New Years Resolutions | 1st Quarter Check-In

It’s broken record time my friends, but, can you believe that we are already a quarter of the way through 2019. Winter is starting to look like it’s behind us, the clocks have changed, and spring/summer clothing is definitely in the shops! For the past couple of years, I have made a resolutions list, and then checked back semi-regularly to hold myself accountable and actually think about things to focus my time on. I feel like the first quarter of 2019 has been very mixed, in many ways, so it will be nice to think about what I have accomplished and look forward with focus, determination, and quantifiable motivations.

My 2019 Resolutions list is once again made up of a mixed bag of motivations that were supposed to be carrying me through 2019 in a positive and healthy way. I know that I haven’t had these in the front of my mind this year for a whole host of reasons, but also know that if they were, I would probably be making bigger strides than I am this year.

My list is split up into sections, just like it was on my original 2019 Resolutions list. I’ve kept it like this to see if there are any areas I’m doing better or worse in, and to allow me to look back at different parts of my life separate from the others. I’m also operating a colour scheme this year too, same as I did last year, because it seemed to work really well!

Completed

On Track

Failing

Amended

Abandoned

Reading

Read at least 100 books

I feel like setting my target at 100 books has been a really good thing for me so far this year. For the last few years I’ve aimed somewhat lower than I should have at 52, and I am pleased to say, I am over a quarter of the way there. I’ve read 29 books at the point of writing, so I’m on track for just over 100 for the year!

Read 5 classics – Read 8 Classics

Guys, I have read a couple of classics already this year and I am so proud of myself. We’re only a quarter of the way into the year but I have already finished 3 classics and know that there is a likelihood I will read another 2 or 3 this quarter as well.

Read 1 Austen/Brontë: I read (and actually relatively enjoyed) Northanger Abbey (you can read the review here). It has made me so happy to write this, because I know it was a relatively unfair hatred I had, and it’s a bonus that it has been crossed off my 30 before 30 challenge!

Read 1 Classic in translation: I’m still most likely going to do this at some point, its just not something I am actively pursuing because it will most likely just happen at some point.

Read 5 Non-fiction – Read 10 Non-fiction

 I have really enjoyed some non-fiction books over the last 18 months and nothing has changed about that. I have finished 3 non-fiction books already, and I am half way through a 4th, and know that this year I will probably end up reading quite a few. I really like listening to them as it turns out!

Take part in, complete, and actively engage in at least 10 readathons/challenges: 

I love readathons and I take part in a lot, and have found that being a little more selective with the readathons I have taken part in has really helped me avoid a reading slump and read some great books. Not only that, I’ve met some new bookish friends and have read a variety of novels I might not otherwise have tried.

Keep a reading journal

I love bullet journalling, and so my reading journal has been an awesome way to keep in touch with my reading progress and satisfy the urge to have a daily bullet journal (that I know wouldn’t be feasible in my everyday life). I actually really like it and find it helpful.

Blogging

Find a balance between blogging quality and quantity that I am happy with

Urgh, why do I feel like every time I progress on this front I then take about 5 steps backwards. I am literally posting sporadically at the moment and I really hate myself for it. I want some consistency, and I know it’s partly tied into this next resolution, but I feel like I just haven’t been bothered enough at the start of this year.

Maintain blogging diversity e.g, travel, and personal, and books

I am so annoyed with myself that I let my blogging diversity slip. I feel like this year my blog has been a solely book blog. There’s nothing wrong with that, and to be fair, the bookish content itself has been varied, it’s just that’s not what I originally set this up for. I have neglected my health somewhat so far this year (see the later resolutions) so I might resurrect a post later this month to try and get things back on track. I have a plan for travel posts, they just take time to write, time I haven’t seemed to want to commit to blogging for a little while. I want to correct this, I plan to.

Utilise scheduling

I still wouldn’t say I am the most effective planner of blog posts, but I have definitely experienced how useful scheduling can be this year. I have really tried to write posts in advance and release them into the world on a scheduled time frame and even though there isn’t much logic to it at this point, I am enjoying knowing I have something prepared.

Engage with the wider blogging/bookish/travel community

I am absolutely rubbish at engaging and involving myself within the wider community. It’s not for a lack of love and appreciation for the wider community, more to do with not even setting aside enough time at the moment to actually take pride in my own blog. I need to focus on my blog over the next month clearly.

Invest time tidying up my blog appearance/layout

C’mon Liz, it’s embarrassing how behind you are with sorting out your blog (a little like your room, and your life). I need to clean things up, link posts and reviews, add lists and menus, and just make my blog something I am proud of.

Personal

Lose weight: 

This single resolution is by far the most important for me in 2019. I really want to shift some serious weight in 2019, and so far it’s going badly, if anything I have put weight on. I know there are things to blame (my back, work schedule) but really these are just excuses and I need to sort myself out.

Exercise more

The lack of exercise in my life right now is ridiculous. I need to sort it out. I know my back pain and ongoing back troubles do play a large part but even so, I need to reintroduce exercise for my physical and mental health. Yes, I need to think about it and start small, but I really just need to start and actually be more active.

Travel more in and out of the UK

As much as the is a big fat fail at this point in the year, it will probably be all change by the end of the second quarter. I have plans to visit London, and Russia, before the end of June, so I am hoping that I will be able to change the colour of this challenge next time round.

Complete 5 things from my Bucket List/30 Before 30 list: 

My 30 before 30 list and bucket listI are something that I don’t actively think about too much, and that sometimes helps and sometimes hinders my progress. I have to say though, that if the next 3 months turn out like I hope they will, then I will be making bette progress than I already am. I have already knocked 1 thing off my 30 before 30 list, and if my Moscow/St. Petersburg holiday and hope that Liverpool win the league pay off, then I will be well on the way to 5 things!

Craft more e.g. knitting, card-making, cross-stitching

So this hasn’t really gone anywhere, and nor has it crossed my mind too much. I haven’t thought much about crafting and things this year, which is a shame as cross-stitch and knitting are both things I really enjoy and would give my hands something to do that isn’t snack while I watch the TV. Maybe I need to think about this in line with my weight loss plans.

Adulting

Save at least £200 every month

I am most deinfitley on track with this, although I don’t think I actually save exactly £200 every month, as it goes up and down. I am seriously looking into buying a house in the next couple of years and have actively started to collect for this purpose, so £200 is a practical must at this point to achieve that goal.

Sort my papers, bills, and important documents into a file

Is everything in a file and neat and tidy. No, not quite. I have, however, had a MAHOOSIVE clear out in my room so I have hugely narrowed the amount of documents I do actually own down and think I now have everything in a single space to try and make things in my life a little bit easier.

Tidy, sort, clean, and maintain my bedroom

Is my room spotless right now? No, not completely. But it’s not a mess really either. I have a really big clear out a few weeks ago (you can read about it here) and it has made me re-evaluate my room, what is in there, and how the space itself makes me feel. I have a little wait to go until it’s completely done but I feel like a huge step has been taken.

Tidy, sort, clean, and maintain the house, and do the decorating odd jobs I have been meaning to do in 2018

I feel like the house is the thing that has occupied the biggest thought processes of the year so far. Bits around the house has been done (my bedroom, tidying some things in the spare room and bathroom cabinet, putting pictures on the wall on the landing, and huge plans are taking shape for the kitchen. We feel ready to commit to spending money on the house, both doing it up and actually buying it, and slowly but surely we’re changing things around the place to make it how we want it to be!

Don’t waste time/Increase productivity:

I just think I am one of those people who doesn’t plan. I wouldn’t quite say I am a pantser, but I definitely don’t use my time completely efficiently. To some degree, it’s OK, I don’t have huge commitments so it doesn’t negatively affect a whole lot, but I don’t like feeling unproductive, and don’t like wasting time, so need to learn to get off YouTube and actually do things that need to be done!

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Overall

2019 is an odd year. It hasn’t started great mentally and physically, but I feel like I am getting into the mindset and the place to do something about it. I really want to change the way I feel. I wouldn’t say I am down or depressed, or anything like that, but I have most definitely felt better and know that if I focus on some of these resolutions over the next 3 months, I would see a lot more yellow than red and probably feel a lot better in myself.

I really feel like the next quarter is a time to focus on my lifestyle. I think if I could get into a better routine with eating healthier, exercising, blogging, and doing things round the house, not only would I achieve a lot more resolutions, but I would feel a lot better about myself and certainly a lot more accomplished. I often feel like I don’t do anything at the moment (sometimes because I haven’t to be fair) and think a routine that mixes up the different aspects of my life and resolutions would be hugely beneficial to changing this feeling.

Let’s see what the rest of the year brings.

Have you made any goals or resolutions for 2019?

How are you finding them, and have you achieved any yet?

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