New Year’s Resolutions 2019: How Did I Do?

It’s that time of year! It’s time to look back and reflect on what I wanted at the beginning of the year and how much I have achieved since then. That means it’s time to look at my New Year’s Resolutions 2019.

Firstly, let’s take a gander and have a reminder of what I hoped to achieve in 2019.

New Year’s Resolutions 2019

Develop my Freelance Writing Career

This year I really hope to develop this side of my career. It’s still fairly new since I only started writing for the Huffington Post in August but I’ve loved it and want to take it further. Fingers crossed things go well.

Did I achieve it?

Yes, I did! Not only have I become a paid freelance journalist I’ve also appeared on BBC Radio as a zero-waste expert. I’ve written for Glamour, Huffington Post, Happiful, Telegraph, Underpinned, Quarter Life Crisis, Restless Magazine among others. I’ve had had a blast and I cannot wait for it to continue into 2020.

Read 90 Books

After reading over 80 last year, and over 70 the year before, this year I’m aiming to read at least 90 books.

Did I achieve it?

Yes! I read 90+ books this year. I’ll be doing a formal round-up in January but I’m very happy to have met my Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2019.

Get an Agent

This is a big one, but I’m putting it out into the universe. After writing and sending my second book to agents I’ve once again had some wonderful responses but I’ve yet to find the agent that fits with me. Fingers crossed that 2019 might be the year, with lucky book number three.

Did I achieve it?

Well…let see’s what 2020 brings.

Travel

I really want to see more of the world, be it just more of the UK, and so this year I really want to travel. I’ve got my eyes on Amsterdam still, as well as Rome, Newcastle (Hey Michael!), Cumbria, and maybe even Greece. Who knows. I just want to get away a bit.

Did I achieve it?

I did and I didn’t. I did travel to New York City on my own, I visited a family friend in Haworth in Yorkshire. Later in the year, I went to visit my sister in Devon. Could I have done more? Probably. Did I have the money to do so? No. So this is still very much on the cards, but I definitely began my travel New Years Resolution in 2019.

Take Risks

With everything that’s happened recently, it’s taught me that spontaneity and taking risks is worth it. I wish I were more comfortable with saying yes more than no and trying things I’ve never done before. Maybe 2019 will be that year.

Did I achieve it?

Yes. Definitely. I travelled solo, reached out to brands, agencies, and publishers. And I got a new job. I did public speaking for the first time. Surprisingly, I had an audition. I pitched to major publications and got pieces published. All in all, I definitely took risks this year and I’m so glad because it definitely made my year. But there’s no way I’m sitting back on my laurels in 2020. I’m going to continue to take risks because life is worth it.

What were your New Years Resolutions in 2019? And did you meet them?

Twitter // Facebook // Pinterest // Bloglovin // Instagram // Waterstones // TikTok