New Year....New Chances | Just Add Ginger

There's no denying it - 2017 was a huge year for me. We finally moved house, welcomed Eric into the world, I nearly hit rock bottom with my anxiety, sought help, and set myself back on track. I lost friends, made new ones, and finally found my feet again in the blogging / YouTube world, establishing a new path for myself. We took lots of trips, celebrated our wedding anniversary (in October) and made Eric's first Christmas really special. Even just looking back on everything that has happened this year is exhausting. 

There have some big learning curves in 2017, and I have learnt more about myself over the past 365 days than I ever thought I could. And now, with a new year nearly upon us, it's time to close the book on this chapter and get ready for a brand new adventure, and a brand new set of goals. 

Set Up A Support Network 

You may know this if you are subscribed to my channel but if you aren't this could be new. For the past year - since Eric was born really - I have pretty much dedicated my videos to covering mummy content. When I was pregnant there were hardly any organisations that exclusively supported parents in my position, so I wanted to go about changing that. The next step in this journey is to set up a support group or network for mums, dads, grandparents, relatives or carers who are in the position I was nearly a year a go. I receive so many comments on my videos from parents-to-be reaching out to say how much my content has helped them that a group seems the natural next step. And I am really excited about it. 

Tone Up, Train Up & Conquer Snowdon 

Each year I try and do some kind of fundraising. This year I took part in the Memory Walk to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society, and next year I want to walk up Snowdon and hopefully raise some money for the Liverpool Women's Hospital (where Baby Ginger was born). It's not going to be easy, and I really need to train and tone up a bit first, but it'll be so worth it! Having this as a challenge ahead of me will be the challenge I need to stretch my legs, dust of the Christmas cobwebs and get out into the fresh air rather. Being outside does Eric the world of good too so the more we get walking, the better. 

Be Adventurous 

... In every sense of the word. I want to put myself out there as much as I can - whether that is in the content I put on my blog or YouTube channel, going to new places with Eric, doing my own outreach or heading out to events on my own. This year I have been too hard on myself and if I'm totally honest, rather fretful, but when it comes to 2018 I don't want anything to hold me back. And that includes being strong in the decisions I make. Being adventurous for me is also to start practising more self-care and really start to become more self-aware. If I do that, then I'll really be able to respect myself, my choices, and my ideas.

Do you have any goals for 2018?

Photo: EM Imagery