2014 Goals – The Review

Where has 2014 gone? It only seems like yesterday that we were bringing in the new year. So here we are at the end of 2014 and quite frankly I’ve had an amazing year. While there may of been challenges and stress along the way, so many great memories have outweighed the trials and tribulations.

At the beginning of each year, I set myself goals instead of new year resolutions. This year I set myself five goals that I hope to achieve. I would say all bar one was successful.

What do I have planned for 2015? I actually don’t know yet. Only time will tell.

Goal 1. Blog more

BlogFor 2014, the plan was to blog more both personally and professionally. I think it is fair to say this this didn’t entirely go to plan. Although, in my defence, I did have quite a bit on for a large proportion of the year.

Apart from the obligatory ‘Today is all about‘ blogs, which I remember to post at right time each month this year (mostly), there was only a couple of other blogs including the popular (thanks to Cancer Research) ‘#nomakeupselfie takes Social Media by storm‘. I had planned to do other blogs, but time restraints meant it didn’t happen. That, and the fact it takes me ages to write anything.

But it wasn’t all negative, while I didn’t blog as much as I wanted to, it transpires a concoction of old and new blogs increased readership by nearly double compared to the previous year.

As for my professional blog, well that kind of went offline quite early on in the year as I started redesigning it. The plan is to get this back up and running in the new year.

Goal 2. Plan a wedding

Two groomsGetting married was always going to happen in 2014, how successful the planning would be is another question. However, I would say it went quite well, and I will happily wear my self-titled ‘Groomzilla’ badge with pride.

The great thing about organising a same-sex marriage is that we didn’t feel restricted to keeping to tradition. We kept what we wanted and added stuff that we thought was missing. In effect we made the day personal and it was such a memorable experience for us and our guests.

Planning was stressful, but with the aide of my trusty spreadsheet, I was able to keep it all in check. I must of done a good job, as people want me to help with their weddings.

Goal 3. Sell my Bad Taste Bears

Kongo Bad Taste BearI never expected the process of selling the bears to be so long winded, but I sold quite a fair bit of the ones that I wanted to sell. While some have gone for less than I hoped, I have been surprised at the price some sold at (as were a few other collectors). What was made from selling these bears really helped with funding for the wedding.

I still have loads that need to be sold, but now with the wedding out the way, I plan to do them at my own pace, and at the price that I am more comfortable with. And while I don’t expect to make profit on all the bears, I do expect to get what they are roughly selling for now. Everyone likes to try and get a bargain, but some of the offers were beyond a joke, which was then followed with a polite decline. If they don’t sell, then they don’t sell, but that’s my prerogative.

Goal 4. Stop biting my nails

Bitten fingernailHaving been a chronic nail biter for all my life, this is a habit that would be difficult to tackle, however I have had a relatively successful attempt at it this year.

Over the years, I have tried nearly everything to sort this out, such as the nail-biting repellant, but to no avail. However, there was one thing that appear to work for me, and that is gel overlays. No, I don’t have false nails. Its just gel over the top of my existing nail, which help strengthens it and harder to bite through.

It’s quite a self-conscious thing to walk into a nail beautician and have your nails done, while shoppers walk past and look in the window, but now I am starting to accept that it isn’t something that I should not be ashamed of.

My nails have improved since starting using the gel overlays, and I can count on one hand when I have had to bite a nail (because I don’t have a nail file after it broke). Although, I will need to go more often than I do at the moment, because I appear to have picked up a new habit to replace the nail biting; which is picking the gel off once I can see the edges.

Goal 5. Find a permanent job

Job huntingWith the internship coming to an end, I needed to find a new job, and it’s fair to say that this was stressful. Probably more stressful than planning a wedding.

I did originally get offered one job, but eventually turned it down because the position didn’t match what was advertised. It was a difficult decision but generally the negatives outweighed the positives. This did mean that there was a potential that I would be out of a job by the end of my internship and just before I got married. Which wasn’t the best position to be in.

Weeks before my internship was to end, I was offered a job doing what I always wanted to do…and more. Three months in I am having a great time. I am still learning loads and know going into the new year I will learn a lot more. But the thing is, I can’t wait!

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