About 2016

I’ve never been an overly goal orientated person and as such I’m not big on resolutions/goals for the New Year. I don’t like putting pressure on myself to achieve something or refrain from doing something, and then feeling like I’ve let myself down if I slip up. Somehow I still manage to get shit done and achieve things without setting goals.

So I wasn’t really planning on doing a “What’s happening for me in 2016” type post but I kinda wanted to because everyone else was doing one. The reality is that my blog is probably going to be going along in exactly the same manner it has for the last 12 months. I don’t even really have anything happening in real life to be excited about because I did it all last year and really 2016 for me should just give up now, because 2015 was actually THE BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE.

I turned 30 which really wasn’t that bad and, truth be told, 31 sounds much scarier; I ended a super long relationship, which should be sad but isn’t (this isn’t something I’d normally share about, but I think it needs mentioning); I went overseas by myself and had the most amazing time seeing things I would never have dreamed I’d get to see; I read stacks of books while accumulating more stacks of books; I got a bit more perspective on my future; and I met loads of great new people through this blog and Twitter, which has been especially important to me because you guys “get it” – we chat when we chat because we have a common/similar interest in something. I have next to nothing in common with my real life friends (aside from being awesome), so it’s nice to know you guys are there. *End sentimental drivel.*

Anyway, one of you great people (Ashley at Dreaming Through Literature) tagged me in a New Years Resolution post, so that basically ended my indecision on the matter. I don’t really have any resolutions, but I do have some Things I’m Just Going To Do, which is essentially the definition of a “resolution” so, um, yeah. Here are my “Essentially Resolutions for 2016”.

It’s a real affliction. I have it. But I’m determined to beat it.

Be strong, and don’t buy any books (except those I’ve made allowances for).

I wanted to include a photo here of all of my shiny new unread books, to make my shame public and thus spur me on towards not purchasing more. But I’m 100% determined to stick to my Reading Challenges this year, which will serve to not only reduce my book hoarding shame, but will also save me some money. So it’s a win/win. There are three new releases that I’m pretty psyched for though, so I’m allowed to buy those.

But not in 2016!

Maybe don’t disappear into the blogging wilderness for a month like I have in the last couple of years.

I really like my blog. I like looking at it, I like writing things for it, I like looking at other people’s blogs as well. But I always have one point in the year in which I disappear for a while because I just can’t be bothered. Yes, blogging can feel like a bit of a chore sometimes, and I recognise that it’s totally ok to take a break from it – it wouldn’t be the end of the world. But this is the fourth year that my little corner of the internet has been in existence, so I’d like to treat it to a full year of my attention. It deserves it.
The wilderness will still be there in 2017.

Give back to the people (that’s you guys).

I think I might do a giveaway for my blogiversary (did I spell that right?) because I’ve never done a blogiversary giveaway before and it’ll be nice to buy a book that isn’t one of my allowances, even if it is a book for someone else. And really, if no one read this blog I would have given up a long time ago. So thanks for reading. My blogiversary is in March, so maybe keep a look out for that. I might do some other giveaways too.

And that’s it. It’s not a huge list (I’m not sure that it even classifies as a list), and there should probably be some education/life related things on there, but to be honest I’m quite happy with where things are at for me in both of those departments. Which is pretty great I think.

Good luck to everyone who has proper goals/resolutions for 2016. If you don’t achieve them, don’t worry – it just means you weren’t meant to get there just yet.