2020 huh? Is it possible to get rid of the whole year at New Year's Eve? Because if there's one thing I don't want to hold on to is this shit show 2020 has been.
As I'm writing this post, I'm waiting to get tested and let me tell you, I thought it wasn't going to be that much of a deal but every day, anxiety seems to have the best of me and fear is a constant reminder of how much we've been through.
I remember sitting at my desk this time last year, thinking about all the good things 2020 would have brought: a book deal, a new house - preferably in the UK - e new sense of self. Instead, it only brought panic attacks, a square butt and an awful amount of comfy tracksuits.
I won't get ahead of myself and fall into the "this is gonna be my year" cheesiness because, as it turned out, we have no idea what this new year will bring and as much as I'm excited about it, I'm also really, really scared.
But I'm still a gal who is obsessed with organizing and have things figured out - although yes, I do see the irony of it all - so I need a bit of paved road to walk on and trying not to fall every few minutes.
This is why every year, like clockwork, I sit here at my desk and plan out my goals. Now, it's not like I have a full grasp on what the new year will bring or the belief that everything will magically fall into place, but I'm also tired to sit in my pyjamas and let the apocalypse consume me, so here are my goals for 2021, may they find the light of day.
- write write write! I let the "new normal" take the upper hand and basically spent the last few months snotting up the bed. I did what everyone else was doing, meaning: let the events unfold without caring to look presentable or busy. But here's the thing: I love being busy. I love waking up and having way too many things to do because it means my brain stays focused and my bank account doesn't weep. I'm a writer and recently, I've done anything but write and I think it's bloody time to change that.
- get featured in websites/ magazines. Every day spent not writing or not pitching, is a day wasted for me. The goal is to have my name out there, especially after reading basically everything Dolly Alderton has ever written, I'm filled with so much energy and inspiration to last for years! I've been featured before on Thought Catalog and it's been such a pinch-me moment for me that I really want to replicate that feeling until I have nothing else to say.
- find new hobbies. 2020 has been the year everyone has baked at least a dozen banana bread. I get it. With that much time in our hands, what else could you do? I learned how to play chess and I felt such a bolt of happiness afterwards that I actually asked myself why I didn't learn sooner. This year I want to expand my interests. It's not always about learning, you know? Sometimes it's about spending time off-line doing something you're passionate about, something that soothes you. What do you guys suggest?
- call my friends more. Right, I'm totally guilty of not catching up with friends much. I always think "Oh, I should give Frankie a call!" and then totally forgets about it. This year I want to be more present, even if at a distance because I always find talking to my friends regenerating and refreshing. A shot of serotonin.
- develop new (healthy) habits. I'm just so bad at this, you wouldn't believe it! I had to download an app to drink more water! How stupid is that? But absolutely essential nonetheless. Lately, I promised myself to not check my phone before breakfast and even though sometimes I do cave in and spend an hour checking Instagram, I'm making progress. At least four days a week, I wake up, take my book straight to the kitchen and read whilst having breakfast. It changes my day completely and makes my brain function better. More of that, for sure!
- read 50 books. Now, this year has been pretty easy to reach my Goodreads goal of 20 books - and counting! - but since I'm not usually one for the numbers, I'd say 50 is pretty doable for someone who spends way too much time online.
- make some more healthy choices. I've been struggling with weight and food my whole life and it's been only recently that I actually spoke about it to someone outside my family. That made me think about how much time I spend treating my body badly, instead of giving it what it needs. Cutting things out of my diet, even if it seems like such a sacrifice, it will be such a good choice in the long run! Also, moving more is so important and I really want to get myself out of my comfort zone and start taking longer walks or bring my square, writer's butt to the gym.
- conscious buying. If there's something I love probably just as much as books, is clothes. Specifically, new ones. I get bored pretty easily so you can always find me rearranging the furniture around the house, changing my hair colour, and buying way too many clothes. The risk is not only financial but also ethical. This year I gave thrifting a try and soon enough, I became obsessed with it. Every week I find something cool to add to my wardrobe that not only makes me save a lot of money but is also great for the environment. I now have this forest green coat of dreams I keep staring at and can't wait to take out on a stroll!
- health check-ups. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm in my late twenties, which means, doctors appointments are the highlight of my weeks. Not only approaching my thirties comes with a whole bunch of weird symptoms, but being a woman approaching her thirties means boob scans, vag tours, period fuck ups and the constant reminder that your womb is still empty. I fucking hate doctors.
- start a new business/find new creative outlets. If 2020 taught us something is definitely to have our hands in different pies. Literal pies are fine, as long as you're also eating your veggies, but it's the more figurative sense I'm talking about. I have a list of potential revenues I could dip my toes in but it's all pretty much up in the air for now. 2021 might be a good year for all that trial and error.
So here you have it, a complete - more or less - list of my goals I'd like to reach in the new year. They're doable goals that strictly depend on me, whether or not the world decides to collapse. It's all about the small things nowadays but I'm so ready to leave this year behind and actually get excited for some fresh air, literally and figuratively.