Hello 2016!

Hi everybody and welcome to the first Berrysmiles blog post for 2016!

I always love the start of a new year as it does feel like a fresh start. Everything that happened in the past 12 months is now fully in the past and you've got a full new 12 months to look forward to. It feels different, even though it is just the start of another normal day. With the build up to the new year and since it's turned 2016 I've been thinking about the year ahead, what I want to achieve and what my plans are and I'm hear today to share them all with you. So here goes...

January to March

I'm very excited for the first three months of the year. Although work is going to be busy, and I have an exam coming up in March, there's some fun stuff happening too. I'm starting a new contemporary dance class this week which I'm really looking forward to. I love contemporary dance and can't wait to meet some new people and learn some new technique. It's also my Dad's and Mum's birthdays in the first 3 months of the year. We're already beginning to plan the celebrations for my Dad's birthday which I'm really looking forward to, and I'm sure we'll end up with something exciting for my Mum's too when we get to it. It's also Valentines day coming up and I'm hoping to do a couple of posts in the lead up with some ideas and inspirations for dates, presents and food. And finally, to finish off the first quarter of the year, I'm heading off to see Shane Filan in concert with my Mum. The tickets were part of my Christmas present and I can't wait to go. His last concert was amazing.

April to June

April starts the countdown to my final CIMA exam. I'll be back at college studying again ready for the final exam in May. It's probably going to be a very quiet few months as I make sure I pass that last exam, but once it's over I get to enjoy myself. The plan is once the exams are over to go to the Harry Potter Studio Tours. Harry Potter has been such an important part of my life for so long I can't wait to go and visit the studios. I'm also hoping to do a series of tips and tricks for exams and assignment writing as I know a lot of readers out there will be going through some really important exams around this time.

July to September

I love this time of year as it's summer and that means it's my birthday! I'll be 25 this year....which is a very scary thought. It's also Omar's birthday a few weeks before mine which means we get double celebrations. But firstly we have to survive July which is when I find out the results to my CIMA case study exam. I'll either be delighted or devastated! Fingers crossed for the first one and then I'm free. I'm also thinking about having a little trip to Leeds in the summer for a dance summer school. I love the idea of a week long intensive learning technique and routines but it's all dependent on cash and being able to get the time off work at the moment. I've also got some ideas planned for some blog posts on life after university and what to expect when starting university.

October to December

This seems so long away now but I'm sure it'll come around quickly. At the moment I have no confirmed plans, I'll be just getting ready for the build up to Christmas. It'll be mine and Omar's 6 year anniversary in November, we didn't get to celebrate our 5th anniversary very much last year as there was so much else going on, so hopefully we'll be able to celebrate this year. And it's also my best friend's birthday in November too, so another celebration to look forward too. If I get myself organised, I'd love to participate in Blogmas this year. I really enjoyed reading everyone else's blogs and have some ideas I'd love to do for this Christmas.

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As I said the other day, 2015 wasn't a good year for me but I have learnt a lot, and I want to carry some of what I learnt forward into 2016. I want to stop putting myself under so much pressure and getting so worked up over everything. 2015 taught me it's ok to admit that things are getting too much, and to ask for help rather than struggling through. I want to make sure that I keep pushing myself to achieve more, but that I don't let people take advantage of my willingness to do more and to help.

In 2016, I want to achieve everything on my 25 things list and I want to enjoy myself. I want to get back into my gym routine and healthy eating that I did so well with last summer and get back feeling confident and comfortable in my body. I want to save some money to be able to afford nice new things for my house, but not restrict myself by missing out on things with my friends and family. I want to read more books, see my films and catch up on all my TV shows.

I want to grow my blog over the next 12 months, build up my following, post more regularly and come up with some new content. I want to be more engaged in social media and start to interact a lot more with my readers. I have some ideas for content already in the pipeline, and I've shared some of them above, but if there's anything you would like me to blog about, please let me know in the comments below.

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So 2016, we've got a lot to do this year. Let's work together and have a good year. Let's make this one of the best years we've had.

Sarah x

Resolution Roundup

Hi everyone! Sorry it's been so long since my last post, the world outside of blogging has been pretty intense and I was forced to take a break for a little while. But I'm back today hoping you'll all forgive me, and with a little Resolution Roundup for you all!

This time last year I set myself some New Year Resolutions, and to be honest I haven't really revisited them since. So we're well overdue a progress up date on them.

To get fit and healthy

This was definitely a very cliche resolution to make. I wonder how many other people made this resolution and how many actually achieved it?

I must admit, I probably didn't do too badly with this. I had spells where I was really good, kept up exercising regularly and ate healthily, but there were other spells where I was really naughty. I suppose that happens to even the best of us. I can't complain though, I did loose weight and drop a dress size, and I do feel a lot better in myself because of it. Just need to get back into my good spell again and keep it up for as long as I can.

Pass 4 more CIMA exams

Woo, this one I achieved! But it wasn't easy by any means. I finished off my final 2 management level exams by May 2015 and sat the first of my strategic level ones in September. All passed on the first attempt. The second strategic one I sat I wasn't so lucky with. I failed on the first attempt. BY ONE MARK! I still haven't got over that even if it was over 2 months ago. But on the second attempt I passed.

In total now that's 9 exams down (4 in 2015) and only 2 more to go! My aim of completing my qualification before turning 25 and ticking it off my list is on track.

Make more effort on my blog and in the blogging world

For the most part of the year, I did quite well on this. I was post regularly. I give my blog a whole new look. I came up with some new content ideas. I did more promoting and interacting through social media. I participated in some blogger chats. I worked with a few brands. I was getting there. And then work and exams became overpowering and blogging took a major back step. This is the one thing that isn't on my 25 before 25 list that I'd like to carry forward into next year. Make more effort with my blog. Even if it's just regular posting (once a fortnight at least) and keep my social media going. Then I don't feel as bad if work does get too much and I have to take a break. Lets see how it goes.

Read more books

Not including college books, I read 12 books this year. I achieved my goal!!!! The books I've read are: My Side of Life by Shane Filan, Now and Then by Brenda Rothert, Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes by Denise Grover Swank, The Homecoming Masquerade by SpencerBaum, The Festival of the Moon by Spencer Baum, The Rose Ransom by SpencerBaum, The Bonding Ritual by Spencer Baum, Looking for Alaska by John Green, Off Balance by Terez Mertes Rose, GoneGirl by Gillian Flynn, Paper Towns by John Green, Turning Pointe by Katherine Locke. I really need to learn to start doing my book reviews as soon as I've finished reading something. I did a few, and I've linked them above if you're interested, but I didn't get round to the others. I should really catch up on them all.

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I'm not setting myself any resolutions for 2016 as I'm still working my way through my 25 things before 25 list. But there will be a new post within the next week or so welcoming in 2016 and detailing some of my plans for the New Year. I hope you'll all stick around to enjoy them with me.

Happy New Year to you all, and thanks for putting up with my recent absence.

Love Sarah x

September Monthly Round Up

Wow! I can't believe how long it is since I did a monthly round up (July was my last) and how lazy I've been since I got back from holiday with no weekly weigh in posts. I'm rubbish. I apologise.

Goal Number 1 - Complete Managerial Level of my CIMA Qualification

Since I completed the operational level in July, this is a new updated goal. Managerial level is level 2 of the qualification and today I've just finished the tuition courses for the two modules I'm sitting in November. I think I've pushed myself a bit far, opting to do two at once but I think it's going well. I have two mock exams to do this week which should give me an indication of how I'm getting on, and then it's just revision revision revision until exam day. Fingers crossed!

Goal Number 2 - Move into my Own Home

I can't wait for this goal to be gone, and hopefully by the end of October it will be. I got a phone call on Thursday to say it was 98% complete and should be 100% complete by the end of next week, so there's no reason I won't be in by the end of October....I'll believe it when I get there though. I have been inside and seen it so I know progress is being made but it's taking far too long for my liking.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a Stone in Weight

I don't even know where I currently stand on this. I haven't been on the scales in a good few weeks. I won't be surprised to see a gain, I've been lazy and I know I have. I can't remember the last time I was at the gym, and my diet has been all over the place. But from this week I'm going back to the gym, I'm going to be good and I'm going to get my dancers body back. I've joined the professional dance class permanently now so if I want the chance of performing in public from it I need to get my fitness up, so no more excuses.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

I'm getting there. Slowly and surely. I've been doing lots of stretching at dance to help, my leg hold is getting better and I'm managing to lift my leg into the hip flexor stretch (picture before for reference), something that I've always struggled with. I can definitely feel the stretch getting deeper and hopefully I will get this by the end of the year. It's on my bucket list so I better.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

Although my cooking hasn't been tested out much recently, my mind is spinning with food ideas I can't wait to try. I have a long list of recipes ready for when I get into the flat, and I'm getting more adventurous with my food choices so hopefully my food vocabulary will expand. I'm also getting bored of eating the same things all the time, which is very unusual for me so hopefully I'll be motivated to start experimenting as soon as I get my keys.

Plan for October

For many people October is stoptober, a chance to either give up smoking or drinking for an month to improve your health. I don't smoke, and I very rarely drink, so my stoptober is to stop making excuses. I'm notorious for making them. Whether it by why I didn't go to the gym, why I ate that piece of chocolate cake, why I haven't done any revision, I make them a lot. But I'm going to stop. No more excuses. That's the plan.

Sarah x

The Moment of Truth...

So today was the day we've been waiting for. Exam result day!

I amazingly slept through the night without worrying at all about today (possibly the first time ever), and woke up this morning actually forgetting it was result day. For all of about 5 mins anyway.

And the great news is, I PASSED!

With flying colours.

A great 78% (which in CIMA exams is really good).

So I went to work with a massive smile on my face and had a pretty good day. I'm really pleased and that all my hard work paid off.

Now, onto the next ones...

May Monthly Round Up, 3rd May Weigh In & 100 Happy Days...Day 91

I can't believe how quick this year is going, it's already June! Doesn't time fly when you're having fun?

I'll apologies now that this is going to be a bit of a long one, I missed my weigh in yesterday and I'm a little late on the round up so thought it'd be better to combine them together. So, here goes...

Goal Number 1 - Complete the Operational Level of my CIMA Qualification

I finished my exam! Yey! I can now have a normal life back. I just have the long wait until result day. So for now, I'm not marking this off as complete until it's passed, but fingers crossed that will be soon.

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own Home

The wait for my flat is now starting to get boring. I understand how pregnant woman feel when they're fed up and just want it to be the day you've spent so long waiting for. I still don't have a roof on my flat, the move in date has been pushed back to July (no exact date as of yet), and I'm getting a bit tired of constantly being asked questions about it. Plus, fridge/freezer shopping is not a fun shopping trip. I'm hoping not much longer now.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

Ok so here goes my weigh in. I gained a little this week, but as I've proved the last few I can loose it again. I'm back at dancing and the gym, when I stop being an idiot and forgetting things I need to go, like my sports bra or my trainers. I need to be better organised and pack my back the night before not on a morning when I'm rushing around crazy. After not being to the gym in a while I was surprised that I hadn't lost my running ability as much as I had previously. This slow build up I've been doing must be working.

I've been doing ab exercises maybe once a week around revision and although my ab appearance probably doesn't look as it did after my challenge, I've still got quite a lot of the strength. I'm just going to keep going, up the amount of exercises I'm doing each week and hopefully get back into a weight loss streak.

I'm going to a Christening in July and plan on wearing something I already own to save money. I have a few things in mind for what I'd like to wear, but I'm not sure they'll be a good fit. I'll try them on at the weekend and make a decision, they might motivate me a bit more to make sure I look good in them.

Goal Number 4 - Get my Splits on Both Legs

I'm still working on this and found some new stretch advice to follow. This was a Pinterest post I found that has been a great help.

I also found this which I'm quite enjoying too. These stretches feel really good.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to Cook

I've not made anything really fancy this month. My most adventurous cooking attempt was to take some chicken breasts and coat them in a Maggie's So Juicy Mixed Herbs spices (rather than cooking them in the bag in the oven) to be cooked on the barbecue. They were very tasty.

Plan for June

June's plan is to get back into a gym routine. I've been very lazy the last month and that's not good. I'm going to go for 2 gym workouts a week and then dancing as extra. The only downfall I see is it being quarter end at work and that cutting into gym time for the last week of the month. I'll just have to be extra good when I can't get to the gym.

My dance show is soon so if I can improve my core strength and flexibility a bit by then that would be great too.

And to round us off, a bit of 100 Happy Days - Day 91

Pinterest posts making you smile. So I just set up my Pinterest account, go check it out if you get time, and this post popped up on my feed today and it made me smile. A Lhasa Apso as an Ewok. It reminded me so much of my Gemma that I had to smile. How cute.

April Monthly Round-Up

So it's a few days late, but here's my April monthly round-up.

Goal Number 1 - Complete the operational level of my CIMA qualification

I'm now only 18 days away from my next exam (wow, is that all?!), meaning that for the next 18 days my life is largely going to resolve around revising. I have a practice exam day on the 12th May which I'm hoping will be a major help in my revision steps. I'm feeling relatively alright about the prospect of sitting my exam but we'll see how it goes on the day.

Goal Number 2 - Move into my own home

So my flat is now the next in line to get the roof put on, and the aim is still for a move in date at the end of June. My focus is now on buying bedroom curtains ready for move in day, and then just big stuff like Fridge/Freezer and washing machine. I'm so excited.

Goal Number 3 - Loose a stone in weight

April wasn't a great month what with Easter giving me chocolate and me not being very well, so I didn't get any closer to my target. I managed an 8 minute run, the longest I've done all year, non-stop in my cardio routine, so I just need to keep going on that and soon I'll be seeing more progress.

I started the 30 day abs, squat and plank challenge at the beginning of the month, but as I seemed to loose my ability to properly do a plan I only ended up completing the abs and squat one. The progress across the 30 days was amazing, my tummy is a lot flatter than it used to be and my core strength so much better than it was. Now the challenge is over, I don't want to loose all my progress so I'm going to try a few different abs exercises each night. Taking some of the ideas from these two Youtube videos I've found to give me some variety.

 

Goal Number 4 - Get my splits on both legs

I'm still so close and keep trying to push myself that extra step. I'm going to try a few more exercises on my theraband to help my get that little bit further in time for my dance show.

Goal Number 5 - Learn to cook

I managed to make some chocolate coconut cupcakes (which weren't very healthy) and then a chicken and chorizo bake, and a beef casserole all from my new cook book. The results were rather good and I'll definitely be trying them again.

Plan for May

May's goal is to focus on passing my exam, and not put weight on in the mean time. I'm going to watch what I eat, and still aim to do at least one workout a week so I don't loose the progress I've made. I'm going to keep up with some ab exercises and stretch as much as I can so I'm in a good position for the dance show at the end of June.