My 2021 Word of the Year - Control.
A few years ago, I noticed on Instagram, that when a new year came rolling around, some people choose a word for the year. I liked this idea, I mean, I like words and new year promises, so why wouldn't I? Yet several years passed and I did not choose my word - simply because I could not think of one worthy. I couldn't narrow down my hopes for an entire year into one word.
2020 came to an end, and more than ever I noticed the Instagram posts where people shared their chosen word for the coming year. Words like alignment, growth, trust, health were thrown around. They all sounded great, but none of them felt like the one for me. They didn't quite align with what I was in search of, what I wanted my focus to be over 2021. I began to think maybe it was time to admit defeat, another wordless year as no word felt fitting.
And then as warm water fell on me in the shower one day, a word came to me. I wasn't trying to think of the word at the time, yet there it was, as clear as day. Control.
Why control?
I've become one of those people who things just kind of happened to and don't happen for. It has been a long time since I felt like I've taken control, but in 2021, I'm determined to change that.
I'm not naturally someone who takes control. I'm quite happy to let my friend pick where we're going for dinner (you know, back when we could do that), and my boyfriend can decide what we watch in the evenings (until it's football, and then I spend my evening reading in a different room). Usually, I don't take control, because I don't mind the outcome. But it seems my behaviour has leaked through to areas where the outcome matters to me. Sure, I don't mind whether we eat Italian or Mexican food, but I do mind how I'm spending my life day in, day out. Choosing (or not choosing) where we go for dinner should not feel the same as choosing (or not choosing) how I want to make a living.
I think control is a great word for me because I see two different sides to that coin. Having control can be a good thing, and letting go of control can be a good thing. I feel for years I've held my control in all the wrong places. I'm ambitious when it comes to my career, yet I don't really have one, that's an area where I need to take more control. On the flip side, I've had panic attacks in shops before, because there were too many people and I didn't know my way around - the lack of control overwhelmed me. That's an area where I shouldn't desire that sense of control to the point that I go into panic without it.
I was listening to a podcast recently, and one of the hosts said something along the lines of "there are many things around you that you can't control but the one thing that you always have control over is yourself, you actions and your mindset" and that stuck with me. Accepting I can't control outer factors, but can always control myself gives me hope. It makes me want to take action, rather than accept defeat.
I'm a big believer in manifestation and the law of attraction. I was listening to an audiobook on it recently and it spoke about both taking inspired actions and surrendering your wishes to the universe. Having faith. I like this idea that there's both a push and pull of energy. Places where control needs to taken and places where that control needs to be surrendered.
You can control actions but not the outcomes.
During 2021 some ways I will take control include:
- Meditating on a regular basis - it's good for my mindset, and while I can't control my anxiety, I can control how I manage it.
- Doing the things I'm curious about - following my intuition.
- By not giving up on myself.
- Putting my time into making my book the best it can be to up my chances of finding a publisher
- I can control how I spend my time. Less scrolling, more reading, more moving, less lounging, etc
- What I'm putting into my body. I want to eat food which fuels me and leaves me feeling healthy.
- The media I consume.
- The actions I take.
- What I'm spending my money on.
Things I can't control, and how I can reframing negative thoughts:
- Job rejections - rejection is just redirection.
- Political and world news. I can control how much of that media I consume, and what I share myself.
- What other people think of me - and at this point, I don't think I care.
- What the universe has in store for me.
- Other people.
Outfit Details
Coat: M&S - Dress (worn under jumper): Mint Velvet (similar linked) - Jumper: ASOS (similar linked) - Bag: Coach (similar linked) - Headband: Chloe Harriets Creates (my Etsy store)
My 2021 New Year Admin Checklist | Life Organisation
Whatever you fancy doing in this time, you do you. If you want to relish in doing nothing, go for it but this blog post might not be the one for you. I sit firmly in the camp of overly enthusiastic when it comes to a new year, but I understand some people are the total opposite and really couldn't care less about the change of dates.
Personally, I find after Boxing Day there's only so much more watching Netflix, doing puzzles and eating pringles I can do. I get itchy to prepare for the New Year (which again is not something you need to do if you want to carry on as you've been going). But I love any excuse for a new start. I like to begin a year feeling both organised and hopeful for what's to come. I like to use the end of a year as the push I need to catch up on the life admin I've been putting off, so I can go into the new year with what feels like a clean slate. Each year I write myself a list of admin to complete before the new year, or within the first week of January, this year I thought I'd share it.
My 2021 New Year admin checklist:
- Organise my space:
- Give my phone a spruce up:
Change my phone background and rearrange my apps. Delete the ones I don't need. Go through my photos and delete those accidental selfies and unnecessary screenshots.
- Write a to-read list:
Get excited about the book I plan on getting lost in the new year. I also set my Goodreads goal for the year.
- Plan my blog content:
I always get the blogging bug back when a new year comes along - while I feel inspired I like to do as much blogging and planning as I can.
- Go through my finances:
Check if there are any direct debits I can cancel. Plan my budgets for the coming months.
- Unsubscribe to unwanted emails:
Get the inbox back down to 0, and stop the junk coming back.
- Put any dates into my diary for next year:
I don't want to be forgetting friends birthdays or missing appointments.
- Go through my laptop:
Clear unwanted files, put photos onto a hard drive, organise files.
- Social media maintenance:
Check bios are up-to-date, unfollow and mute accounts I don't love, change any profile pictures that need changing.
- Check all tech is up-to-date:
Finally, do that laptop update which I've been clicking remind me tomorrow on for the last 8 months.
- Update my blog media pack and CV:
Add on those achievements from 2020.
- Clean out my makeup bag:
It's usually looking pretty grimy at this point, so it's time to throw out those old mascaras and clean up the loose powder and foundation spills.
How do you like to get organised for a new year?!
I hope you found this post useful!
Chloe x
Follow
Some 2018 Highlights.
Happy New Year!
Portugal
Fitness
Walking in the Woods
Bristol Food Tour
Reconnecting with family
Shooting with Madi
I've spent many fun days taking blog photos with my friend Madi. It's so good to have a friend who really understands the blog thing and it's great to help each other out. These days have been both fun and productive, which is super rewarding. Alongside this, we went to a blog event together, and for the first time ever I felt like a 'real' blogger.
Museum visits, harbourside walks and coffee with Kelsey
Quitting my job
My birthday
Began creating Youtube videos again
Went to a teamaking workshop at the Bird & Blend Tea Company
Celebrated Christmas
Seeing Ryleigh grow up
The New Years Resolutions 7 Months On.
It is the start of July, so we are officially over halfway through the year. I'm sure, like me, you're all freaking out about where 2017 is going.
I decided to refresh my brain and look at my New Years Goals which I set for myself at the start of the year, to see if any of them are actually happening and which ones have gone out of the window completely. Hopefully, this will give me some focus for the remainder of the year.
1) Be Better at Replying to Text and Emails - this has definitely gone out of the window, I'm still completely rubbish at it
2) No more social breadcrumbing - I do think I've improved slightly on this one, I'm getting better at not saying 'let's go for coffee' in passing, although I definitely do it sometimes.
3) Be more proud of my blog and youtube - This one is actually happening. I've got some pride in the things I create now. I've even made a Facebook page for my blog (here), so the people I know IRL can see the stuff which I was once embarrassed to talk about too!
4) Take better care of my belongings - I feel like I'm improving on this one. I'm definitely a lot tidier which tends to come hand in hand with looking after things.
5) Save some money - uhh about that...
6) Go to life drawing classes - I've not done this, but there is still time.
7) Post spoken word on my youtube - I technically did this, and then took it down. It is something I intend to do again, just when I'm feeling a little happier poetry.
8) Meet more like-minded people, make friends - I am getting better at this one. I've definitely met more like-minded people this year, but there is still room for improvement.
9) Pass my driving test - I'm still having lessons, but I can't see any reason I wouldn't pass by the end of the year.
10) Go to acting lessons - This is something I recently began doing.
11) Look after myself more - In some ways, I do this, in some ways I don't.
12) Keep doing me - I'm 100% feeling more comfortable with who I am at the moment.
I'm pleasantly surprised looking back over those, although I definitely haven't stuck to some of them, some of my goals for the year I've been putting into action! Did you have any goals for 2017?
Follow
Goodbye 2014, Hello 2015 | New Year Goals
2015 will be my first full year as a graduate, I am finally beginning to feel like an adult, and I am looking forward to beginning my life as an adult. I am sure it will be a year of a lot of new beginnings, which I feel is much needed in my life at the moment, and I feel my life is finally at a stage where I can feel as though, this is my year. I have finally finished education, and now it's down to me what I do with my life. I am excited about this year. For once in my life, I feel like I can fully understand the saying, the world is my oyster... I would also like to apologise for the cheesy clichéness of this blog post, it is what New Years does to me.
Reminiscing over 2014
Aims for 2015
You may know I currently working in a shoe shop, which I do enjoy, but it is not a career, by the end of 2015 I'd like to be working hard at a job that I can call a career.
I have rambled far too much this post already, so I am going to cut the rest of my goal into short bullet points otherwise this blog post may go on forever. So other things I would like to do this year are:
- Start drawing/painting again - used to spend a lot of time creating are, and for some reason, I stopped, I want to start again, I love drawing and it's something I'd love to improve my skills at, and maybe something I can even share on the blog one day.
- Start scrapbooking - after watching a youtube where Lily Pebbles spoke about her scrapbook I felt inspired, but still wasn't really considering scrapbooking as I thought I was something I wouldn't keep up, however, the next day I was sorting my room, and I kept finding bits and bobs (such as tickets, menus and photos) that I'd kept for memories sake but they didn't have a home when I realised scrapbooking would be the perfect way to tie up these loose ends that I'd like to keep.
- Keep a diary - when I realised I couldn't remember what had happened at the start of 2014, I decided I want to remember the next year, so I may write an entry each day but I am going to keep a diary throughout the year.
- Be nicer to people - I don't think I'm necessarily horrible to people now, but there's always room to be nice, right? I want to be kinder to strangers, make more effort with friends and cut out the nasty bitching.
- Read more - because reading is amazing.
- Improve my photography - because it's a skill I'd love to have.
- Don't get upset over silly things, like boys. I spent far too much time feeling down about things and people who weren't worth those emotions last year. Never again.
- Be more organised - because how else am I going to keep on top of all of these aims?!