2014 goals

I've been meaning to start a blog for years, but like many things I plan to do, I just haven't quite got round to it. Until now! I've been putting things off so much and I need to get my life under control. I'm turning 30 this year and I'm realising time is precious and not unlimited and so I'm vowing to get more done. I think this blog will be a great help because it will help me have somewhere to organise my thoughts and keep me accountable. It's also in itself, something I've been meaning to do for years so by keeping this blog I'll be doing something I'd been putting off.

My goals for 2014, in no particular order are:

1. Get things done - do more things and procrastinate less.
2. Be more healthy by eating better and exercising.
3. Be a better friend - see my local friends more regularly and stay in touch more with friends who live further away.
4. To start and maintain a blog.
5. To document my life with Project Life each week.
6. To read 50 books in 2014.

1. Today I've read a bit of What Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam. I'm going to start to schedule in activities for my weekends and try and get more things I have to do done during the week. One of my worst habits is coming home from work, sitting in front of the tv for a minute and not moving all night! I put off the things I need to do until the weekend, telling myself I'm tired. When the weekend comes around I want to spend it doing fun things, but I never seem to do good things with my free time. I watch a lot of tv and play a lot of games on my phone and don't do hobbies I enjoy and would get more fulfilment from, such as scrapbooking.

2. I was going to start my healthy eating plan on Monday but I decided on a whim to start today instead. I'm 183.1 lb this morning. (13 stone 1.1lb) which is only a 5 lb gain since the autumn; I was sure I had put on more than that over Christmas! I want to lose 30lb then re-evaluate and see if I want to go any lower. You can check up on my food and exercise trackers here at My Fitness Pal. You can also track your own weight loss journey there. If you have an account there be sure to send me a friend request.

3. I'm so rubbish at staying in touch with people! I need to unsubscribe from lots of junky emails I never read as I get so many I sometimes miss it if a friend emails me. When friends do email me I put off replying until later - until I have more time or have something better to say and then I forget or I add it to my to-do list and it becomes a chore. I'm going to start replying right away and being better at staying in touch. I also have two packages for friends that I've been meaning to send out but have been putting off.

4. Well, here it is!

5. I used to love scrapbooking when I first discovered it in 2007. I used to have so much fun creating layouts. I stopped when I split up with my ex and moved back home with my parents. I've been meaning to re-start and browse pictures online of other people's scrapbooks but my perfectionism holds me back. I think I can never create anything that beautiful so don't make anything at all. To try and get back into the swing of it I have taken up smashbooking. I've also bought myself some things for Project Life. It's an organised system so easier, faster and less daunting. I've been collecting Project Life inspirations on my Pinterest account for ages, since I first discovered Pinterest in 2011. I bought some Project Life supplies last year and was always waiting for the right time to start. I almost started one week after a particularly memorable weekend but never got around to it. Well a new year is a perfect time to start!

6. As a child I loved reading but stopped reading much in my late teens. I re-discovered my love of reading in 2006 and read a lot of books. In 2007 I set myself a challenge to read 50 books and almost made it but only got to 44. In 2008 I tried again and read 52, In 2009 I tried again but only managed 45. I started uni in October 2009 and needed to read lots for studying so I read less for pleasure and found other ways to relax. In 2010 I read 38 books, in 2011 I read 27. I graduated in 2012 and read 35 books that year. I wanted to read 50 books again in 2013 but only managed 27. I blame too much time wasted in front of the tv! I am going to reach 50 books this year in 2014! I track my reading here on Shelfari.