Highlights of 2017 and Plans for 2018 + Sunday Reflections Link Up

It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were seeing in 2017, but here we are on the last day of the year already. I’ve been thinking about my highlights of 2017 and plans for 2018 (I don’t do resolutions – too much pressure!). I’ve had some great times over the last year, and have been lucky enough to go abroad four times. We went to Abu Dhabi in February, and despite my reservations, I absolutely loved it. So much so that we’re going back in April!

Then in September we travelled to Bordeaux where I took part in the Marathon du Medoc, runnning through vineyards and swigging wine along the way.

Over the summer holidays we made our annual visit to my dad’s in Brittany, followed by five days in Switzerland with friends. Then in September we travelled to Bordeaux where I took part in the Marathon du Medoc, runnning through vineyards and swigging wine along the way. The weather was wild, the wine was good and my aches and pains were many. But it was worth it.

As soon as I walked in I knew I wanted to work there. Six months later I’m still going once a week and love every minute of it.

The one thing that has made the biggest change in my life has been volunteering at a local wildlife hospital. Although it’s only a 20 minute drive away, I didn’t know it existed until a pigeon nest fell out of our willow tree. My husband searched on the internet for somewhere to take the squab (young pigeon) that had survived the crow attack. Unfortunately it’s sibling had died, but thanks to Google we found the perfect place to take our little feathered friend. As soon as I walked in I knew I wanted to work there. Six months later I’m still going once a week and love every minute of it.

This time last year I never thought I would be handfeeding baby squirrels, caring for birds of prey and giving hedgehogs injections!

Through working at the wildlife hospital I’ve learned so much, and there’s so much more I want to learn. This time last year I never thought I would be handfeeding baby squirrels, caring for birds of prey and giving hedgehogs injections! Then again, I didn’t think I could stick to a vegan diet, but almost two months on (and after my first vegan Christmas) I’m sure I’ll never go back to eating animal products.

Then of course there are the beautiful foxes who I could spend all day watching. I’ve always been opposed to any type of hunting, but spending time with these beautiful, shy and intelligent creatures has stiffened my resolve to fight foxhunting. The current law has too many loopholes to secure convictions, and the evidence-gathering is left solely to hunt monitors and saboteurs. In 2018 I plan to get more involved with animal rights groups and help protect our precious wildlife.

After six and a half years of blogging, I feel like I’m finally getting somewhere.

This last year has been one of steady growth for the blog and my social media channels. After six and a half years of blogging, I feel like I’m finally getting somewhere. As I mentioned in my post about why I started blogging, the first three or so years were a bit of a non-starter. Since moving the blog to WordPress I’ve been much more motivated, and even plucked up the nerve to enter the UK Blog Awards. I don’t expect to be shortlisted, but I wanted to at least try.

But my main goal for the blog is to be more organised, spend less time on Instagram and more time visiting other blogs.

Almost a year ago I started my Tuesday Style With a Smile link up, and more recently, this Sunday Reflections link up. For 2018 I want to continue to write more thought-provoking content, in addition to the outfit posts. Hopefully there will also be opportunities for me to write travel posts, about places in the UK as well as overseas destinations. But my main goal for the blog is to be more organised, spend less time on Instagram and more time visiting other blogs. My recent post on why cheating on Instagram hurts brands and bloggers generated quite a lively discussion. It’s obvious I’m not the only blogger frustrated by the ever-moving goal posts of IG.

The last few weeks have been crazy busy and I haven’t had much time to respond to comments, visit other blogs and link ups, but I do read all of your comments and really appreciate every one of them. Over this coming year I plan to devote more time to making new connections and nurturing existing ones. If I’m really lucky I may even get to meet up with some of you! Blogger meet ups are the best 🙂

So those are my highlights of 2017 and plans for 2018. What are your top moments from the last year? What plans/goals/resolutions do you have for 2018? Wishing you all a very Happy New Year! 🙂

This is where I link up!