2017: The Highlights of My Year of Change & Discovery

“Feels like I just woke up,
Like all this time I’ve been asleep.
Even though it’s not who I am,
I’m not afraid of who I used to be.

No one stays the same;
You know what goes up must come down.
Change is a thing you can count on;
I feel so much younger now.”

#SorryNotSorry for the Miley Cyrus lyrics. It’s just that this song summed up my feelings about life this year better than I ever could myself; I listened to it on repeat for weeks when it was released in August because it was so apt.

At the beginning of 2017 if you had told me all of the things that would happen and that I would end up where I am now right at this minute, there is no way on Earth I would have believed you. There have definitely been ups and downs but below I thought I’d write out some of my highlights…

5 festivals

I hadn’t planned for this to be my year of festivals but it just seemed to happen that way! With The Great Estate and Love Saves The Day in May, followed by Tunes in the Dunes and Boardmasters in June and August, it was a Summer of great music and plenty of dancing- topped off with singing ‘She’s So Lovely’ at the top of our lungs to Scouting for Girls at The Little Orchard Cider Festival in September.

8 books

Whilst my plan was to read 12 books by the end of the year (one per month), I’m still really happy with this achievement as I normally only manage to read one book a year whilst on a week’s summer holiday! My favourites of the bunch were definitely The Handmaid’s Tale* and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert*.

4 trips abroad

I exceeded my 3-trip goal and ended up going abroad 4 times in 2017! Starting with a week in Mexico in January, followed by the most amazing week of yoga and hiking in Montenegro in May, I discovered my love for solo travel here.

In September I booked a spontaneous solo trip to Portugal to learn how to surf and stay in a couple of super fun hostels where I met some amazing people, and come November I found myself on an even more spontaneous and unexpected trip to Fuerteventura with my now-boyfriend Alex!

2 Tattoos

In October I bit the bullet and finally got some more ink that I’ve been wanting for a while. First off, the word ‘teardrop’ in my handwriting on my foot (Teardrop as in the Massive Attack song)- I’ve loved this track for years and the lyrics ‘teardrop on the fire’ are something I like to keep in my mind.

Then I went in for the kill with my biggest tattoo yet, a part-sleeve/forearm-wrap of roses and leaves (black and white of course!). Jannali from Ship to Shore tattoo studio in Falmouth did the design and ink and I am still so in love 2 months on. I can’t wait for her to complete more of my sleeve in 2018!

98 blog posts

I more or less stuck to my aim of 3 blog posts a week here on this blog (occasionally slipping down to 2 or 1 when times have been particularly stressful and my creative brain has been stuck) but I’ve been fairly consistent. I still love every minute of it and adore having it as a creative outlet!

1 new project

A couple of months ago I started a brand new project (online based of course) which I’m excited to share in 2018; hopefully it’s only a month or so away from launching so stay tuned!

2 exercise classes a week

For 2017 one of my goals was to do at least one form of ‘different’ exercise a week (ie. not just walking the dog) and this is something I’m super proud to say I’ve exceeded! In February I joined Olivia’s HIIT classes once a week, and eventually stepped it up to two classes a week in May. I even did a bootcamp!

Then in July I joined my local gym and have been doing at least one class there a week too. My fitness is probably one of my greatest achievement of this year; I’ve gone from the most unfit to the fittest I’ve ever been in my life and I feel fantastic- I even have abs now! Obviously over Christmas I’ve lapsed a little but it’s all about balance, and I can’t wait to make 2018 my fittest year yet.

365 days without eating meat

I did it! Okay so there were one or two pigs in blankets which may have slipped through this month, but nobody is perfect! However other than that I haven’t eaten meat at all in 2017.

I’m still eating fish, eggs seafood, but have also cut down considerably on dairy, switching permanently to non-dairy milk & yogurt, and not buying cheese at home at all. I feel so much healthier and better about my choices.

1 new relationship

My rollercoaster of a year has flip-turned me from one long-term relationship, to experiencing single life for the first time in my adult life, and now into a brand new relationship – phew! I’m a big believer in #NoRegrets and I think I’ve had many life lessons over the last 12 months, but I couldn’t be happier right now and I can’t wait to see what 2018 will bring.

More new friendships than I can count!

My second choice of word to describe this year would definitely be ‘Friendship’; I’m so grateful for the wonderful friends who have supported me through some tough times, and unbelievably thankful for all the new friends I have made over the last 6 months in particular. They’ve all been there through my ups and downs and have filled my life with laughter, adventures and great company.

Thanks to everyone who made this year great! Happy New Year :)

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