Every year I set myself some goals to focus on in the year ahead. Normally my aims revolve around travelling to different countries and seeing as much of the world as possible!

This year, for the first time in a long time I’ve decided to focus on myself and a few things I want to achieve instead of what I want to see. Things that will help me progress personally and become a happier person overall in myself.

I’m being slightly ambitious with what I’m expecting from myself in 2017 but at least it gives me something to focus on and if you can’t aim high there’s really no point!

1. Make a house a home.

Since giving up everything to go on my big trip around the world, I haven’t had a proper house for a while -one that I’ve truly felt at home in. In January 2017 I finally move in with my partner into our own little bungalow together. I am so excited! I can’t wait to turn this into our home and given that I’ve never lived anywhere longer than 1 year I’m really hoping to make this perfect and hopefully somewhere we can settle for a good few years! It’ll take a big chunk money to decorate and furnish the place but it’s about time I started using my hard earned cash on building a life for myself. I’m growing up!

2. Get my driving licence.

I can’t actually believe it has been over 4 years since I last drove a car! I stopped learning after I ran out of money and just couldn’t continue but it is something I’ve wanted to do my whole life. This year is the year. I’ve been saving for the last 6 months and I am ready to start learning again. If I dedicate the next 12 months to learning, I’m positive that by next Christmas I can quit wishing I could drive! Here’s hoping, fingers crossed I can do this!

3. Take care of myself.

I’ve really let myself go this year in terms of my weight and the way I look. My hairs a mess, I don’t even wear makeup anymore and I make minimal effort with my appearance. It’s not anything negative behind me giving up, it is simply just me being lazy! I think it’s about time I fix this!

There’s no doubt about it that I’m not in the worst shape I could be, last night I walked home after my night out- 2 miles at midnight.. Why not. But I have stopped going to the gym and my diet is the absolute worse. So I am pretty heavy and flabby now. I need to change this and get back in to a routine. So this year I’d like to start my gym routine again, get my bike back for weekend cycles and drop the sugar (once all my Christmas chocolate is gone of course). I need to dilute my wardrobe and definitely fix my hair. Pretty much all the ‘New Year – New You’ parp.

4. Keep saving

So I already save around 30% of my yearly income to put towards buying a house in the future. I realise this is pretty excessive but I quite enjoy it to be honest. This year I’d like to save more by cutting out the crap. I buy a lot of things I don’t need, specifically chocolate and snacks but also many dinners out and bits and bobs like books that I don’t need. I’d like to focus more on the things I need and enjoy in my life and so I aim to ‘cut out the crap’ and put a little bit more towards the things that matter. With driving and our new home, I have a few reasons to save more this year.

5. Visit a new country /Take my partner out of Europe

Of course this is on the list! You know I can’t go a whole year without at least one travel orientated goal. So this year since I’m saving for other things, I won’t be going away all that often. Instead we have set ourselves a goal of travelling around Britain instead! I’ll write more about this in a separate blog post. But a year just wouldn’t be right without a visit to a new country now would it! I’m not sure where yet but I’d like a nice holiday to somewhere warm and exciting for a week or 2. My partner turning 30 may be a good excuse also!

Here’s to 2017 – hopefully the year I turn my life around!