remember even the smallest thing someone will do for me, and I will always try and give that feeling back.

I pride myself on being an ambitious person, but I'm also not a very confident person when it comes to myself or the things that I can do. So this year, I'm working on creating a positive outlook for myself and who I choose to surround myself with. I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it, so that's what I'm going to do this year. I want to feel proud of what I've achieved, without comparing it with someone else's successes. Not only not comparing it to successes, but stop comparing anything I do with someone else. It's crazy how we can lose ourselves because we want to be like someone else, we end up changing the best parts of what makes us, us.

So I'm going to start the year (well it's middle of the month but let's just go with it), in the middle of this metaphorical graph of life, and not only should my focus be on how to be on top, but also how to have that feeling, no matter where I am on that graph. Overall, I just want to feel happy, which I'm sure everyone can agree on.

This was definitely a word vomit of a post, so if you've made it this far, thank you. Let me know in the comments below what was your biggest achievement of 2017, and what goals or resolutions have you chosen for this year.