New Year’s Resolutions: 2017 Round-Up

Can you believe that we are almost at the end of 2017 already? No, me either! It’s come round so quick. I feel like I say this all the time now, but it’s so true, time just seems to fly by. It’s been a real mixed bag, 2017 has dealt some awesome times, brilliant trips, but also unsettling news, and occasionally devastating blows. But enough of that, what about the resolutions I set at the beginning of the year? How have I done?

Just to recap, my New Years Resolutions can be found here, and have found that regularly checking in has helped me try and be accountable for the resolutions I made all the way back in January. Click here for a peek and a recap for 1st quarter check-in, 2nd quarter check-in, and 3rd quarter check-in.

Well, I am going to fill you in. I’ve decided to do a traffic light colour system this year. Green for completed, orange for given it a good go, and red for failed. Sounds simple?!

Lifestyle

Exercise:  I do bits here and there across different types of exercise, and would like to improve my fitness for health and activity reasons. This year, I aim to walk/gym/HIIT/swim/play hockey at least 3 times per week, for a period of at least 30minutes (or complete workout in the case of HIIT)

I have put this as orange, because there have been large parts of the year that I have done little exercise, due to laziness and ill health at different points. I have also had some really good points, and really have got better at doing regular exercise since I started my Fat Friday posts (which you can explore here).

Eat healthier: I realise this sounds vague, so bear with me. I aim to cook at least 5 nights a week, and to start taking my lunch to work everyday.

I really feel like I have made a conscious and successful to eat healthier this year. Emma and I have eaten out, of course, and I’ve lapsed on holidays and special occasions, but I have found new recipes that I like and really have tried to make the food I eat better for me. It’s helped with Fat Friday too!

Lose Weight: I lost a lot of weight while travelling a couple of years ago, and slowly that weight has creeped back on. In conjunction with the previous two resolutions, my aim for 2017 is to lose 10% of my body weight over the course of the year.

I have put this as a partial success because I don’t actually know how much I have completed or failed by. I didn’t weigh myself at the beginning of the year (probably the biggest failure with this one) so I don’t know how much I have put on or lost, but, Fat Friday has seen me lose a decent amount of weight, so when I have been tracking it, I have been doing well. This will be my big focus for 2018 I think. I really want to concentrate on my health and fitness.

Tidy Room: My room has a tendency to spiral out of control into a messy state, so I aim to keep my room tidy and clean at all times throughout the year.

This has been an unmitigated disaster. I am not a naturally tidy person, and when it’s my space that effects no-one else, I just don’t tidy it. I know it’s bad, but I need to be honest with myself when it comes to attainable goals about tidying my room. I’d love to say it was tidy, and it was for sections of the year, but it’s just a mess.

Tidy Car: My car also has a tendency to spiral out of control into a messy state, so I aim to keep my car clean and tidy at all times throughout the year.

Since getting my new car, it has been nice and tidy. It could do with a little bit of a hoover at the moment, but that’s about it. This is a huge improvement for me, and has made me feel a lot better when I am in my car. I know it would be the same with my room if I did it, but I just don’t for some reason.

Bullet Journal: I have just bought and collected a Leuchtturm1917 bullet journal in the hopes of organising and managed the different aspects of my life and resolution with more efficiency and accuracy, therefore, I am to keep a bullet journal for 2017.

Yes, this is a failure, but I think it is a calculated one. I gave it a go at the beginning of the year, but quickly found it wasn’t for me and didn’t help. I have started using a standard diary towards the end of the year, so I think I might try that approach going into 2018. I don’t see this as a disappointed failure, and if anything I am pleased with myself for realising that and just abandoning it for something that I wanted to prioritise.

Bucket List: I have a bucket list (which can be found here) which I have been slowly working through over the past few years. This year, I would like to cross off at least 3 things.

I crossed one thing off my bucket list. That’s another thing I’ve done, but it’s hardly as many as I would like to be doing. That said, I’ve done a lot of awesome and eye-opening things this year, which is still awesome.

Overall

I am reasonably happy with this section, because the most important elements in my life are the ones that I have been most successful with. I have really put a focus on my health in the last 2 months of the year, and it’s worked, and really your health is the most important thing. Yes, I’d like my life to be more ordered and tidy, and I’d like to do more crazy bucket list things, but I feel better when I am fitter and lighter. I am definitely going to continue with Fat Friday into 2018, and on next year’s resolution list.

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Travel

Liverpool: I have travelled all around the world, but often neglect my brilliant home town. Liverpool has parks, a rivers, museums, galleries, and many more fascinating places that I neglect to visit. Every month I want to do something ‘touristy’ in my home town.

I love Liverpool. I like showing people round, and I think having Emma here has made me think a little more about what the city has to offer. I’ve definitely done some new thing, like the Museum of Liverpool and the Food and Drink Festival, and visited some new restaurants, but I haven’t done nearly as much as I wanted to. This definitely needs to be a bigger focus in 2018 I think.

The UK: The UK is a brilliant place full of many beautiful and interesting places that are worth visiting right on my doorstop. This year, I aim to visit ten new places in England, and the UK in 2017.

OK, so I’ve definitely not visited 10 new places that I can think of, but I have done bits and bobs that I haven’t done before, so it’s not a complete failure. I’ve visited Christmas markets in both Birmingham and Manchester that I haven’t done before. I’ve visited new places in London, like Greenwich, and just geenrally done a little more when I have been in cities like London. That said, I didn’t get that close to the target, but it has made me realise how many places there are in the UK that I really want to visit, so I think it’s something I am going to make my travel focus next year.

The World: I love travelling new places, and new countries, so in 2017, I want to visit at least 6 different countries. 

I think that I technically completed this early/mid-March, which is pretty good going considered we were only 2 and a half months in. I have travelled outside of the UK quite a lot this year, and have definitely visited considerably more places in America than I have in the UK, but that’s just how things happen sometimes when you travel. I know that I won’t visit many new countries, or even cities, next year, but I will still travel and love it I’m sure!

Overall

I have really enjoyed completing these resolutions, or in some cases working towards them, and know that I have taken the most of the opportunities I have had to travel abroad. I could have done more in the UK, and know that this will be the only area I can realistically work on in 2018.

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Reading/Books

Readathons: I love a good readathon, and will probably complete a few in the next year, but as a minimum, I want to complete all 24hr readathons and Bout of Books in 2017.

I’ve had a really good year with readathons. I’ve taken part and been an expert for Bout of Books, I’ve taken part in 24hr readathons, 24 in 48 readathons, tome topple, cosy reading nights, Reading Quest, and House Cup reading challenge. That’s not bad. The best bit? I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve made some new friends, and I have read a wider range of books because of it.

52 books:  I want to read at least 52 books during 2017, and make a note of each one of these books for an end of year round up.

I’ve proudly smashed this. Like obliterated. I finished it quite early on in the year, so reset it to 75. I then hit that quite early, so reset it to 1o0. Then, I hit that, and reset it to 120. I’ve just completed that, and think that 120 (over double what I planned to read) is a pretty decent total. Not only that, I’ve read a mix of genres, I’ve read some classics, and I’ve read in different formats, so it’s been a good year. I have tailed off for a variety of reasons, but I am hoping that Bout of Books 21 at the beginning of January will help set me back on track.

Old and New Books: To limit the amount of books I buy without reading, I set a challenge to read at least 3 books already on my shelf for every new book I buy/obtain.

Hahaha, this failed within the 1st quarter if I am being honest. I have loved being able to afford to by more books, and reading new books I have bought. I have got better as the year has gone on. I think I am going to employ a new tactic next year, so watch this space!

Overall

This has, without doubt, been my most successful challenge group. I have done really well with the challenges that matter, and not only that, but added layers to it as the year has gone on. Yes, I’ve failed at accumulating books, but I’m not that surprised really. I think reading will form a large part of my 2018 resolutions list, as I’ve been both successful at it, and enjoyed it.

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TV and Film

IMDb Top 250:  In uni, I copied down the top 250 at the time, and have watched some of those films. By the end of 2017, I would like to have seen at least 150 of these films.

I have probably crossed more off than I realise on this list because I have watched a few films this year, but I haven’t done it with reference to this list. If I am honest, I completely forgot this was on here, again, and I’m OK with that. I think for now I am happy just watching what I want to watch rather than people telling me it’s good so I should watch it.

TV Shows: I am good at starting to watch things and then starting something new before I finish watching the show I originally started. This year, before I start new Netflix/Prime shows, I want to be up to date all of the TV shows I began watching before Jan 2017.

This year has been a great year for TV watching, but if I’m honest, I don’t think I am any closer to being up to date with my shows. I have more on streaming sites that I can watch, but I’ve definitely added to the list rather than shorten it. It’s been good TV though, so I’m not complaining.

Overall

This section has been a complete failure, and to be honest I think I will leave it completely out next year. I just haven’t had any level of engagement with it, and it’s so low on my priorities now that I don’t think I’ll bother to aim for anything like this in 2018 either.

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Blog/Social Media

Twitter Chats: This year, I discovered interacting with others via twitter chat. I really like this world, so this year, I aim to complete at least one twitter chat every fortnight. (To follow on twitter: twitter.com/LizHannah25)

At the beginning of the year, I found some new chats, and was taking part in chats I liked. I have engaged on different hashtags throughout the year, but I’ve done it without any regularity, or with any real purpose. I really like them when I take part, but I don’t particularly plan for them, factor them into my schedule, and I’m not that gutted when I miss one.

Instagram: I love photos, and think that this is a great way to show off the different aspects of life. This year, I aim to actively invest in my Instagram and post a minimum of 3 photographs a week. (To follow on instagram: instagram.com/lizwhitehouse25/)

OK, so my posts haven’t been super varied throughout the year, and I post with varying degrees of regularity, but I have posted more. I utilise more facilities, such as editing and Insta Stories, and I’ve enjoyed taking photos a lot more. I think having my new phone has helped me on with this. I say it’s new, I got my Samsung S8 in April, but I still call it new.

Blog Posts: This year has seen patches of blogging silences, and stretches of daily posts. While the former was definitely not good, the latter was harder to maintain, so, in light of this, I’m setting more reasonable goals. This year, I am aim to blog at least 4 times a week.

I really feel like I have got into a good rhythm with my blogging. Yes, I have had a couple of droughts, but I have come back.  I have done Blogmas this year, where I decided to post every day in December, and it’s made me really think about when I post, about the content I want to post vs the content I feel is just filler, and about scheduling ahead.

Blog Diversity: I tend to blog about things I like, and different things from my life, so in 2017, I aim to blog about at least 3 different things per week e.g. travel, books, lifestyle, TV/Film.

In one sense, I’ve posted a lot more about books this year than I usually do, but, I have posted a review for everything I have read. I’ve posted about adulting, travelling, TV/Film, lifestyle, weight loss, and I’ve enjoyed dipping in and out of the things I enjoy writing about.

Comments: I love it when other bloggers interact with me on my blog, so I am looking to start doing this with others. I have recently become a Bout of Books Expert and have started commenting on others posts, which I am hugely enjoying. This year, I aim to comment on 365 blog posts, which is at least one blog post every day.

I really feel quite guilty about this because I am quite poor at engaging with other blogs. It’s not through a lack of liking other blogs, I just read them on the go,o r get distracted at work, and then forget to go back and comment regularly. Oh well, it’s something to work on next year, right?

Overall

This has been a bit of a mixed bag, but I really feel like the good points have been really good, and have made me think about things more concisely. I don’t really know that I want from my blog, but, this year has made me think a lot more objectively about it, which is good going forward into the new year. I’ve learnt a lot about social media and the way I engage with it. I know life is not all about comments, views, and followers, but I have seen this rise across all my platforms

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Well, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag all round really, hasn’t it? There have been some successes, and some failures, and lots of learning curves. I really feel like I have taken stock of things that are important to me and ran with them, and then abandoned the things that have become a low priority. I’ve tried new things with social media and blogging, and have begun to learn what works for me and what doesn’t. Most of all, I have a better sense of things that I want to work on going forward into 2018, so 201watch this space for my new resolutions.

Have you made any resolutions this year? How have they gone for you? What are you going to do in 2018, will you be making any resolutions? Stay tuned for my 2018 resolutions post!

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