The Standard New Year Post 2017

I know this post is majorly late, but truth is I wasn't really actually sure what I wanted my resolutions to be this year! So I really wanted to have time to think about it. I'm not going to outline 2016 in this post, firstly because I think its a bit late, but secondly because I just don't really feel like it, I'm not sure why! I did achieve some things in 2016 but maybe not quite as much as I would have liked to. But I will go through last years resolutions and talk about which ones I did and didn't stick to!

So these were last years resolutions, which I listed in this post:

2016 Resolutions:

1. Start assignments earlier (after having the horrendous experience of writing 9,000 words over Christmas!) 
I managed this one, started my assignments much earlier, although some of the workload was so intense that I still ended up doing them last minute even when starting them way in advance!

2. Continue working out 
I kept up my classes twice a week for another year, and although running slipped early in the year, I did manage to pick it up throughout the summer and I did feel very fit during August/September.

3. Eat healthier 
I won't lie, this went badly wrong at the beginning of the year! I met my partner and ended up overindulging! But I did manage to get on track after Easter and kept this up until Christmas time hit pretty much, then it went downhill again!

4. Cook more meals and a greater variety of healthy meals 
Since I've started my new job I've had more time to cook which has been nice, still working on the variety of meals though as I tend to get in the habit of cooking the same meals! But I did cook two new healthy meals this weekend and added them to my recipe book so maybe that is a goal for 2017!

5. Blog more 
Safe to say I failed this one! I didn't realise how much work my MSc would involve if I'm honest.

6. Use my planner more 
I have used it more than I did in 2015, but there's still room for improvement.

7. Do more kind things 
I've taken the opportunity to be kind when presented with it (sponsoring people for charity, helping around the house etc.), but I guess I haven't gone out of my way to be kind, it's something to continue working on.

8. Visit a new country 
I visited Madeira which I hadn't been too before, but I didn't travel as much as I would have liked because of financial constraints, but I have 3 trips planned this year so that will hopefully improve!

9. Do another fitness challenge 
Didn't manage this, which is a shame! Although did continue to push my boundaries.

10. Walk the dog more 
Definitely made the most of the long summer nights.

11. Get some planning experience 
I did a work placement for a week at a private consultancy during the summer and I now have a years contract as a student planner until next September so I definitely stuck to this one!

This year's resolutions:
1. Think more positively 
2. Care less about what people think
3. Keep a food diary
4. Be more productive
5. Do more exciting things

1 & 2. The number one for this year is think more positively, I'm terrible for worrying and thinking the worst possible thing that could happen in every situation. Every day its the same even if I'm just driving a short distance I'll panic about parking etc! And I always think negative about the future too, so I really just want to try and change my mindset. Care less about what people think also goes along with this, I would say caring what people think is a good thing but I think I care too much about what people think, to the point where it affects my decisions, so I'd like to change that.

3. Keeping a food diary is part of being healthy, but I say that every year so wanted to write something different! I've been keeping a food diary on My Fitness Pal for the last 2 weeks and so far so good.. I'm hoping this will keep me on track eating well, and also some foods seem to bloat me really badly but I can never figure out what are the triggers, so this might help! 

4. This is relative mainly to boring stuff, meaning get more things done in the time I have, such as housework etc, sometimes I end up getting distracted and it takes me much longer than it should!

5. Do more exciting things - I had a lot of fun last year but I feel like I could have done more fun things! I have more free time this year now so there's no excuse!

And finally, here's a few random things I loved in 2016:

Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm
Dior Forever Foundation
Claris wonder Perfect Mascara
Nyx Tame and Frame Brow Pomade
Rematching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gilmore Girls
Reading more

What are your resolutions for 2017?