Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts

Small and Happy's New Year Goals (let's do this!)


Hello there! Happy new year and all that jazz! I am slightly late to the blogging new year's party and no that is not because I have been nursing the world's biggest hangover. In actual fact my NYE was spent reading with my boyfriend, watching big fat quiz and desperately trying to stay up!  This picture therefore is from early Christmas morning when I was full of excited Christmas beans!

But don't be thinking that my lack of energy on new year's pertains to how I feel about 2016, no way Jose! I am extremely excited for what this new year will bring.  Mostly because I see it as a time to make to do lists, goals, resolutions and all those good things.  I am lucky because I am quite a goal oriented, driven person anyway so I love to make goals and usually I achieve them. Now I'm not showing off when I say that (I'm really not!) I literally feel that I mostly achieve goals because I follow the SMART template.  Not heard of this?  Well, carry on really my lovelies (it blew my mind!)

If you've made 2016 goals (resolutions, dreams whatever you like to call them) ask yourself, are they?

Specific (one gym class a week)
Measurable (run 5 miles - I don't know if that's achievable/too easy I am the Jon Snow of running!)
Achievable (get Kim Kardashian's butt with no work (cough or surgery) not so much)
Results focused (eat better, not so clear, have a portion of veg in each meal, easier to see results!)
Time bound (write four poems too vague, write four poems by the end of June gives you something to work towards)


A lot of people have heard these before but I thought I'd share them in case you're needing a bit of guidance making goals for yourself that you feel you can stick to!

So, as I'm sure you're all desperate to know here are some of my goals for this 2016!

* Visit one new country.
* Read 15 books by the end of the year.
*Volunteer for at least one organisation.
*Do an online course in either literature or psychology.
*Go to the cinema or theatre once a month.
*Cook one new recipe a month.
*Two exercise related activities a month.
*Call/facetime/text a friend every week.


Now I feel good about all of these because I don't think anything of them are unattainable, if anything I will do better in some which will make me feel great!  I'm not saying set the bar low but I've set the bar at the minimum I would be happy with in each category and that's what I'll push myself towards.  Anything extra is a mega bonus!

The most important thing with goals is always YOU ARE AMAZING AS YOU ARE.  Any extra tweaks you want to make or extra things you want to do just add to the wonderful person you already are.  That's how I see the new year, a time to reflect on all the awesome stuff I already do and think about how I could improve on my fantabulous self.  Love yourself and don't berate yourself for not always hitting those goals.  Life is a marathon not a sprint and we can grow all the time no matter what time of year it is :)


Do you use the SMART method when you make goals?  Do you have any resolutions?  Please share!


Happy Sunday,

Sophia


Small and happy's Silent Saturday #3

Small, happy and New Year's resolutions!


Firstly, happy new year! I hope the first day of 2015 has treated you well. Anyone sporting sore heads?! I was and I didn't even drink last night so there's some irony for you! 

Anyway, enough of my mid 20s problems...back to the reason for the season, the new year season that is. For me that means one thing, new year's resolutions!
I love making lists and setting goals. I'm just that kind of Type A personality, and I'm okay with that! I feel like I did really well with my resolutions in 2014 so I'd like to keep that trend up in 2015!

I'm not bragging about being really good at sticking to my resolutions, I purely think that the reason I am able to do so (apart from being lucky to be very determined) is because I set REALISTIC, ATTAINABLE goals. I'm caps locking those words because it's something important for me to remember! 

For example, if you want to read more but you're very busy, don't set yourself a challenge of reading 100 books in a year. That way whether you read 50 or 80 books (all very impressive!) you'll still feel disappointed and like you've come up short. This is a big no no and makes you feel a bit crap when really you should be celebrating!

Equally, if you know you're someone who worries and you decide to 'never worry again in 2015!' You know where this is inevitably going to go...and you'll probably end up worrying more about the fact that you're worrying. Something like, 'try using different strategies like x or y to distract myself from worrying' is much more effective and ultimately should help equip you with better, lifelong skills.

Obviously, I'm no expert, this has come from trial and error and from watching people around me who have struggled to stick to resolutions in the past.

That being said, here are my resolutions for this fine year, full of possibility...

1/ Develop and stick to a skin care routine.

I am no beauty blogger by any means, I know what products I like and I stick to those. However, I know that I'm nearing my mid 20s and my skin isn't always going to be as good as it is now! So I'm going to stop relying on face wipes and start a proper cleansing routine! I know my face will thank me for it this time next year.

2/ Take better care of my teeth!

Again, this is more preventative than anything else but I am going to start flossing and mouthwashing and all that good stuff. I want to keep my pearly whites that way!

3/ Travel more.

This is always going to be something I will resolve to do every because travel just brings me so much joy. My boyfriend went a step further and said he wanted to go to three new countries this year and I think that's quite achievable. So watch this space!

4/ Improve my Portuguese.

Being half portuguese this one is pretty important. I can speak French with all my relatives and I've always relied on that to communicate with them. However, I know that it would make them really happy if I could try and strong a few sentences together in their native tongue. 

5/ Read more than 10 books.

This links to my example but I really would like to put a number on how much I read and I think trying to read more than 10 is realistic. I love reading but I seem to do it too sporadically (ie in summer) and I think to put a minimum limit on how much I read would just spur me on a bit and keep motivated to choose a book when on those days when it might seem like the easier option to just watch some on tv.

So, I think that's plenty to be getting on with, don't you? And enough about me, how about you...Do you make resolutions? What are they and do you have any tips for keeping them? I'd love to know...

Whether you agree with resolutions or not I think we can all agree to try and make every day as happy and as positive and as worthwhile as possible, after all, these days and these moments will never come round again so let's live it up and enjoy while we still can!

Sophia! X



Small, happy and ready for 2014!


Happy New Year!!

I was so ready for 2014 even though it's going to be a little bit on the crazy and hectic side, I am determined to be positive and STOP WORRYING.  Think that's probably a lot of people's resolution, so let's all try it this year!

This will be the year that I WILL:

  • Complete my Primary PGCE (this one will fill me with such glee!)
  • Keep trying new and healthy recipes (and post them on here!)
  • Keep a memory jar and update it every day
  • Be more positive and more patient with the people around
  • Keep practising my French
  • Plan more travels for 2014 and beyond!
It is also the year that I will finally move in with Duncan and we will travel to BRAZIL to see the world cup!!  So lots of exciting things to write about on here!

Any great new year's resolutions to share?  How did you spend NYE?  I had a very quiet one in, cooking and watching Lord of the Rings, well come on, I'm clearly not 18 anymore!! #granny

Sophia x
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