New Years Resolutions For 2018

Seeing how badly I did with my 30:30 goals, I probably shouldn’t publicly announce my New Year’s Resolutions out of the future shame of not achieving them…

But hey, here I am, setting goals and taking names.

Some of these are a little cliché but they’re genuinely the things I want to work on in 2018. Here goes.

New Year’s Resolutions 2018

Declutter my life

I need to do this one, like tomorrow. I always suspected I was a hoarder but I never fully realised how big of an issue it was until recently. I just have so much shit.

From my beauty table with a 5 year backlog of just-in-case-my-current-one-runs-out mascaras, to big boxes in my spare bedroom marked “uni stuff”. I left uni 8 years ago. I think it’s safe to say if I haven’t needed to consult my second year project on multi-channel retailing in the best part of a decade, I probably don’t need it in my life.

It’s just such an overwhelming task to try to do in one go so I’m going to give myself mini goals each weekend until it’s sorted. I’m starting with a big clothes clear-out. Wish me luck.

Improve on my video creation skills.

I’ve definitely improved my video editing skills in the last year or so, using better music, making everything a bit snappier and generally just getting to grips with YouTube. But I think I need to be better at the filming side.

You see, I use my GoPro Hero 4 Session to film footage on my travels. And although it’s brilliant for action shots and the like, it’s not fantastic for everything else. I mean it doesn’t have a screen for a start so most of the time I have no idea what I’ve filmed until I get home. Not ideal.

So I think the first step is getting a new camera. I’ve been eyeing up the Olympus PEN PL-8 and the Sony GX Mark II for ages now and it’s about time I made a bloody decision and bought one tbh.

And also, I should mention that this isn’t a “bloggers need to do video” push either. I genuinely love creating video and want to do it more because I love it! Even though my last video only had 10 views… Yeah, how about you subscribe to my channel, yeah babes?

Really give Etsy a go.

I started my Etsy shop in 2017 with 2 travel journals and to be honest, they didn’t do so great. But I haven’t really given it any effort. So what did I expect?

I really want to give it more of my time in 2018 and invest in some cute, travel-themed pins and patches. What do you think?

Help Josh out with his Etsy shop.

Josh does really well with his Etsy shop, The Black Dog. He’s a v talented illustrator and his cards are megalolz. But it’s only recently occurred to us that we should probably join forces. He’s a creative and I have a business and wholesale background, really we should own this shit.

So he’s going to help me with designing neat stuff for my store and I’m going to help him with the tax/finance/profit margin side of things. Although I can’t help but think I got the wrong end of that deal…

What are we going to do tonight, Brain?
Tonight Pinky, we’re going to take over the world.

Start saving money.

I’m at that stage in my life where my friends are taking about buying houses and grown up stuff. And I’m over here like, last year’s New York flights are still on my credit card and I haven’t saved a penny since before I went travelling in 2011.

Like, maybe I should do something about that?

I don’t want to buy a house right now but it will probs take a few years to save for a deposit… And maybe I should y’know, stop booking trips on my credit card before I can afford them?! No? Okay, I’ll keep doing it.

Get back to backpacking.

Lol, talking of trips I can’t afford.

My post “Epic Travel Plans for 2018” outlined my travel destination goals for the year, but what I really want to do is get back to backpacking.

No matter the destination, I’m feeling that craving to be in hostels, on public transport and in dive bars. I feel like my last few trips have been all Airbnbs and hotels in nice European cities, which is fabulous of course, but I’m missing the grime of backpacker life.

Find an exercise I actually like.

Told you some of these were cliché.

Maybe it’s the turning thirty thing, but I really want to look after my body. But I fucking hate the gym. I just can’t get into it at all.

What I do like is swimming and yoga. But swimming involves having to wash my hair after which is effort, and yoga classes at my gym are either fully booked or during work hours.

In 2018 I want to attempt these two more often but also try to experiment with new things I might like – maybe some different gym classes, maybe dance, maybe bikram yoga? Let’s see, ay.

Make more time for friends and family.

With my blog and my travels and my job and housework and spending time with Josh, sometimes I forget to make time for the other important people in my life.

I always have a weekly dinner with my parents and try to see my grandparents when they’re in town, but I definitely don’t see my extended fam enough.

And although I’ll see my close circle of friends, who live locally, at the weekends as much as I can, it’s the friends in London, old friends who knew me when I was necking Bacardi Breezers, that fall by the wayside. And I don’t want that to happen. Must try harder.

What are your New Year’s Resolutions for 2018?

Let me know in the comments below, tweet me at @HeelsInBackpack or find me over on Insta at @Heels.In.My.Backpack!