5-Year Journal: January

This year I started a 5-years journal that was inspired by Tami Taylor. With this you have a question for each day of the year, and you answer it however you want, and then you answer the same question on the day day over the nest 4 years and see how your responses change. So as well as keeping an monthly update of my weight loss journey, I wanted to share some of my favourite questions and responses, and expand on them where necessary each month. I shall also post both the January and February questions at the end of this post should you want to start a 5-year journal as well. 


1. What is your number one goal this year?
To lose weight and be more healthy all around, and to simply have an amazing year.

2019 is the year for me. There are a lot of exciting things happening for me this year, and the one thing that I wanted to do this year is to really become the best version of myself that I can be. Over the past few years, my weight has slowly but surely been increasing through stress and overeating, and I do believe, particularly since 2016, I have developed some binge-eating type tendencies. However, this is the year to really crack down on that, and to really spend some time putting myself and my own needs first.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Slimming-World/dp/B00RBO41UI

2. What are you most grateful for?
My family, and that they are always there to support me, especially with university.

My family are amazing, but especially my mum. She is the one person who has always been there for me no matter what, and is the person that I know I can always turn to when I’m in need or just need to talk. She truly is amazing, and is an incredible role model to have in one’s life.

4. What is your best memory of last year?
Going to Disney World and Universal Studios, in Florida with my family.

So my mum, my sister, her boyfriend and I went to on holiday to Florida in May, and it was amazing! My sister and I are huge Disney nerds (we actually have matching Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet tattoos), and neither of us have been to Disney since 2007, so to say that we were excited is a bit of an understatement. It was incredible, and we all agreed out of the two America parks, it is by far the superior one. I am also a huge Harry Potter geek, to the extent to if I don’t know the answer to a question it’s likely not worth knowing, and so we also went to Universal and explored the Harry Potter world. It was literally like stepping into the film, and of course I cried at the fireworks, as everyone was expecting. Did I mention that I was a little obsession?



5. What was the last major accomplish you had?
I received a 2:1 for my undergraduate degree in 2017, which after the year I had had was completely mind blowing.

My final year of university was rough to say the least. During December 2016 my stepfather unfortunately passed away and then in April the following I, myself, had a bit of a mental breakdown. So to come out with a 2:1 was insane! It not only made all of the hard work of my degree worth it, but also meant that I could go to any university that I wanted to for my master’s which was a great relief.

10. What made you smile today?
Finishing and preparing a whole load of blog posts.

I really enjoy writing, and for me it gives me a break from my university work, which means that I don’t become so tunnel visioned. It’s like my release, and so if I can spend a day or even a morning working on my posts, that is just as productive and worthwhile to me, as spending the same amount of time research for my thesis.


https://wifflegif.com/tags/5460-blog-gifs?page=31

11. What’s your favourite accessory?
My glasses, they enable me to see, and they suit me.

I am lucky that I do not have the worst vision in the world, but do definitely need to wear my glasses otherwise I will get really bad headaches, and my eyes will start to hurt. But, because I don’t wear that many accessories, I always make sure that I get eye-wear that really suit my face and own personal style.

14. What did you get done?
Today I had a super productive day. I read through and made notes on a chapter from a nook, had a meeting with Caroline where we pinned down my thesis, was given the go ahead to start writing said thesis, cashed a check, and bought a new eyebrow gel.

This was an incredibly exciting day for me because I got to start writing my thesis. It’s going to be a lot of work, and probably a lot of stress, but I am so looking forward to the process and its result.

20. What was the hardest thing you’re dealing with?
I think my anxiety had always been my biggest struggle. As much as it has greatly improved with medication, it is still there.

Anxiety is a nightmare sometimes, and, for me, it has left emotional scars that I don’t think will ever completely fade. I have pretty much tried everything, from counselling and mindfulness, to journaling and writing down all of my feelings down and then tearing them up; and am now, thankfully, am on a small dose of anti-anxiety medication. It is mental disorder that I deal with everyday, and sometimes it most certainly is a battle, but is one that I am able to cope with reasonably well.


https://tenor.com/search/anxious-gifs

23. What made today unusual?
I guess the only thing that was unusual about today was that I got to try out a new recipe, and really enjoyed it, which is always exciting.

One of the best things about starting Slimming World, and getting a pressure cooker for Christmas, is that I've become excited about cooking again, which is amazing. This recipe that I tried our was a relatively simple one of veggie chicken, saffron rice and steamed vegetables, and was delicious. It is definitely one that I will keep in my book of recipes.

25. What is your favourite thing to drink?
My automatic response is wine, but I also love coffee as well.

This question just made me laugh, so I had to include it. My two favourite beverages, one that wakes me up, and the other that will inevitably send me to sleep.


https://www.vibe.com/2014/09/national-coffee-day-addicted-coffee

29. What was your last major purchase?
Eurostar tickets for Paris.

In May, my sister and I are taking our first trip together to Paris, purely to see 'The Greatest Showman' concert, and also to go to Disneyland for a day, because well we're there. So why not? It is going to be completely insane, and I still think we are mad that we got the tickets in a different country, but we are both so excited. In December we found some reasonably cheap Eurostar tickets, and because I know that they to go up in January, I wanted to snap them up for the pair of us as quickly as possible.

January questions:

February questions:

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