How is it already half way through January??? I don’t understand!!! The time is just flying by and I realise that I am falling behind on the things that I enjoy the most. I really do love writing this blog as it serves as a journal for me. Looking back at all my past posts has really shown me how I have grown and changed through vet school. So I don’t want to give this up. With all the other things demanding my time, I sometimes push this to the back burner. I’ve recommitted, which lets be honest is what New Years are all about.

New Years came with me in Germany spending time with friends and family. So many fireworks going off for hours made me so grateful that I can sleep through anything. Noise aside, the firework show was amazing. We were up on a hill and even though it was quite foggy, we could see all the fireworks going off in every single direction. People were playing music and it was a party. Normally I’m not big on staying up till all hours of the night and going out to enjoy it, but this was a fun experience. We staying out until about 12:20 and then come home and went to bed. My perfect kind of New Year.

Luckily for me school didn’t start until the second week in January, so I took that extra time and explored Switzerland with my mum and sister. Best way to start the new year is with an adventure in someplace you have never been before. We went to the Top of Europe in Interlaken as well as took a moment enjoy the stops along the way. I can’t even remember how many churches and castles we explored, but enjoyed every single one. Since I am already into the middle of January, I have had quite a while to decide on my goals for the year.

1. Don’t be so lazy

   Being in Switzerland and trying to see as much as possible really made me realise just how lazy I have become. Now I realise that while traveling it is important to explore and see as much as you can, but this still caused an epiphany. I sit in my house a lot watching Netflix or doing basically nothing. I waste a lot of time that I could be learning something new or exploring the city I live in. There are so many things that I haven’t done either for money reasons (which I am doing all I can at the moment) or laziness. So I have decided to change the one that I can. I’ve given up Netflix for the year and committed to doing something with people even when it gets dark outside. Leaving my house and being more active. And if I am staying inside, then learning something new or doing something besides watching movies or tv shows for hours on end. Udemy and Skillshare are going to be my new best friends.

2. Be less wasteful

   I can’t help but think of all the waste that is being produced each year. The world and all the creatures on it are suffering due to this, humans included. We all need to make a conscious effort to reduce our waste and carbon imprint on the world. If we don’t make the decision now, it is going to be too late soon. I watched a video of someone who only produced one small bag of waste for the whole year. As much as I would love to do that, I am realising that it takes more conscious effort than I realised. Especially in the UK where most food is covered and sold in plastic, it’s proving slightly harder than expected. I refuse to give up though and I am looking into other options on the food side and being more aware of what products I buy in other areas of my life as well.

3. Go or do something new every month of the year

2019 started off with a bang in Switzerland!! I loved that adventure and it reminded me just how much I love traveling and that I never want to stop. I really enjoy learning about a new culture and meeting new people. I especially love to sit and listen to the languages spoken around the world. Even though I speak German, Switzerland was a new language for me as they have their own dialect. I had no idea what was going on around me most of the time. I have sat down and made some great plans for the year and hope to start making videos of my travels and experiences as well to help me keep a journal of what is happening. This is another goal to help me be less lazy in my life. I don’t want things to pass me by. The year will end in Hawaii working in a rehabilitation centre there. What comes in the months in between still needs to be decided.

4. Continue to progress and get out of your comfort zone

Who doesn’t love their comfort zone??? I find myself enjoying change the older I get. It helps me to progress and seeing where I was years ago and comparing that with where I am now is amazing. I want to keep myself improving and moving forward in life. I don’t want to stand stagnant all for the sake of comfort. The thing about comfort zones is just outside that zone is the zone of learning and growth. (And past that zone is the zone of total panic) You need to find a balance of being in the comfort and growth zone and try to never reach the panic zone.

I have so many other goals within these that are more specific to actually help me accomplish what I have set out to do. I know this is a process rather than a once and done situation, but I don’t want to be left at the end of the year wondering what I accomplished. I hope to grow and change and hopefully the rest of 2019 will slow down and not get away from me like the first 2 weeks already have.