Hello 2017!

Hello my lovelies, I hope you are all doing well! I'm back with some thoughts for 2017, you've probably seen a lot of these kind of posts floating about the blogosphere. As I have already said I love the new year, I love a chance to evaluate my life and discover what's working, what isn't and any improvements I can make. Usually, I make a whole list of resolutions that I never keep and end up feeling pretty deflated that I haven't achieved enough during the year! Leading to the feeling that I am not enough, my life is not enough! However, this year i'm doing things slightly differently and setting myself five (yes only five!) ideas that I want to keep at the forefront of my mind this year! I'm not doing any fad diets, planning to lose any weight or exercise a certain number of times a week. These sorts of goals for me are unhealthy and doomed to fail. So what am I going to do this year, I hear you ask, well read on...

Spend more time outside

I live in the most beautiful country (it's true, you really should visit sometime!). Northern Ireland has many gorgeous beaches, forests, fields, mountains, parks and walks all within a short drive away (one perk of living in a small country!). I really am so lucky to live here. One of the things I would like to do this year is to spend more time outdoors appreciating this beautiful scenery. Whether that be a short and brisk cold evening walk in the winter or a long dander round the coast in the summer, i'm totally up for anything. I love my country and want to see everything it has to offer.

Read 12 books this year

Reading for me sort of fell by the wayside in 2016, but i'm hoping to re-ignite my passion for literature in 2017. I think that 12 books a year is a pretty good target, I've nearly finished my first one, Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert (amazing, in case you were wondering!). I'm a pretty fast reader, an English Degree can do that to a person. Once I get into a book there is no stopping me! So, if you have any recommendations please feel free to comment down below!

My health is my wealth

This idea is something I was thinking a lot about in 2016 as I was not taking care of myself like I should have been. In 2017 I just want to focus on my health, not in the diet 'I need to eat more healthily' sense, i'm very happy with my diet but in the case of my mind. I want to learn to think more positively, embrace life and enjoy it fully. Another thing I want to get cracked is a sleep routine. I could literally sleep all the time, anywhere, so I just want to get a nice clean sleep. What does this mean I here you ask? Well, going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time, and spending some time before bed clearing my head of thoughts and worries from the day.

Love more

Quite a simple one really I just want to love more! Love life more and all the people and animals that live in it! Whether that be my lovely hubby, my family, my friends, my pets or even strangers. This is such an easy one to say but probably the most difficult one to live out, people can be a little mean and rude (working in retail taught me that) but everyone needs a little bit of love.

Simplicity

I think many people are thinking about this for the new year! In 2017 I want to get away from endless consumption and the constant feeling of not having enough stuff! I want to reduce the amount of clothes that I have and work to free myself of all the clutter I have amassed over the years. Simplicity also refers to the approach I want to have to life, enjoy the simple things and simple joys in life. Simple, hopefully!

So, there you go, some things that I am thinking about going into the new year! It's maybe a bit late but I didn't want to jump into committing myself to anything, these are well considered goals for the year! What are your goals for the year, i would love to know? Sorry that this post got a little personal I will be back with the foodieness soon, until then, thank you for reading,

Rachael xx.