My 2017 Goals

Well hello my lovelies! And Happy New Year's Eve! So I know this post idea isn't exactly a very original one however I am feeling most ambitious about the new year and rightly so because it is always good to aspire and be positive. Seen as there is just one day left in my 2016 chapter I'm feeling eager to set myself some little goals for the next year to ensure for a super duper happy Ellie and lot's of lovely memories. So here is my little list of 2017 goals.

1. Drink lots of water. Ok, I know that is a bit vague so if I was to set myself a target I'd say I want to aim for 3 litres a day. Reason being you may ask is because I was inspired to up my water intake last year after reading this inspiring news story on the Mail Online → http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2480491/How-drinking-litres-water-day-took-years-face.html 
2. Eat vegan. This year I took the step of trying vegan as my day to day diet after cutting out all dairy (something you will soon see the full effects of in one of my upcoming blog posts). Day to day I stick to a vegan diet and then for a treat, like Christmas, I allow myself to enjoy a pescaterian diet for a treat. I am so utterly proud of the progress I have made with my diet this year and next year I want to aim for much more vegan days and less pescaterian treat days. I'm starting off the year by going vegan for the whole month of January for Veganuary! If you fancy a challenge with positive benefits for all then you can sign up here just like I did if you fancy→ https://veganuary.com/                                                                                                     Apologies I didn't expect to be including so many links here, what is happening! Hehe :)
3. Get all my work that needs to be completed done this January. The past year has been one of, if not thee, most intense year for work for me. Although there have been breaks from college and uni, at not one point this year have I not had a piece of work on the go. 2016 really was the year I didn't have a break and it just about almost broke me. So as of now I have one final big piece I am working on and I am aiming to get it completed and out of the way this January so then all I will be working on is uni and my gosh that is plenty! After such a intense year I am so excited to be able to solely focus on university and at the same time I will genuinely, really have actual me time and a normal work load, with a work life balance! :') I am extremely proud of all that I have achieved this year however 2017 is my time to recuperate!
4. Create and stick to a blog schedule. I must admit, my blog postings have always been a bit nilly willy in the way that they go up, resulting in big gaps where I haven't been posting content. Not only does this make my blog a little inactive it more importantly makes me feel quite sad. Therefore this year I would love to have a bit more of a regular schedule for uploading so I can feel like a true blogger and have plenty more blogging to enjoy!
5. Engage in Twitter chats for bloggers regularly. Another blog thing I am desperate to engage in is blogger chats! I have been eyeing these up all year in 2016 and yet always flipping flopping missed them. So this year I want to aim to join as many blog chats as I can. I am just so excited to chat with others who get so excited by highlighters that sparkle like diamonds and love to share their beauty finds!
6. Maintain my exercise plan. Last year I did excellent in improving my fitness and it felt really invigorating. I'm genuine with myself and acknowledge how mad my life can be at times so I would be most happy aiming towards the goal of working out at least 3 times a week. I think that is quite reasonable considering I end up dancing around the living room to the music channel after my workouts for about half an hour.
7. Continue improving my flexibility. Here we go; the fitness list has begun. Along with my great improvements in physical activity I also drastically improved my flexibility with all kinds of odd yoga positions. This year however I am even more determined to master my flexibility and, as I was just about there last year, I want to be able to achieve the splits again this year. Not just this however but to also improve my flexibility to a point where I can dance freely like a true ballerina and ice skater. Flexibility is definitely not something I was gifted with ever as a child and certainly not now so I'm excited to see how far I can push myself this upcoming year! Ok, I have many goals. I do apologise :)
8. Regularly do bedtime yoga. Bedtime yoga was something delightful I discovered on Pinterest one sleepless night and oh boy is it dreamy! If you'll pardon the pun ;) I enjoy normal yoga but yoga before bed is just ten hundred times more relaxing so not only will I enjoy but I definitely think it will benefit me and my quality of sleep.
9. Get back into ice skating. Around five years ago I began ice skating and although I'm not very good at it (honestly I am very bad) I miss it so much and haven't been for almost a year. I'm not going to lie but I honestly day dream about skating so much (so cheesy) and therefore I definitely want to try and go a little more regularly this year, even if it is just once a month.
10. Do monthly favourites for whole year. This also coincides with using my beauty products more regularly instead of skipping them and noting down which products I am enjoying. Monthly favourites are one of my favourite posts to read and videos to watch and I have a rather large collection of makeup, making the perfect excuse for me to encourage myself to enjoy it all much more often!
11. Paint my nails more. As with the makeup, I have rather a large collection of absolutely gorgeous nail polishes. From glitters and shimmers, to mattes and traditional colours, my nail polish collection really is a treasure trove so when I get the chance I must paint away!
12. Ride my bike more. I actually went on a little bike ride today and loved it as always! I adoreeee my Victoria Pendleton cream vintage bike and love the feeling of freedom I get when riding it. As it is not the most bike friendly place where I live I would definitely like to find more bike friendly routes to enjoy endlessly and care free.
13. Improve my posture. Going back maybe eight or so years (core blimey) I had marvellous posture and I remember being specifically very strict in improving it all for my grade something ballet exam, which I will always be most proud of being the only one I ever achieved a distinction in. <3 From here onward, I vow to always sit up straight (she says, shamefully considering her chosen sitting position of crumpled and twisted at the side of her bed, on the floor, typing away. I'm up now!) and to tuck that booty in all day long!
14. Deep condition my hair and use a face mask once a week. In the past few months I have really been slacking on this and, although my hair and skin are doing pretty well, I am definitely in need of some more frequent TLC. Here's to a year of silky soft hair and glowing skin.
15. Always do the dishes for my mum. Now I must admit I am pretty good around the house. I always tidy up after myself and do the dishes here and there (I'm not allowed to touch the washing; that is not my territory). However sometimes I can be a little lazy and leave the dishes for the next morning, then to my anxiety find my mum clearing them away at 12 o'clock at night. And that's it. There is no stopping her then! So from now on I am going to solve this issue by always beating her to it and doing the dishes before she can even see the dishes on the side.
16. Hopefully make at least one blogging friend! I have had my little blog for about 2 years now and I absolutely adore it, even being the quiet little corner it is but I am most happy with that. I have however met some lovely people along my blogging journey so far who are sweet as peas and share the same interests as me. This year though I would love to make at least one blogging friend I regularly chat with and and have a giggle with. Close blogging buddies or beauty acquaintances I am happy either way as this is my little space on the internet that makes my heart beam where I can talk about all the little things I love and be as creative as I want!

And there we have it, 16 goals for 2017. Clearly we are lacking a seventeenth because there are no magical coincidences in the land of Ellie. Always missing it by a little bit ayy :) Nevertheless, whatever you are up to this evening I hope you have a lovely and safe new year with all your loved ones and I wish you bundles of happy memories throughout the new year.

Happy New Year my lovelies!

Ellie x