Been meaning to do this ever since the start of the new year, but it’s only now that I actually got round to sitting down and thinking about/ planning this post. Better late than never though – plus we are still only mid January, right? So… without further ado (& in no particular order), here’s my 5 (+1) goals for 2015:

Last year was quite mixed, fitness and health wise. I started the year off with unnaturally high blood cholesterol levels (due to long term use of my birth control pills, as it turns out) and spent the first 5- 6 months eating healthily and exercising (mainly running on the treadmill everyday), trying to get that under control. Having managed to, though, I kinda fell off the wagon – late last summer. My running routine dwindled and I gained quite a bit of weight until the end of the year. So, 2015 has to be all about getting back to my ideal weight and an all- round healthier lifestyle. It also needs to be about resuming my running training (& finally taking it outside!) with a view to improving my 5K PR and, hopefully, preparing to take the next step with a 10K.

These last few years I have found myself getting increasingly restless and unhappy with my life/ where I am at the moment. Truth be told I’ve always been a bit of a “glass half empty” kinda girl and that, coupled by the Greek financial crisis which has taken quite a toll and made things extra tough for everyone, me and my family included, has led to a mild (self- diagnosed) depression – culminating in 2014. My second 2015 goal is, thus, to work on all of my negative feelings and psychological issues (alone or with the help of a professional) and end the year on a happier, more content/ fulfilled note!

If the (aforementioned) economic crisis has tought me anything, it’s the need to have some money stashed aside for emergencies. At 37 years of age I can honestly say I have been terribly bad at this. Fair enough, my income is not such that would allow for huge savings but that doesn’t mean I should squander whatever little is left every month on mindless or impulsive purchases, leaving nothing for a “rainy day”. The plan for 2015 is to try and save between 50- 100€ monthly (10% of my salary sounds like a bit of a daydream), but I definitely need to educate myself more re: finances and budgeting (& may be adjusting things, as I go along).

I absolutely love Lifestyle Counter and all the (online) friends I have made along the way, but find it hard to maintain a consistent posting schedule. As with most things, I tend to go through alternate periods of blogging religiously and falling off the face of the earth blogosphere for months at a time… This is unacceptable, considering almost 200 of you drop in to read my ramblings, so it needs to change starting… now. I am aiming to post at least 3 times per week during 2015 (& have also registered and plan to complete some online blogging classes – with a view to improving LC even further).

This has to be the simplest one of my goals. It seems that my everyday life (filled with work and other mundane obligations) tires me out, to the point where I simply cannot be bothered to get off my *@* and get out of the house. To make things worse, even when I do manage to leave my book or tablet down and drag myself out of bed, I tend to stick with the same one or two close friends and our well-known (& well-worn) routines. Which means that, best intentions aside, I go for ages without seeing most of my other friends. In 2015 I’m making a concerted effort to do more things with more people, no matter how much effort that takes – simple as that.

I also have one last, bonus goal – namely to read 25 books (6 more than I did in 2014) in 2015. I have been using Goodreads for years and this challenge is kind of a tradition for me (I’ve been at it since 2010).

So, there you have it. These are my goals for the new year! And, just because I’d hate to see them all fade to the back of my mind & amount to little more than nothing (as in previous years), I’m hereby introducing a monthly “Goal Progress Diary” feature (to be posted at the beginning of each month), in order to keep myself accountable.

How about you guys? Do you share any of my goals for 2015? Anything else you are striving to accomplish? I’d love to hear all about it!