Earlier this year, I wrote a post called Looking to 2014 - I reflected on what had been good about 2013 and made myself a list of things I wanted to accomplish in the upcoming year.
When I wrote that list back in January I didn't, for one second, think that this year would have gone the way it has. I have achieved everything I set out to, and so much more.
Here's a quick round-up of what I wanted to do:
1. Stop snoozing my alarm so much
Pretty much straight away I stopped hitting the snooze button all the time. Rather than giving myself 55 minutes to snooze my alarm, I just set it 55 minutes later (for the time I actually need to get up).
2. Think less, do more
Yep, I definitely do more now. Of course I still sometimes worry 'what if' - but you only get one shot at life, there's no time to dither.
3. Follow my heart
Looking back, it's a bit cringey that this was one of my goals for 2014 - but I would say I definitely followed it (so much so that I have ended up working with my other half!)
4. Find a job doing what I love
TICK TICK TICK! Not only do I have one job doing what I love, I have TWO!! I spend Monday to Friday as a news reporter at the Selby Times, and work as weekends as a broadcast journalist/news reader at Minster FM. A year ago, I definitely wouldn't have thought I'd be saying that!
5. Move out (again)
This was the most unlikely of them all but, on Friday 19th December (just 12 days before 2014 ends) we will be moving into our own little house with my other half. Not only have I moved out (again), I have bought a house with someone. If you'd have told me in January that I'd be waking up on Christmas morning in my own home I would've laughed in your face.
6. Stop dwelling on the past
This became even more relevant this year and I have definitely stopped doing that now. What's done is done and can never be undone. All you can do is learn from previous experiences and apply what you have learnt to the future.
7. Go on holiday
I went! Two weeks in Djerba in July was amazing.
8. Find someone to go on holiday with
The Goodliff/Nancarrow/Hughes party stepped in just at the right time and provided me with a surrogate family for a fortnight. I had the best two weeks with them and couldn't have asked for a better group of people to go on holiday with.
9. Find something to smile about everyday
I didn't think this would be as easy as it was. At some points at the beginning of the year it was tough, but everyday I managed to find at least one reason to smile - and it really made a difference.
10. Get over my fear of speaking on the phone
Starting work as a journalist, I had no choice but to conquer this one.
So there it is - it's been a busy year! On top of all those things:
I got myself a brand new car
I saw Michael Buble (again!)
I celebrated with family for weddings and milestone anniversaries
I went to Coronation Street
I had an amazing weekend in London with my best friend at Summertime Ball
I got my first tattoo
I spent a month in London (living with my surrogate family <3) and had some amazing experiences
I celebrated my best friend's engagement
I got drunk on free champagne in a box at Old Trafford
And I got to spend the best part of the year with the best person ever.
2014 has taught me that it is impossible to plan your life. Whilst you can have ideas and preferences in place, major things will happen at the most unexpected time.
This time last year, I was just finishing work at City of York Council, ready to begin my journalism course. I had hoped to be pretty much qualified by now and be looking to move down South to find a job. Instead, I am still on with my NCTJ qualifications but have a full-time job as a journalist and a freelance job that I love!
My blog has also taken off quite dramatically. Earlier in the year, when I wrote the post about 'No Make-up Selfies' my blog got over 250,000 views thanks to being shared on social media. Since then, I get between 5,000 and 10,000 hits a month - okay, I'm not up to Cosmo standards yet but for a little blog like mine that is quite impressive.
I used to have a life plan, where I envisaged the age that I would be settled down, married, having children etc.. But life is unpredictable and spontaneous, and I would hate to miss out on something exciting and new just because it didn't fit in with the plan I had made for myself.
2014 has been an amazing year and I already have some amazing plans lined up for 2015 which include darts, Ed Sheeran, a hen do, a wedding, and lots of exciting trips.
New Year's Eve was never one of my favourite nights out of the year (although I have had some amazing NYE nights out in the past) but I always felt a bit of a lemon when it came to the countdown and the kissing part. This year, there'll be no stress about going out or making plans to go somewhere - me and my other half will be spending a nice, quiet night in our new home with some food and drinks.
Life is very good at the moment and I cannot wait to see what 2015 is going to bring.
Merry Christmas to all you lovely people and I wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year x x
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