2016 Goals, Aims & Plans

Hello hello girls and boys, it's that time again - the year is coming to a close and we are all looking forward to that refreshing feeling of January!

Over the last month or two I have really felt like things have started to come together for me, I've totally overhauled my diet which has made me feel so much better and have finally been able to hand in my notice at my job ready to start my new career in January #yay!
2015 has been alright... I mean nothing major seems to have happened, I've had fun times and great experiences but nothing too life-changing - however that's not always a bad thing.

Looking back at my 'Goals & Resolutions' post from the beginning of 2015 it's clear that I did slightly fail on a few of those things I set myself and.. in fact... some of them are things that I still want to work on in 2016 - but oh well... the only way is up!

Running & Fitness

You may have read my post about my diet recently, so of course next thing on my list is fitness. Growing up I was always so active and a few years ago I was running every morning. I'm hoping that with this new job I can finally get myself into a good routine and include an exercise plan into this! I want to be fit and healthy and am looking forward to challenging myself a bit - bring on the abs, planks and squats!

New Job Confidence

Yay! It's only a couple of weeks until I fully start my new role as a PR & Social Media Executive and I cannot wait.

 Yes, I won't lie, it is a little daunting jumping into a job that I have no previous experience in apart from everything that I've done for myself but I'm so ready to take it on and put my all into it - I hope this is the start of something great as I've been stuck in a job for so long that I just haven't been happy with, aiming for the stars here people, lets do this!

Fashion Blogging

I feel like I've said this alot but I really, really want to start blogging more fashion bits. I always get lovely comments from you guys when I do and I really enjoy it! Fingers crossed I'll be able to afford some new clothes to chat about soon haha!

Grow Grow Grow

Well.... this has been my aim for the last (nearly) 3 years! I love blogging, social media, creating and I just want to grow my channels as much as I can. 

I mean..... that might sound vain or self-centered? Does it? I feel like if you're a blogger then you will understand how I feel. I love engaging with people and blogging has become something that has well and truly taken over my life - I love it, bring on another fun-filled year of learning and improving.

YouTube Take Two

I'm going to try. I'm really going to try - it just takes up sooo much time. The videos I put up this year I had so much fun doing, but I'm so hard on myself so just never feel like they are good enough. Vlogging has been a goal of mine since I started watching YT videos regularly back in 2009, so watch this space.... filming will commence shortly.

STOP WORRYING

I'm such a bad worrier. I'm always panicking about something, have a horrible feeling of dread or weight on my shoulders for no reason - so next year I want to try and let myself feel more relaxed. Take things as they come and don't let little things worry me, 99% of the time whatever I'm worrying about doesn't happen!

Get a Tattoo?!

Haha! How many times have I said this? My friends are fed up of me even mentioning it! I'm just so damn indecisive. 

Adventure Out

Weekends away, nights out, days with friends, seeing new places, experiencing new things - with a holiday to Florida on pause for now I want to spend as much time making memories as I can.

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LIFE : My 5 DON'TS of 2015

Being a new year, yup it's 2015 don't you know?, I decided to set myself some new "life rules", to really help me become happier all round! Kind of like resolutions but... I'm not using that word! These are my 5 DON'TS of 2015!  I have been trying to follow these since the beginning of the year and have found they are definitely working and making me feel better - maybe they are things you need to follow too!

1. Don't Be Late
Yes, one of my worst traits ever.... I'm one of those 'late people'! I've been trying to hard to avoid being late so much! I know so times it can't be helped but yes I've tried to give myself extra time and planning my day in advance...ish! Hopefully this year I'll be able to crack the knack of being on time... maybe even early! #shockhorrow=r

2. Dont Buy Things Until/Unless You Need Them
This has been my most successful 'don't' so far. (mainly because I've had no money) but this is something I had to seriously work on! I am so guilty of picking things up because they are on offer or new - this has to change. There is no point buying 3 bottles of shampoo when I already have 10 at home! I've learnt that after having the massive clear out at the end of 2014! It will just sit in a cupboard and be forgotten about! Same with things like tins of soup - I buy some, come home and then realise I already had 4 stacked up neatly in the kitchen! So before every single purchase now I am saying to myself - do you NEED this? Is this worth spending the money on? 
I'm hoping to save some money this year and I think doing this with everything I go to buy is going to seriously help!

3. Don't Leave Things Until Later
Again this is something I was doing alot! Texting someone back, replying to an email, washing up that plate, finishing a blog post, making a certain phone call - thinking to myself "ooo I'll do that in a bit" always seemed to then become a long long list of things to do! So I am trying to do things then and there - getting them out of the way and done while I can!

4. Don't Forget To Say Yes
Yes, yes, yes - saying yes is key to 2015! I want to take up every opportunity and stop thinking of excuses just because I'm a bit nervous or scared (or tired!)!

5. Don't Put Unnecessary Pressure On Yourself
Whether it's about my blog or my life I have decided this one has got to be done this year! 
I came a bit obsessed last year with constantly having posts going up daily on my blog - this resulted in me spending a little too much time behind a laptop and not enough time actually having a life! I have felt so much more comfortable and stress-free doing 3-4 posts per week instead of 7 or more! 
This 'don't' also applies to my day-to-day life - I've realised I don't have to take everything on and try and please everyone all the time!  

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6 Ways To Start Your Year

So you've probably heard and read one to many "new year, new me" status' and posts over the last week or so, I will promise you now that this isn't another one of them!

I always find January so motivating in making changes and starting a fresh, whether it's a small change or something big in your life, it's great to turn over a new leaf as cheesy as it is and focus on the fun year ahead!

So I've come up with a list of things for you guys to maybe try out to get your new year off to a great start!

1. Have a Hair Over

Been umming and arring over a certain celeb style for months now? Go for it!

 Want to go for the chop, or try a fringe out? Maybe you're thinking of turning those blonde locks brown? Even if it's a new snazzy shampoo and conditioner to treat yourself with, give it a go! A new do can make you feel a million dollars!

2. Embrace A New Hobby

Starting a new hobby is a great way to opening up yourself to different experiences in 2015! Whether it's joining an exercise class, starting up your own blog or maybe even a cheeky bit of baking! Set aside time each week for it and see your skills progress... you never know you could be on The Great British Bake Off before you know it! 

3. An Aim a Day

Giving yourself to just one aim a day to complete can really make you feel accomplished no matter how small it is! I love doing this daily .... here's some ideas - 

• Walk for at least 30 minutes
• Drink at least 1 litre of water
• Text or call that friend/family member you've been meaning to catch up with
• Make a dinner from scratch
• Unsubscribe to the e-mails you delete automatically that day (if you do this everyday, one day you'll finally free of that total crap you don't give a sh*t about!)
• Read 1 chapter of that book of yours
• No internet after 8pm
• Eat 5/5 fruit and vegetables
• Write 2 blog posts

4. Make Yourself An Awesome Happy Playlist

Music can have a huge affect on your emotions, there are some songs out there that make me so happy that I can listen to them on repeat over and over and I will never get bored and I BET you have songs like this too!

 So.... get those favourite songs in a playlist and listening to it whenever you can! When your getting ready in the morning, when your driving, when your running, when you're feeling down - and it will instantly get you in a funky fresh mood! Add and remove songs whenever you want and always keep it on shuffle so it's not predictable!

Here's a few of my playlist picks...

Original Wicked Soundtrack - Defying Gravity

Ariana Grande - Piano

Iggy Azalea - Work

Backstreet Boys - The Call

Little Mix - Move

Taylor Swift - Fearless

Les Miserables Cast - One Day More

Taylor Swift - Blank Space

Queen - Somebody To Love

Original Wicked Soundtrack - One Short Day

Charlotte Church - Crazy Chick

Hairspray Cast - You Can't Stop The Beat

Kacey Musgraves - Follow Your Arrow

Josh Strickland - Report To The Floor

Wilson Phillips - Hold On

*NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye

Pink - Just Like A Pill 

NERD - She Wants To Move

5.  New Year, New Scent

There's nothing nicer than buying yourself a new perfume! Get yourself in the right frame of mind with a gorgeous new perfume so that every morning when you put it on you have a feeling of positiveness - is that even a word?! 
I recently bought Katy Perry's Royal Revolution in the boxing day sales and I LOVE it! I've worn it everyday since buying it! 
(Don't like perfumes or already have one you love? Why not invest in a new candle to burn at home!)

6. Have A Brutal Clearout

I did this on New Years Eve and it made me feel so so much better about myself and the surroundings I live in!
 Messy home, messy mind - that is how I work. If my flat is messy it makes my brain scatty and I just can't think straight! On NYE I went on a full-on mission to get rid of all the products and unnecessary crap that I have accumulated over the last year or so!

 I boxed and bagged most of it up and gave half to my lovely mummy and the other half to some of my lovely friends! It felt so good to get it out of the way knowing that it was going to be used and enjoyed by my nearest and dearest instead of sitting in a box waiting to one day maybe be used or to be chucked away!

So there's a few ideas of how to get your new year off to a great start! Let me know if you give any of them a go :)

Happy New Year guys and once again thank you so much for reading and supporting A Yellow Brick Blog - hopefully 2015 will be the best year yet! 

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2015 : Goals & Resolutions

Another year, another list of things that I will be striving to do and achieve in 2015! (Can you believe we are half way between the millineum and 2030 already?!)
Well.... it wouldn't be January without them would it? Lets just hope I put them into practice for the 365 days or more and not just a fortnight!

Some are blog related and some are just life related and I'm sure some are probably repeats of last year too, opps haha!

"A goal without a plan is just a wish."

- Get fit and stay healthy

I'm sure most of us are going to have this on our lists. I'm forever up and down with my weight and dieting on and off has become the norm for the last 3 years or so.
 This year I am super determined to get that body I've always dreamed of and finally be fully confident with myself, as well as ditching lots of the crappy foods that seem to run my life! Just look at Charlotte Crosby - I can do that too!

- Stay tidy

I'm nearly 25 which means I should know how to be a tidy human being by now. Goodbye clutter, hello organised home!

- Say YES more

It's about time I got out there and said yes more. Whether it's a blog event or dinner with friends - Kirstie saying yes is going to happen more!

- Be a positive Polly

I moan far too much and really what do I have to moan about? My weight? My job? I can change all that myself so I'm going to try and see things in a positive light and really appreciate how lucky I really am in this world.
 "Happiness is a choice." - Shay Carl

- Finish the Vampire Academy series

Well I was going to say "read more" but that was definitely on my list for 2014! I started this series months and months ago and even though I bought all 6 books on my kindle I'm STILL only on book 2 - so this year I WILL finish them!

- Get a tattoo

Every year since turning 18 I've said I'd get a tattoo. I have a few ideas in mind so I just need to decide on one and go for it! Yolo!

BLOG

- Focus on quality not quantity 

This year I have done a whopping 322 blog posts - to me that is alot. I ended up doing a blog post every single day for most of the year and I have to say it was a serious challenge at some points. Don't get me wrong I loved it but some days I feel like I put way too much pressure on myself to get things done! 
In 2015 I want to focus more on the quality of the post rather than how many I do!

- Invest in better equipment 

 I love blogging and it has become a real passion of mine but I have been really scrapping through with the stuff I have been using to keep it going.
 I cannot wait to invest in a new camera, some lighting and hopefully eventually a mac. I have recently bought a new laptop to replace the awful netbook I have been working with for the past year - the first step to help me improve A Yellow Brick Blog!

- Youtube

Yes I started uploading videos to Youtube this year after years and years of self-doubt but in 2015 I really want to put more effort into it! The amount I watch others on youtube makes me so motivated and determined to do it myself and improve my videos... because at the moment they are pretty pants!

- Push Myself

Improve my content, expand my audience and take up all the amazing opportunities I can! Time to stop being such a nervous wuss and get out there :)

What goals do you have?

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eBay Wishlist #27 :Christmas & New Year Special

2015 Diary | Santa Sack | Disney Princess Ornaments | Cath Kidston iPhone Case | Christmas Eve Candle | Christmas Bath Bomb | 2015 Calendar | Fluffy Socks

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