Goodbye 2017

My word collage for 2018 - it's being added to as the day goes on ...

Didn't I do well?   Not!   I let my blogging fall by the wayside as I took on a new job for 5 days a week and let it totally overwhelm me!  I let myself become so stressed and worried about what I was doing well/badly, how I was fitting in with the team and taking these anxieties home with me.  First lesson for 2018 is to not take life quite so seriously and give myself time to look around and see the good stuff too!   I feel like 2017 has been a year for hunkering down after 3 years of seemingly endless stress and loss - 2017 has not been as 'exciting' but it has been a good time of rest and recuperation - getting strong again after life went down paths I found testing :)

Although I have mixed feelings about the new year, viewing it as a time of endings, I've realized I'm also grateful to it for giving me the opportunity to reflect on my past year and look forward to dreams for the next 12 months and beyond.   Already I'm thinking of creative ideas for my art, which I'm going to re-establish this year, starting with the fabulous Lifebook to get my creative muscles working again - it starts tomorrow :)   I'm also going to get myself moving more by undertaking the couch to 5k program - I attempted it a few years ago in Australia but stopped because I got too hot - I don't have that excuse this time round!   It's all training for the Isle of Wight Challenge which I'll be doing in May 2018.   And I'll be getting this blog into shape too!  Now you have an inkling of what I will be sharing this next year ...

What are your hopes and dreams for 2018?