2016 New Year Resolutions

Happy New Year, kittens! I just can’t believe that another year has sped by so quickly and suddenly we’re adding another digit onto the end of the date. 2015 seems to have been a whirlwind and since 2016 is now upon us, it’s got me thinking about what might be in store for the new year and my 2016 New Year Resolutions.

As part of that, I’ve been looking out for inspirations as to how I can be more charitable in the coming year – one great example is #HolidayHeroes, a competition highlighting local volunteers, charity leaders and amazing friends. It’s got me thinking about what I might be able to volunteer for in 2016, as well as thinking about how I could be a better friend, and of course, started me thinking about my own personal 2016 New Year Resolutions goals.

Images taken from my Manchester Science Festival blog post

1. Be kind: I mean this in a number of ways. I want to volunteer more – find a cause that means a lot and dedicate some time to it. Give attention to people who might need a little extra love – my first is doing my grandma’s gel nail manicure this week (it’s a tiny gesture, but she so appreciates it and it helps to make an older lady feel special). Be helpful: at the end of a hard working day it can be all too easy to accept a cup of tea or dinner from someone else, I want to start offering more.
2. Be balanced: new year, new me, new diet. Yaddah yaddah yaddah. That’s boring and we all know I’m not one to choose a salad over a pizza, BUT, I am pretty good at making healthy decisions in the long run and so I want to just make sure I stay balanced in 2016. I started off with a half an hour walk to work this morning and I’ll have another two mile walk back this evening, to compensate for the many Bailey’s hot chocolates that slipped down my neck this Christmas. Eat more = move more. Move less = eat less.
3. Stay motivated: I am an ambitious person, I always have been and I am sure I always will be. As part of that, I am pretty good at self-motivation and I’m sure it’s thanks to this that I’ve kept up blogging right from the start. However it’s always helpful to remind myself to stay motivated and set some internal goals – not numbers or figures, but to increase interaction and keep putting the upmost effort into posting regularly and consistently. In other areas too – stay motivated in my career, in staying balanced, in volunteering, etc.
4. Make big changes: as part of motivation, I am always keen to keep moving forward but major changes can be a bit daunting for me. However in 2016 I plan to make a huge career change and take on a brand new challenge. It will be hard work but I am so very excited and I can’t wait to reveal where my change will be heading in a few weeks. New job, here I come!
5. Treat yo’self: I’m very lucky in that I get a lot of treats through my blog – makeup and clothes are my favourite things and this blog gives me such an accessibility to them. However, I rarely properly treat myself. I am pretty sensible and like to save, and over the years I have been saving for a big treat, as mentioned in my Peugeot 108 test drive blog post. A new car. 2016 will be the year for me to switch it up and say goodbye to my dearly beloved first car and invest in a new set of wheels.
6. Improve content: I am continuously looking to improve my blog content. Keeping the design fresh, buying new lenses, lighting and teaching myself photography to get the images the best I can. Writing comes naturally to me but I hope to keep providing useful links and sources of other info where needed. I always want to improve and I aim to keep adding variation and vibrancy to lilykitten.com in 2016.
7. Meet someone: perhaps not the best way of phrasing it, as I am not actively looking, but after a while of being single and building up my independence and confidence, I am ready to meet someone. A good friend, a boyfriend maybe. I hope 2016 will be kind to me and be a year where I find someone I want to spend my time with, but if it doesn’t happen, I won’t beat myself up.
8. Travel more: I was so lucky that in 2015 I got to visit a handful of different countries whilst on my NCL Epic Mediterranean Cruise. As I kept mentioning, it was a holiday of a lifetime and I certainly won’t be able to go on such a holiday this year, however, I do hope to travel more for less time. Perhaps pop to a few more European countries for a long weekend. I want to see my favourite destination, Copenhagen, in the winter.
9.  Be a good pug mom: as Sonny bombarded into my life like a little puppy whirlwind late on in 2015, 2016 will be my first full year with him. My final installment of my 2016 New Year Resolutions is to simply be a good Pug Momma.I love him so very much and can’t wait to spend the coming year with him. He was my New Year’s Kiss, after all!

So kittens, what are your resolutions for 2016? What are your hopes and dreams for the coming year? I hope my resolutions and the #HolidayHeroes* might have given you a little inspiration. If you’d be so kind to share, I’d love to hear your 2016 New Year Resolutions in the comments below. Perhaps we can provide a little motivation for each other!