Hey guys!

Recently I've taken a few weeks off from blogging, but I am back. This seems to be a bit of a theme with me and my blogging schedule, oops!

Since I last posted I've turned twenty-two and had one of my most favourite birthdays ever. The boyf and I went on a full on adventure that started at 6am in the middle of a huge thunderstorm and ended with us miles away in Monkey World! I had no idea what our day was going to consist of as Ricky had planned a full day of surprises and as I'm utterly obsessed with monkeys, the boy did good!

Now that I'm twenty-two, I've been thinking about some of the things I'd like to do or achieve by my next birthday. Let's not talk about turning twenty-three just yet, I'm still getting over turning twenty-two!

Pass my second year of university

To say second year hit me with full force would be an understatement. Of course you're told what a step up it will be from first year, but they don't tell you that this 'step up' is actually a full on staircase. I've tripped up nearly every step of this staircase. The university library has become my new home this year; I don't know why I'm paying rent for my uni house, it should be going to the library! All the extra work has payed off though and not wanting to jinx myself, I'm doing quite well. I only have a couple of months left and with deadlines looming, I'm pushing my way through!

Work on my mental health 

I've suffered with anxiety and social anxiety near enough my whole life, however only within the past six years has it finally recognised. Since 2015 it has continued to escalate and escalate and escalate and shows no sign of stopping any time soon. I'm working on a blog post that may be posted in a couple of months highlighting my day to day life with anxiety which many people would never realise. In the next year I want to really fight it, for the people around me, but more importantly for myself.

Do more things that scare me 

To some people this may be jumping out of a plane or similar extremities, but to me, the simplest things are often the most daunting. One of my biggest fears is doing new things and the majority of the time I flat out refuse to do something I've never done before. Since my birthday though I've improved so much already. I ordered my first Subway, I know how scary can a sandwich be?! I booked a restaurant reservation and organised Ricky's birthday last week, directing us around London. I've even started taking the banking at work to the bank. I have a long way to go, but within the next year I plan on doing so many new little things I've always been too scared to do.

Gain work experience at a publishing magazine 

I'm currently studying Magazine Journalism at university and only recently have I fallen back in love with writing. When I started my degree over a year ago, I won't lie, I hated it. I didn't want to be a journalist anymore, I hated writing, I had no motivation and had many a temper tantrum about being stuck in Southampton. Admittedly, I still do have many a temper tantrum, but as of recent I've finally began to enjoy writing again. Within the next year I hope to get work experience at a real magazine, so I can get a perspective on real life journalism and the working world. So if any publishing houses just so happen to be reading this blog post, please hire me!

Get more tattoos 

I already have two tattoos on my left arm, but this just isn't enough. I've written before about my love for tattoos on my first 'What My Tattoo Means' post (second one coming soon!) and as many know I want to eventually build up a full sleeve on my left arm. I've had many planned for a while now, it's just finding the time and money to fit them all in! I got my last one around a year ago and so I'm itching to get my third very soon, plus it means having more blog posts to write about them all! Sorry mum!

Grow my blog 

I love my little space on the internet and I want to grow it more and more. Like I said I've recently fallen back in love with writing, so will hopefully have more content to put up and post. In the past couple of weeks, people I don't know have been liking my blog Facebook page and it's been crazy to me that people are actually reading my work. My problem is that I'm not very good at showcasing myself or my blog, I don't like to push it in peoples faces incase they think it's stupid, so I find it hard to connect with the blogging community. So if you're part of the community and you're reading this, help a socially anxious gal out and come say hi, cause I'd love to get more involved!

I'm sure as the year goes on I will think of more things I'd like to achieve, but for now these I feel are the most important. I think it's good to set yourself some goals every now and then so you can grow in yourself and feel like you've accomplished something. Let me know any goals you've set yourself and come say hi to me soon!

Lauren-Georgina x