I love this time of year!  There is something satisfying about reflecting on the year gone by, before putting it all behind you and turning over a brand new page.  A new year, a new chapter.  And the best thing is that you can write the next chapter yourself.

Last year, I made some pretty extensive resolutions, with the hope that I would have a super-productive year!  Of course, I didn’t get around to completing them all, but I did surprise myself with what was ticked off the list:

• continue weekly blog posts and try to gain at least 100 followers [I have maintained weekly blog posts and my blog following has just reached 254, more than double what I expected – thanks everyone!!]
• work/travel overseas [I’ve explored parts of Germany, Denmark and Spain and I now work as a teacher at an International School in Berlin]
• write at least 4 new songs and perform at least 4 open mic nights [This was a bit too ambitious – I wrote a song and performed at a local open mic night here in Berlin, so I’ll give myself a quarter of a point for that!]
• become a better surfer [I learnt how to stand up and ride waves at the start of the year, so I’ll tick this off the list, even though the freezing temperatures at the moment make this feel like a life time ago]
• become proficient in speaking beginner German [After a two month intensive German language course in Berlin, I feel like I can communicate on a basic level, though I have a long way to go]
• experiment with watercolour painting and develop a portfolio of art work [Does using my water colour pencils in a drawing journal count?]

And here is what I forgot completely about:

• learn how to use digital SLR camera.
• learn at least 10 songs on the ukulele.

Whilst not all resolutions were achieved, it really shows the power of goal-setting.  By writing down what you want and taking steps to work towards it, you really can shape your future.  And so, it is now time to write down the plan for this year!

Goals for 2017

1. Make a domain name for my blog
2. Double my blog following [to reach 500]
3. Take a holiday trekking in Nepal [this year or next year]
4. Develop skills as a full-time primary teacher
5. Continue to develop my German language skills
6. Explore the South of Germany
7. Send more letters in the mail
8. Visit more of Europe (France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece)
9. Go to Australia for Christmas with my family

I will also be turning 30 this year, which is slightly terrifying, but also exciting – it is not every day you get to step into a new decade!  With a great job in Germany and Europe at my fingertips, let’s see what happens…

Thank you to all my readers and fellow bloggers who have continued to support and inspire me over the past year. Wishing you all a wonderful 2017!