Happy 2017! I'd like to take this opportunity to wish my readers a Happy New Year and hope that your 2017 is filled with lots of health and happiness. 2016 is OVER - finally! If I could add in any emoji it would be the praising god one with your hands raised because I think I speak for most of us when I say that 2016 wasn't fetch. If you read my What 2016 Taught Me post, it was fair to say last year (god, I love that I can say that) was a bit of an emotional journey. It had amazing highs, some grim lows and at times, felt like my bad luck was never ending but what I've taken away from it has been so valuable. But I'm kicking 2017 off with a New Years first. No resolutions.
Now I normally love a good set of goals to work towards but this year, I'm taking a different approach. If there is one thing I learned from last year it's that I put too much pressure on myself to achieve, to the point it's almost unhealthy. Pressure to succeed at work. Pressure to save money. Pressure to look good. The list is endless but I realised I'm actually terrified at failing at life and you know what? I don't understand were it stems from. My family have always supported me no matter what. Always been by my side, encouraging me to do whatever it is I want to do. They've never pushed me in a negative way. They've never put pressure on me to be this all achieving person I seem to think I have to be. Last year, I feel like the goals I set myself overtook everything. That instead of enjoying every new door that opened for me, that I set the expectations way too high and instead, was bitterly disappointed. That it felt like nothing was going to plan and that's when the light bulb above my head switched on; the beauty of life is that nothing ever goes to plan because where is the fun in that?!
They say that sometimes not getting what you wish for is a wonderful stroke of luck. I now believe that 2016 taught me that quote is so true. Nothing went to plan but I'm entering 2017 a stronger, better person than I used to be. So instead of sitting here, with a bunch of expectations for what's to come and what I want out of 2017, the reality is I'm taking the opposite approach. I want to see what life brings me. I already have a good work ethic, I'm lucky enough to be starting a new job come March, to be going travelling, to be building my home - why spoil these experiences with expectations of myself than letting life run it's course. Of course, I want to dream big, hustle hard and reap the benefits but I also just want to take a carefree approach and see where life takes me rather than strategically planning every element of my life. Even writing this, never mind following this thought process, challenges every fibre of my being because I'm too damn strict on myself that my brain is screaming "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" but I know in time, i'll feel better for it. I want to enjoy the little things. I want to appreciate those small milestones. I want to practise more self care. I want to just be able to breathe and for once, see what happens and watch my year naturally shape itself. I know I'm capable of being able to do well so why carry the weight of the world on my shoulders trying to do so?
2017 is already shaping up to be a good year. A new job, starting my degree, going on the holiday of a lifetime and most importantly, being maid of honour for my little sister on her wedding day. I can't wait to see what 2017 brings. I can't wait to just enjoy this year and all the little moments that ultimately are what's more important. I can't wait to be surrounded by my family, travel to new places and just have the mentality of what's meant to be, will be.
Sometimes when I carve a post out, I read it back and think "does that even make sense?" and I think this one is a prime example but I hope it does. I think we all have an expectation to succeed now. To have a good job, to have a nice home, to have a fancy car in the garage. But that's not what's important. What do you think of not setting resolutions? Are you also too hard on yourself? Do you think having no yearly goals is a careless approach? I'd love to hear your thoughts below as always or you can tweet/IG me at @whatamydid. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of the holidays!
