Welcoming 2018.....

I've never really been one for doing New Years resolutions throughout my life, I've never seen the point as I was always guaranteed to forget about it within a week. There was this one occasion, which I always remember, when I tried to become a vegetarian, then a few hours later was sat eating a burger in a well known fast food restaurant with my father asking me how being a vegetarian was going, not realising what the joke was!! Long term promises to myself on what I call changes to small sections of my life, have just never appealed to me.

In 2014, this tradition kind on changed, but instead of announcing to everyone what I was showcasing my New Years resolution would be for the coming year and what food or activity I was giving up, I wanted to make a promise to myself by giving myself a word, or if needed, a few more, as to what I would like me, myself and I to be for that coming year.

                        

 

In 2014 the words were 'to be brave', which in some ways I thought I had been by buying a ticket for New Zealand and leaving my home that I'd known for the 26years previous. In 2015, I didn't feel as though I had fully reached the level of braveness I promised myself in 2014, and so whilst still in NZ I made the repeated promise 'to be brave' to myself once more. 2016 was a bit of a blur and I'd kind of given up on the idea but then at the start of 2017, after being back home for over a year and feeling myself beginning to sink into the stressful repetitive lifestyle I'd previously managed to drag myself out of, I felt the need to give 'being brave' one last chance.

2017, is definitely a year I will never forget. A lot of changes for the better happened in 2017, some of which came as a shock, but overall proved to me that through hard work, tears, determination and overall keeping my word 'to be brave' I could achieve what I had only dreamt about. But now 2017 is quickly coming to an end and it's time to start welcoming in 2018 and in particular it's made me realise that maybe I need to think of a new word, or words for the year ahead.

                  

One of my last blog posts of 2016, I wrote that I was in need of a new bucket list, I was at a crossroads in my life and unsure of which direction to take. However, since then and over 18 months of tough times and decisions, a path has appeared and a new journey has begun. I'm not going to deny it, and many people have assumed I'm here to stay when I've been talking to them over the last few months, but I've still got itchy feet as I like to say, and my need for adventure and travelling is still deep inside me, it's just a case of I need to figure out where I want to go next and I need to decide on what my next list of dreams and goals are. 

If I've learnt anything over the past few years of working in different countries and jobs, it's that I have had to go on these adventures to find out who I am and where I belong, and I'm not done with this phase of my life just yet.

       

My main priority for 2018 is to complete my agricultural degree, I have no idea where the past three years have gone, but in all honesty I'll be glad when it's all over. The first term of my final year was tough, but I'm determined to complete to the best of my ability. I've learnt loads about this industry that I now look at as my therapy and I'm grateful for being able to go back into education as a mature student to learn more about this industry that I love.

So the words I have chosen for 2018 are 'to be stronger and spontaneous'. Stronger with the risks I choose to take and stronger and spontaneous with the decisions and routes I make and take. Even though my degree is coming to an end, I'm still wanting to carry on learning, therefore if I can be stronger and more spontaneous with the places I go, along with the knowledge I gain in 2018 and beyond, then that is all I can ask for. If you have any suggestions or ideas of what I could do, please let me know, it will be interesting to hear your ideas.

I hope your last few days of 2017 are memorable days for you all, and I wish you all the best, with good health and happiness for the new year and 2018. Cheers!!

H xx