Goals For The Year

It is already almost half way through the year and I've been thinking a lot about goals I'd like to achieve and the cool things I've been able to accomplish so far. I've done some things I'm pleased with, such as interning with Penguin, hosting fun giveaways here on my blog, and being featured in TenEighty magazine for my YouTube culture video! Here are some of the things I want to do in the remaining months of 2016.

Read all the books on my bookshelves.

Thanks to the aforementioned internship at Penguin, I filled my bookshelves up with a while bunch of interesting books (two of them in particular have already proved to be some of my favourites: The Soul of the Marionette by John Gray, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson - both of whom I hope to read more of), and I want to absorb all of them, or as many as I can manage before the year is over.

Transition into a more curated business casual style.

I have recently been discovering that most of my favourite clothing fits neatly into the "business casual" label, and the more I wear clothes befitting this style, the more grown up and put together I feel. I am noticing that I don't like the more youthful and cartoonish clothes I have as much any more, so I'd like to get some key pieces in more "mature" styles. Examples of things I would like to wear a bit more of are: nicely cut blouses, pencil skirts and loose knee-length skirts, light and straight-cut summer trousers, and possibly some spaghetti strap vests. Side note: I really like the word "vest".

Learn and try some new hairstyles.

I have experimented a little bit wth the "milkmaid braid" and I thought it was very cute and actually really easy after a series of attempts (I can't accurately remember how many), so I'd really like to get to grips with some more similar hairstyles, as I feel like it is very clear to all who know me and pass me in the street that I am perpetually confused about hair. Also, plaits are just really tranquil and pleasant to do.

Watch some German/Japanese/Korean dramas.

I have seen screenshots from a million J- and K-dramas floating around online and I have wanted to watch some for ages, so I want to get around to doing that, finally. I've also been wanting to watch some German dramas for a while because I'm really interested in German TV now that I've been studying German on Duolingo for a while (ich bin super).

Read at least 50 books.

I'm already well on my way to this number so I have no doubt I'll pass it. I want to make it clear that I don't put much onus on yearly numbers for reading goals and think it's a more useful goal to shoot for reading books you enjoy or reading an enjoyable amount a week perhaps, but since I'm sure I'll reach this number, why not set it as a goal and be proud of all the time I've spent reading this year?

Stick to an exercise routine (and gain weight).

I don't want to go into much detail here because I know weight is a sensitive subject, but I personally would like to be a bit heavier than I am now and I'm putting some effort to get to a place I'm more comfortable with weight-wise over the next few months. It also forces me to be more knowledgeable about food and to put focus on taking care of myself and nourishing my body, which I think is very positive. On top of that, I would really like to become a more consciously active person, and especially to build some arm strength as I've always had weak arms and it would be so nice to be more able to do things with them!

Mysterious new opportunities?

Along with all of these more specific goals, I really want to push myself to do as many new and exciting things as I can, and to find as many opportunities and avenues for creative expression and personal development as possible. I'm looking forward to trying my best for the rest of the year (and developing my next goals).