MY GOALS FOR 2019 | Jazz Blackwell
Hello there friends. Everyone's favourite inconsistent blogger is back in the New Year, and (hopefully) back with a vengeance!Okay, so it's been some months since I last made a post - the previous one being well before Halloween. I kinda dropped the ball with this thing, and dropped it hard. It was for a few reasons; I took a job, which ended up not working for me at all, I suffered deterioration in my physical and mental health, and I became completely snowed under with uni work, which I left completely to the last minute.
But enough for my X-Factor Audition sob story. Things are going quite well for me now, and it doesn't do at all to dwell on the past. Instead, I think it's best to use this post to look at the future; more specifically, the year ahead and what I'm hoping to do inside of it. I hesitate to call these New Year's Resolutions; those feel far too ephemeral, far too easily broken and far too much like a fad. Instead, I'm setting myself a list of things I want to have achieved by 31st December 2019 and I fully intend to post at least a couple of update posts throughout the year, as well as a round-up on the next New Years Eve.
1. Run 5k in 30 minutes or less
Back in October, I got back on my bullshit, so to speak, in terms of physical fitness and was actually utilising my university gym membership four days a week and going to pole fitness classes once a week. I know working out isn't for everyone, but I was honestly thoroughly enjoying it, and my body felt the best it has in years. Unfortunately, with the aforementioned surge in workload, I fell off the wagon for half of November and most of December.
My plan for the New Year; utilise the Couch to 5k (aka C25K) app that I've loved so much in the past, and actually train myself to run 5km (3.1miles) in half an hour or less. I'm someone who enjoys running (shocking, I know), and its really something that helps my mental health. I'm hoping that setting a goal like this will really get me on track to do it regularly this year.
2. Read 50 books this year
I used to be such a big reader in school - I'd be plowing through a couple of books a week, sometimes having more than one on the go at the same time. Hell, I started my blog as a book blogger. Recently, however, I've kind of fallen off the reading wagon and I don't really have an explanation for it.
This year, I want to try and read a total of 50 books - just a little less than one per week. I'm cheating a little and including my compulsory reading for university in this; partially because I'm taking twentieth century lit this semester and am very excited about some of the books on our reading list, partially because it'll ensure I actually make myself read them, and partially because I'm being practical and wondering if I'll have time to read one a week outside of that. If all goes to plan, I'll have a reading roundup at the end of every month, where I let y'all know what I've read and how I felt about it.
3. Be able to climb in pole
I mentioned in my first point here that I've been going to pole fitness classes as of late, and it's something I'm really enjoying. It's an incredibly empowering and liberating sport, as well as being a fantastic work out. Thing is, as much as I enjoy it I'm not particularly good at it - mostly due to my distinct lack of upper-body strength.
My goal for the end of this year is to successfully achieve a pole climb - exactly what it sounds like. While spins are decidedly more fun (at least in my opinion), it's the climbing that's a real struggle, and I definitely feel like I'll have a sense of accomplishment if I manage to do it properly!
4. Post on this blog at least a couple times a month
If you're a reader of this blog, it'll come as no surprise to you that I'm, at best, inconsistent. However, I really do want to try to be more active on social media in a blogging capacity this year; much like exercising, it's a hobby I really do enjoy yet I don't exactly make enough time for myself to do it.
To remedy it this year, I'm aiming to post at least fortnightly here and at least every other day over on my Instagram. Hopefully I'll be able to do it a little more frequently - maybe weekly or more - but I'm allowing myself that leeway to make sure I get into the habit.
5. Try to be late for class less than once a week
Much like Lewis Carroll's white rabbit I, frequently, am late. For pretty much everything - so much so that I was even given an 'award' for it at the end of my sixth form career. It's one of my worse habits - generally, I'm not that late for class (though on occasion I miss the first half of a lecture) but sometimes those first five minutes that I miss are vital to understanding the rest of the class, or I miss important information that I'll regret not having later.
My goal here is to reduce the number of times I'm late to class to one a week, at max. I'm not going to say I'll never be late, because I know myself well enough to know that that isn't possible, and that shit happens so that sometimes I'll be delayed on getting into uni. But if I can get there on time for all but one lesson a week, then I'll be happy as Larry.
6. Try to see friends in a social setting at least once a week
My first two years of uni, I was great at socialising - always out doing things with my friends, even if it was just a short walk or a quick coffee. This year, however, for various reasons, that doesn't really happen so much any more and outside of classes, I don't really get to see people that often.
This year, I want to make a concerted effort to spend time with my friends at least once a week, even if it just means them popping round to mine (or I to theirs) for a coffee and a chinwag. Studies have found that spending time around people that you like increases levels of serotonin - the happiness chemical - and have even suggested that socialising could lower your risk of dementia, so it's really worth trying to hang out with people more often.
7. Have as many assignments as possible done the day before the due date
To avoid that this year, I'm going to try and make sure I have any of my assignments done the day before they're due, rather than the day of, so that I can proofread and submit them within plenty of time.
8. Make sure to go through my wardrobe and clear out at least once a month
If you know me irl, you'll know that I am the literal personification of the concept of a 'floordrobe'. My clothes generally end up on a massive pile on my bedroom floor, rather than hung up in the cupboard or folded in my drawers. Simply put, it's because I just have far too many clothes, and I don't even wear half of them. I also keep buying more - a habit I know is going to be harder to break than my messiness, so we'll maybe deal with that in 2020 instead.
This year, however, my plan is simply to go through my wardrobe at the end of each month and clear out anything I feel like I haven't worn in a long time, anything that doesn't fit me, or anything that I feel like no longer suits my style.
9. Only eat takeout/fast food once a week (at most)
My aim this year is to cut my takeout/fast food intake to no more than one day a week - not only will it help me to save the money I so desperately need to save, it'll also help with improving my physical health, and I don't think anyone can argue that that's a bad thing.
10. Get my skin conditions under control, so I can finally get my first tattoo.
Since I was a baby, I've suffered with eczema and I've had issues with psoriasis for the past couple of years. It's something I'm used to and it doesn't bother me as much as it once did, but it is getting in the way of one thing in particular; since I was a little thirteen year old emo kid, I've been desperate to have at least a couple of tattoos. However, as you can probably imagine tattoos and such conditions aren't really the best of pals; it's not sensible to ink over broken skin and in some people tattoo ink can even cause breakouts of eczema.
This year, I'm really going to try and make a concerted effort to get my skin under control for a long enough period so that I feel like I can get my first ink by New Year's next year. That's another thing that my last point should help with too; I could for sure spend the money I'll save on takeout on a tatt!
So those are my goals for the coming year - here's hoping I manage to smash them!
How about you guys? Have you got any goals or resolutions this year? Let me know!
Happy new year,
Keep it weird,
Jazz xo
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