I’ve always been a fan of New Years Resolutions, because it’s an excuse to procrastinate for the rest of the year. You know what I mean?

“I’ll join the gym in January. I’ll eat right next year. I’ll do better/be better in the new year, after [insert activity here].”

But then, inevitably, by January 2 or March 26th or some time early in the year, I’m back to my lazy ways of working through a Toblerone on the couch to Harry Potter, feeling like I could be better but resigned to wait for the next year.

I’ve been hearing a lot about One Little Word through Instagram, and some amazing podcasts I follow (Crafty Ass Females being the one that repeated it most!). Essentially, instead of making resolutions that will crumble within 3 months, you choose a word that is going to take you through the next year, like a focus term, or even a goal.

Thinking on this, I decided my word will be Strong. Not strength, because I feel like that is the past tense, strong – the action of becoming strong, of improvement.

This word has had a lot of meaning for me, all my life.

When my Mum was pregnant with me, she was prayed over at church, and she prayed for me a lot. Consistently, she received the same word, “strength”, about me. Even my name, Astrid, means strength of the Gods, in the Norse/Scandinavian mythology. (The version I prefer is strength and beauty of the Gods, but I’ll move on!)

Anyone who knows me and my story knows that I’m fairly strong, and resilient. I don’t let things hold me down for long, and I bounce back quickly. I’d say that strength has always been part of my personality, and I certainly have a strong personality too!

Looking forward, I want to become strong in myself. I, like many others, feel like I’m still figuring out who I am. It’s been obvious when I look at my dating history, for example! I’m great at being attracted to qualities that are there, but aren’t really being acted on. Ambition, it seems, is my biggest weakness, although I often don’t wait for the ambition to be realised, just verbalised. So my goal for 2019 is to get to know me. Get to like me. Take myself out on dates, spend quality time with myself, whatever I need to do.

I want to be financially free! I, without question, make terrible choices with money. It’s as though, once I have any money, I want to spend, spend, spend! This habit has gotten me into trouble several times, resulting in my 2019 being a year of determination to get back into the green. I will be debt free by December, as long as I can continue with what I’m doing! I’ve always been good at saving for a goal, but saving just to save, useless. So, I’ve decided to set some goals for my savings. My cousin is getting married in October, in Bali (Indonesia), so I’m going to have to be careful with my spare money to save enough to go and celebrate as they deserve! After that, I’m hoping for a trip to South East Asia in 2020, and a full year in Europe 2023! That last one is still getting figured out, but that’s the goal to work towards, at least!

I want to become physically strong, too. I genuinely enjoy working out, lifting weights, but I dislike both cardio, and sweat, so I tend to find excuses to avoid the effort! Currently, my excuse is that I don’t want to spend money on a membership… but I’m perfectly happy to spend it on food, so really, I’m only holding myself back. I think I need to start pushing myself more, and recognise the value in putting my health first.

Lastly, going back to being strong within myself, I want to get better at knitting! That, for me, is one of the main goals this year. I want to publish at least two designs (big goals, I know!) this year, as well as completing other jumpers! I know that sounds like a lot, and it is a lot! But that’s the hopes for this year, at least!

I’ll leave you with a glimpse of Auseklis, my first jumper design, half completed and bringing in my new year.