One of my favourite things about starting a fresh new year is setting new years resolutions. I’m a total productivity nerd so any opportunity to self-evaluate and set goals gets my gears turning.  I’d really like 2017 to be a year of self-love and transformation.  And I want to make sure that I make time for the things that I love most.  To that end, here are my resolutions for the next 12 months.

Journal at least once a week

Regrettably, I’ve neglected my journal badly this past year.  I’ve gone entire months where I haven’t put pen to paper once.  That makes me sad, because not only is journalling really cathartic for me, but it creates a wonderful record of my experiences.  I used to journal every single day, but that’s not really realistic with my current schedule.  I think aiming for a minimum of once a week is much more do-able.

Read all the books in my to-read pile.

I have a huge stack of books waiting to be read on top of my bookshelves.  Some of them were gifts from two Christmasses ago, and I still haven’t gotten to them.  I read a lot, but lately I’ve been getting a lot of books from the library.  This year, I’d really like to zero in on those books I already own, and start making headway on them.  By this time next year, I’d love to have that pile down to nil, or to whittle it down considerably.

Knit a whole garment

I adore knitting and crocheting, and in the last few years my skills have grown in leaps and bounds.  I’ve taken a few chances with patterns I’ve found scary, such as knitting socks and mittens and crocheting placemats.  This year, I’d really like to have a go at knitting a whole jumper or cardigan for myself.  I think I’m ready.

Continue transitioning to a vegan-ish diet

Over the last two months, I’ve been learning about veganism and begun making some significant changes in my diet.  And I’ve felt so much better for it.  I’ve lost a little weight, I’ve had more energy and I feel more creative with my cooking.  I’ve been referring to my diet as “vegan-ish” because I’m finding it practically difficult to be full vegan.  I often dine with my parents and they both eat meat and dairy.  And I live in a small town and most restaurants offer limited vegetarian options, and no vegan options on the menu to speak of.  I don’t want to make a huge fuss, because I’m self conscious. So ultimately what I’m aiming for is to cook vegan food in my own home, and make the best choices I can when I’m out and about.  I’d like to continue to learn more about vegan cooking and work towards creating a diet that works for me.

Declutter my flat

About two months ago I started a ruthless declutter of my belongings.  I just have so many items that I don’t use and it was overwhelming. I’ve already gone through my wardrobe and gotten through a huge stack of items that no longer fit me, items I don’t wear and things that were worn out.  I’ve gone through one of my bookcases as well, and my makeup.  By the end of the year I want to have done a massive purge, clearing out the items I don’t need and actually removing them from my home.

Buy fewer things

On the flipside of decluttering and throwing away stuff I don’t need, I’d really like to be mindful of what I’m bringing into my home.  I want to try to buy fewer things, and really think carefully about what I’m buying.  I’d like to buy better quality items that will last longer and avoid purchasing items on impulse.

Write more sex-positive posts.

This year, I began writing more posts about one of my favourite topics: sex.  I’ve written a number of sex toy reviews, shown you my haul from Oz Kink Fest and chatted a little bit about BDsM.  And so many of you enjoyed those posts and gave excellent feedback.  This year, I’d like to review loads more toys for you, as well as delve deeper into some specific sexual health topics and do some more BDsM posts.

Build an aftercare kit

I’ve been exploring the world of BDsM a lot more deeply this year, and I’ve been playing with my Dom often.  Aftercare is an essential part of any kind of BDsM play, and one thing I’ve been thinking about making myself is an aftercare kit.  I’d like to pack up all the essentials I need after a scene into a little bag so that they’re all together and ready for use.  That way, when I’m all head-foggy after a scene I don’t have to go searching through the house for what I need to bring myself back down to earth.  And it will be so handy to just pop the kit into my luggage when I travel.

What are your goals for 2017?  Do you have any questions about my resolutions?