Two Thousand and Nineteen

Today marks the second day of the brand new year, and I am so ready for it. For many of us, January means a fresh start and new notebooks, ready to tackle the year ahead.

Far and wide, people are strolling into January wearing their rose-tinted glasses and setting themselves lofty goals for the new year. However, the envisioned perfect year ahead rarely goes to plan. Life gets in the way. Jobs and commitments take precedence.

Normally, if I don’t manage to stick to my goals within the first couple of weeks, the rest of the year is a complete write-off. I now realise how ridiculous that is. There is so much pressure from all angles that the new year is a ‘clean slate’, time to ‘hit the refresh button’. We’re so conditioned to approach January with a ‘new year, new me’ mindset, buying into diet plans, gym memberships. We need to achieve everything in the first month of the year and easily lose sight of the other 11 months.

There are 12 months. 365 days to works on our intentions slowly; setting short, achievable goals along the way. This year I’m setting myself some broader intentions which I’d like to focus on in 2019.

I’m aware that these post can feel a little ‘samey’. But, I think, for the most part, we write them for ourselves. It’s not only a cathartic exercise, but it’s also something to look back on at the end of the year. We can reflect on what we’ve achieved, and recognise what still needs a little work. So here’s to things looking up in 2019.

While I have other more personal goals I want to achieve and experience this year – apply for a publishing internship, knuckle down on my dreaded dissertation (which went from seeming a million miles away to now haunting me like a shadow), and travel to NYC being a few of them – here are my intentions for two thousand and nineteen.

Create

I was such a creative child. I made ‘magazines’ by stapling together flimsy A4 paper, doodled my way through numerous notebooks and was always thinking up new stories, often left unfinished. At some point, my creativity came to a standstill. I want 2019 to be the year where I really indulge that side of my personality and let it thrive:

Bullet Journaling

I’m always so inspired by how creative some bullet journals are. From beautiful calligraphy to cute little doodles, I feel slightly intimidated when it comes to curating my own journal. This year I want to use my journal as a way of staying more organised; be it by simply jotting down a list of films I’d like to watch, or creating a double-paged spread of monthly goals. I’ll have all my muddled thoughts stashed in one place. If I have time to make it look more beautiful, then that’s just a bonus.

Blog writing

While creating my blog has undoubtedly encouraged me to write more again, it’s something I intend to do more regularly. I’ve created a loose blog post schedule for this month, so we’re already off to a good start.

Drawing

Yet another hobby which somehow got lost among the university applications and coursework deadlines. I find doodling so relaxing and hope to spend more time with a pencil in my hand whenever I need a break from the hustle and bustle.

Explore

Being in Spain for another 7 months, I’d kick myself if I didn’t take the opportunity to travel some more. There is so much of the country I am yet to see. I love city breaks and in 2019 I really want to spread my wings outside of my little Madrid flat bubble and explore the country. As soon as I can strip off my five layers of winter clothing, I’m hoping to visit Valencia, Barcelona, and other gems Spain has to offer.

Find Balance

Finding a balance between social media, work, health and self-care is difficult. I’m baffled at how other people do it. Too often I neglect self-care, working every day and not taking any time out for myself. I feel guilty for not working, be it for my job or on my blog. However, I inevitably wind up feeling burned out and stressed. In 2019 I plan on spending at least one day a week curling up with a book and a mug of tea or binge-watching a series on Netflix. Really, anything that doesn’t involve aimlessly scrolling through my Instagram feed.

Read

…And finally (congratulations if you have made it this far!), read some more. I rekindled my love for reading last year and I’ve upped my 2019 reading goal to an onerous 60 books. I also intend on reading one classic a month, as well as some non-fiction books, both which didn’t receive much love in 2018.

Have you set yourself any intentions for two thousand and nineteen?

Thanks for reading

Evie

♥