That was January

Hey there! Can you believe the first month of 2018 is over already?! It’s flown by so fast! It’s been a good month, this year feels like it’s off to a really good start. We saw in the New Year with friends by the sea, which was the best way to start a New Year! Sea air always clears away the cobwebs and makes me feel peaceful. I came home feeling refreshed, full of motivation and totally ready to rock 2018.

Personally, I feel like this month has been a huge new start for me. Last year seemed defined by my anxiety and depression, which I worked hard to get under control. This month I’ve felt SO good, it’s been a couple of months since I’ve had a panic attack, I feel relaxed, not anxious at all, and happy. Yay! I set myself some goals at the start of the year, which have been great motivators for me. I’ve already read 4 fiction books {well on track to hit my target of 12 in a year!}, am busy studying for my theory test – hoping to get that booked in next month, AND I’ve been vlogging consistently – that was a big one for me, as last year I just didn’t have the confidence to be on camera. I’ve been working out following the #BBG programme and am feeling fitter and stronger than ever. I have big plans that this year will be an amazing one for me to step into my own.

As a family, it’s been a good month too. We’ve had fun together – cinema trips, movie nights, board games, late night chats – family time is so important to me, all five of us together but it’s equally important that I make one-on-one time for each of the kiddos. Lola and I get a little more, as we have the days together when the other three are with their Dad – we went to the cinema together one day, and out for coffee and cake another.  We’re about to re-do our family rules and vision board that we made last year – it’s due an update I think – it’s good to make sure we have some common goals and remember we’re a team and to work together. It’s not all perfect – there are times the kiddos seem to nothing but argue, or annoy each other, but that’s part of life. What’s important is that we’re making memories to last, having fun and spending time together.

I also got the kids to set their own goals this year, which really has encouraged them to think about the things they are doing, and how they spend their time. It gave them a little control over their education too, as they came up with a few thing each that they wanted to learn this year.

I’ve spent a little time this month working on a ‘January Book’ after seeing Hannah Bullivant sharing hers on Instagram. I have to say, it’s been great to sit down and actually figure out a long-term plan {which shamefully I’ve never done before}, to look at the most important areas in my life and see how they were last year and decide how I want them to look and feel this coming year. It has really made me stop and think about how I want my life to look, feel and be, to decide what is important and what isn’t, and give me some long-term goals to work towards.

It’s an amazing feeling when you realise that you have total control over your own life, and are completely free to shape it however you want. It’s freeing to be able to let go of things and people that are not helping you be who you want, or are even holding you back. I’m excited to see what the rest of the year brings!