MY GOALS FOR 2018

Holy shiitake mushrooms, I honestly cannot believe it's 2018. Last year just flew by, amirite! 

So much has happened in the past year...well just over a year. In December 2016, I had just finished my degree, started an entry-level Social Media job and I was [kind of] saving up to move overseas. 2017 saw me moving to London, starting a career in Marketing, taking some awesome holidays and of course, develop a nice winter layer.

Over the Christmas break, I travelled with my parents (who were visiting me from Aus...YAY!) to some amazing places - the Scottish Highlands, Amsterdam and Russia to name a few. Now that they've gone, Christmas is over and work is in full swing, I'm going to be honest, I'm definitely feeling the winter blues. It was bound to happen - this is my first taste of a full British winter. You have no idea how much I miss the sun!! 

So at the moment, I'm definitely feeling a bit down and not as motivated as I would like to be. I need to snap out of it and get cracking with the year! So, I figured I need to set some great goals for 2018 and what better way to set them, than to write them down in a blog post. Over the years, I've always kept my goals to myself. My thoughts are, if I put my goals out there on a public level, I might actually feel motivated to go through with them. Well, that's how it's been based on my experience. 

Here's an example. Moving to London. If I had just kept the fact that I wanted to move to London to myself, I honestly don't think I would be here right now. But I was very vocal about my plans... probably a very annoying person at the time... but I honestly believe it helped me achieve that goal. It pushed me and gave me that extra bit of motivation knowing that so many people knew I wanted to move. 

So, I'd like to share with you my key goals for 2018...along with some of my fav pics from 2017! 

GET AN AGENT

I've kind of let performing sit in the back seat for all of 2017... it was weird. I've always performed and to have a year of doing nothing is not okay with me. 
So, I thought, while I'm living in one of the world's theatre meccas, I might as well attempt to do some acting or cabaret performing... any kind of performing really. In order to do that, of course, I obviously need to get an agent. I have a list of agents to contact this month. All I need is a quick showreel and BOOM, I'm ready to go. I don't know how easy it will be to get an agent knowing how competitive the industry is, but it's worth a shot right!? And while I work as a contractor, it makes auditioning a lot easier - I can do last minute auditions and work half days.

Here's hoping an agent thinks I'm talented. 
Shhh Aya...that's not very positive! 
I mean... I'm super talented and all the agents are going to want me... 
that's better ;)

PRACTISE PILATES REGULARLY

Okay, so the fact that this is a goal is just ridiculous. This is crucial... absolutely no exceptions. With a bad lower back and some recent foot problems, it's necessary for me to maintain a strong body. The amount of walking I do has drastically increased since living in London. I walk a lot.   

You know what's crap? How uneven the pavement is! A few months ago, walking on my left foot was UNBEARABLE. The combination of the uneven pavement plus unsupported shoes resulted in me having some arch issues with my foot. So now, I try and wear supportive sneakers (fashionable ones, of course...please, don't insult me) when I'm out and about and I do foot strengthening exercises.....when I can remember. 

I've had a lower back issue for years and Pilates was my therapy I guess you could say. 

Well, I was definitely a bit slack in 2017. I regularly forgot to do my foot exercises and I didn't practise pilates as much as I should have. So, 2018 is a year of change. I'm going to be strong and injury free. 

On a side note, I generally just need to be fitter. I've neglected my body since moving here and I've lost tone and put a tiny bit of weight on. So going to the gym on a regular basis will be included in my pilates goal. 

BLOG AND VLOG MORE

You know what, I've really enjoyed filming videos and writing blog posts. I wish I had the time to do it more often! You know what...I do have the time to do them. It's just that I always have the best intentions to write a blog post or film a video and then I get lazy....oops. 
The thing is, I have an extensive list of content ideas...wouldn't it be nice to actually do some of them! Well, that's my goal. To smash out some of those content ideas on a regular basis. Here's to fortnightly content...I've put it out there...now it HAS to happen. 

Also, if you want to check out my YouTube channel and make sure you subscribe! 

EXPERIENCE AN ACTUAL EUROPEAN SUMMER

So, I moved to London just before Summer but I wasn't feeling settled enough to do a euro trip at the time. If I'm only going to be here for another year, it needs to happen. And it's going to happen. 
Right now, the plan is to do Greece plus the Greek Islands and if I can, the Amalfi Coast in Italy. I'm already excited about all the tanning, Aperol Spritz drinking and Yiros eating I'll be doing. Plus, how good will sun be. SUN. I remember sun. I remember warmth. Haven't felt it in a little bit, but I know it exists.

One thing I've...don't take the sun for granted. I'm going to welcome it like an old friend. 

MORE DAY TRIP/WEEKEND TRAVEL

One thing I loved doing throughout last year was travel to different places in the U.K. It was also nice to just get out of the city. The English countryside is so beautiful and there are so many historical and Instagrammable locations in this country.

The plan is to do a weekend/day trip once a month. Whether that's in the U.K. or perhaps a cheeky trip to Paris, it will be great to explore. I'm starting to collect a bucket list of places I really want to visit before I leave. A few places are the Lake District, Dublin, Cotswolds and Cornwall. 

JUST IN ENJOY MY TIME LIVING ABROAD

This is it. This is my time. I have just over a year left. And while that may seem like a long time, it will fly by. It's hard to predict what will happen. I could want to leave and head back home in six months time. Or I could meet the man of dreams and live here forever (heyyyy boyyyssss, I'm single!). 

Right now, I'm feeling a bit miserable and a tad pathetic...I blame the lack of sun. But I should not be feeling like this. I have so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to. Yeah, the weather is crap, yeah I'm figuring out how I want to tackle the new year, but it's all part of the experience. This is my one chance to live abroad. I need to make the most of it and enjoy as much as I can. I need to get out and see the places I want to see, eat all of the food and drink all of the drinks! 

So there you have it. Some pretty realistic goals I must say. Go me! I look at that list of goals and I'm satisfied. Maybe 2018 isn't looking so bad after all. I would love to hear what your goals are for the year. Also, what do you think about "externalising" your goals? Does it work for you?

Until next time.

Aya xx