Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
I’ve felt a bit disheartened this year. Perhaps because I have celebrated the last birthday in my 20s with the realisation that I haven’t achieved all the things I would have liked to by now.
For me, life has sped up in places I didn’t expect it to and slowed down in those areas I thought should and would have progressed by now.
Of course 30 is just a number and nothing is really going to change on the day, I’m aware of that – but we can’t help but have aspirations marked by milestones.
That being said, it is a new year – a time, symbolically, for fresh starts and I still have 6 months until the big 3-0.
And some amazing things have happened this year …
My dad got the all-clear
As we entered 2017 my dad had months of chemotherapy ahead of him. As we enter 2018 he is cancer-free. If that isn’t something to celebrate I don’t know what is!
We own a house!!
As much as we loved our little flat, this year we got to wave goodbye to our landlord as we bought our first house! I love it SO much and am looking forward to turning it into a home this year.
My family got bigger
No, no one has had a baby – after meeting my dad’s mums side of the family in Cork last year – we met his dad’s family in Sligo, this year – and even spent Christmas with them.
I started writing a book!
14,000 words to be precise and I have set myself a deadline to finish this before my birthday – or at least the first draft. Easier said than done alongside a full time job … but hopefully writing this down will give me a kick up the bum to actually do it.
Travelled to new places
As well as going to a new festival this year (Latitude!), I have ticked a few experiences off my bucket list – including exploring Edinburgh in December and partying in Ibiza.
Goals for 2018:
We have some very exciting plans for 2018 – including the most amazing trip for my 30th birthday. So, here are a few things I would like to achieve this year…
- Be able to run a half marathon – at the moment I can run for about two minutes before I need to stop so this will definitely be a challenge.
- Write the first draft of my book and *fingers crossed* find a literary agent.
- Raise money for charity – at the moment I am eyeing up a skydive for BDCH – so watch this space…
- Learn how to cook – I say this every year but I turn 30 this year so I need to stop making excuses and be able to make more than pasta for dinner.
