Autumn Goals

I don't know what it is about autumn, but as soon as we reach September, I always feel motivated to start new projects, and get stuff done. 

I find myself wanting to do all the craft projects, visit new places, have a big declutter, bake, and read lots of books. I'm guessing it's because autumn always signified the start of a new school year, and my brain still sees the change in seasons as a time to learn and get to work. Whatever the reason, autumn still feels like a new chapter in the year, and I've once again found myself with a big list of things I want to do before winter sets in. I thought I'd share some of them with you today to make myself accountable, and hopefully motivate myself in to achieving them, so let's go buy new school supplies, and get started.

Go For an Autumn Walk

I want to try to go on at least one autumn walk this year- preferably in the woods- so I can crunch through the fallen leaves, take in the colours of the foliage, and feel the cold air on my face. I love a good autumn walk.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

I've still never visited a pumpkin patch, so I'd really like to visit one this autumn, and pick out a pumpkin to carve.

Carve a Pumpkin

I like to carve a pumpkin every Halloween, but couldn't last year as I wasn't well enough on the day, so I'm looking forward to trying again this year. I don't do a lot for Halloween, but I always try to at least butcher a pumpkin.

Paint Some Pumpkins

I'd also really like to try painting some pumpkins, and see what fun designs I can come up with. It looks like fun.

Have a Halloween Movie Marathon

I'm looking forward to some good Halloween-themed movie marathons this October. My sister and I are already talking about having a movie night at her house, with a takeaway, and some good snacks to celebrate Halloween. I'm most looking forward to the classic that is Hocus Pocus.

Watch My Favourite Autumn Movies

I also want to watch lots of autumnal movies to get me in the mood for autumn. I'm particularly looking forward to rewatching You've Got Mail, Practical Magic, Little Women, Stepmom, War of the Worlds, The Village, and lots of other autumn favourites.

Read Lots

I want to read as much as possible this autumn, and try to fit in some reading time every day. I've only got four more books to finish before I hit my Goodreads reading goal of forty books, and I'm hoping to reach it before December, as I'm always too busy to read much over Christmas. Two months to read four books? Should be easy.

Go to the Bonfire and Watch the Fireworks

Our local RAF base has the best fireworks and a massive bonfire for Bonfire Night, and I used to love going every year. I haven't been in ten years because of chronic pain, Covid, or because my sister and brother-in-law (who I need to sign me on to camp) moved away for a while, and I miss it. I'd really like to go this year- and my sister isn't giving me a choice, anyway- so fingers crossed for a good chronic pain day that night so I can go.

Take an Autumn Drive Through the Cotswolds

I live on the edge of The Cotswolds, which is obviously famous for it's beautiful countryside, and picture perfect little villages. It's gorgeous all year round, but particularly during the autumn when everywhere is backdropped with a palette of fiery oranges, golden yellows, deep reds, and rich browns. I'm hoping to be able to take a drive about to take it all in once the leaves have changed, and maybe even stop to do a little exploring.

Visit the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers Museums in Oxford

It's been years since I last visited Oxford's museums, but I always found the Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers museums fascinating, and am itching to pay them both a visit again. There's something about chilly autumn days that makes me want to wander around cold echo-y buildings, and learn about old stuff.

Make Pumpkin Dog Treats

I don't know why, but I'd really like to try to make pumpkin dog biscuits / treats for my dog, Rosie, and her cousin, Mia from scratch. I know it would be easier to just buy some, but where's the fun in that?

Fix My Erstwilder Brooches

The brooch backs on two of my Erstwilder brooches, a sunflower, and a Halloween dog leaning on a pumpkin, broke a while back from separate falls to the floor, so I need to contact the brand and find out the best way to repair them. I want to be able to wear them both again this autumn / Halloween.

Make My Animal Crossing Island Look Autumnal

I still play Animal Crossing New Horizons every day, and I'm currently aiming to make it look as autumnal as possible. I made a start last week, and am currently working on a Halloween area, and a crop farm for my pumpkins. I'm feeling more inspired with the game than I have done in ages.

Visit the Wildlife Park

My sister and I are hoping to pay another visit to The Cotswold Wildlife Park once the leaves have changed. We'll get to enjoy an autumn walk in a pretty setting with lots of trees and foliage, and see lots of cute exotic animals along the way. What's not to like?

Paint

It's been ages since I last did some watercolour painting, so I'd like to dig out my paints, and spend some time getting creative this fall. I'm not very good at it, but I find it so therapeutic.

Finish My Christmas Cross Stitch

I began a Christmas cross stitch wall hanging two years ago, and I still haven't finished it because I've needed to go out and get some more threads to finish it off, and couldn't decide which colours to use. I've got so little left to sew, and I'm determined to get it done before Christmas so I can move on to something new.

Blog More

I've been really bad at blogging this year because I've rarely felt up to it, but I've got so many posts I want to write and post, including some posts about my recent holiday to Cornwall, and of course, reviews of my latest brooch purchases. I'm going to do my best to blog more this autumn, and I also want to start preparing Christmas content to take some of the pressure off in December.

Fill Some Gaps in My Wardrobe

There's a few gaps in my wardrobe I would like to fill this season. I particularly need a new pair of black ankle boots, and some new pyjamas, and I'd love to get some new dresses for the colder months. I rarely have the money for new clothes these days, and my wardrobe really is lacking, so it's time I picked up a few things.

Actively Start Christmas Shopping

It's just over two and a half months 'til Christmas Day (how scary is that?!), so it's time to actively start shopping for Christmas presents! (I like to start early to spread the cost, and stay organised). I've already bought a few presents this month, and bought some earlier in the year, too, so I'd say I'm off to a good start.

Organise My Bookshelves

My bookshelf is in desperate need of a sort-out. It's been overflowing with books- with a few stacks not far off the ceiling- for years, and the mess is stressing me out. I think the solution is to move my DVDs off the shelf (since they're rarely watched these days), put the discs in to folders, and store the cases in the shed. It should open up more space for books, so I can keep them tidy and organised. I just need to find some time (and spoons) so I can get started on it, and I want to get it done this autumn. Enough is enough.

Have a Clear Out

I also want to declutter some of my stuff, especially my wardrobe, so I'm going to try to have a clear out (if my health allows it), and maybe sell some stuff on eBay to make a little extra cash. The extra pennies would definitely come in handy with the festive season coming up.

And those are some of my autumn goals.

There are more goals on my to-do-list, but I've already rambled on enough, so I'll stop there. You can wake up again now.

I don't know how much I'll be able to achieve, and doubt I'll tick everything off the list, but I'm going to give it my best shot. That's all anybody can do, right?

Wish me luck!

What's on your to-do-list this autumn?

My Goals For 2021

With everything that's going on in the world right now, I wasn't sure whether I should set myself any goals for the year ahead. It almost seemed pointless; we're on lockdown; we can't go anywhere; we can't do anything exciting, and everything is so uncertain right now. I wondered if maybe I should just be concentrating on surviving this awful pandemic, and not on achieving silly little goals.

Some time during the last few weeks, between the boredom and lack of motivation, painful flares and anxiously worrying about the world, I've realised, I need goals. I need to have some things to work towards to keep myself busy and give my life a sense of purpose. They help keep me focused and motivated, and give me something to do with my time while housebound. It's how I've gotten through the last nine and a half years. I need things to do to stop myself getting bored and depressed.

So, I decided to set myself some goals after all. I haven't set myself anything big or unattainable to work towards, because I'd just be setting myself up for failure. I'm not aiming to travel around the world, buy a house, or become rich and famous. I just plan to work towards lots of little achievements, like reading lots of books, trying some new crafts, and perhaps even taking a holiday in England, if things improve enough by the summer. I'm not going to put any pressure on myself, though; if I achieve them, great; if I don't, that's okay, too. This year's going to be hard enough as it is without pointlessly adding unnecessary pressure, or beating myself up for being a failure. I'm going to do my best, but at the end of the day, they're not important life goals I need to achieve, just small ones meant for a challenge and a bit of fun.

So, here are some of my goals for 2021:

Read 40 Books

My main goal for 2021 is to read as much as possible. I've set myself the goal of reading forty books this year but I hope to read even more. I'm already on my sixth book of the year so far, so I'm well on my way to achieving my reading goal ahead of time. It feels good to be making progress on something right now, and letting myself escape from reality for a while every day. Reading has really helped me get through this miserable first month of lockdown. If you want to keep up with what I'm reading, you can find me on Goodreads here.

Cross Stitch More

I also want to get back in to cross stitching regularly again this year, and try to finish at least a few projects- especially as I stitched so little last year. I've already finished a little gingerbread man hoop, and have added a good chunk to the Christmas wall hanging I've been working on this month, so I feel like I'm off to a good start.

Improve My Embroidery Skills

When it comes to needlework, I could cross stitch in my sleep, but I don't have a lot of experience with embroidery. I'd like to try more of it, and improve my skills, so I'm aiming to attempt more embroidery projects this year. I've just bought myself this embroidery kit from Cotton Clara (in pink) to start off with, and make myself a memento from the pandemic. Not that it's a time I'm ever going to forget, but I thought it looked cute. I'm going to give it my own spin and use different coloured threads, and fill in some of the picture with different stitches to keep things interesting.

Learn to Crochet

I know this has been added to my New Year's goals every year for years now, but I still haven't learned to crochet. I was given some crochet hooks for Christmas, so I really don't have an excuse not to try now, so I hope 2021 will be the year I finally learn how to crochet. I want to start with a cute, pastel-coloured granny square blanket. 

Paint More

I want to find time to paint more often in 2021 because it's something I enjoy and find relaxing, but haven't done in ages. I'm not sure I even painted once in 2020. I won't pretend to be any good at it, but painting helps me destress and unwind, and anything that aids my mental health during Covid times deserves more dedication.

Shop For Presents Throughout the Year

My aim is to shop for presents for birthdays and Christmas etc. throughout the year again, to help spread the cost, and be organised ahead of time. I've already bought three presents since Christmas, so I'm off to a good start!

Participate in More Surveys

I want to get back in to participating in more online surveys again to make some extra pennies. I started off strong last year, but then Animal Crossing came out, and stole my attention span for the rest of the year. I've only been participating in short surveys on Prolific Academic since last April, but I'd like to make the effort to take part in a lot more on the other sites I used to frequent. The extra money would come in handy.

Get Out of the House More Often

I need to do my best to get out and about more regularly in 2021. Last year, I left the house less than ten times, and went seven months without stepping outside once. (Not even in to the garden). It's the longest I've ever spent at home in my nine and a half years with chronic illness, and I'd rather not repeat it. I need to escape captivity more often, get more fresh air, and more exercise, for my physical health, as well as my mental health. I just need to find a way to push through my pain more because it's really kicking my ass these days.

Blog More

Apart from in December, when I managed to unpack my blogging mojo with the Christmas decorations, I blogged very little in 2020. In fact, I blogged less than any year since I began blogging here in 2012. It wasn't for lack of trying, but I couldn't find the words or the energy very often. I'm hoping I can improve on that in the next eleven months, and blog more regularly again. I'm not off to a great start, with this being only my second post of the year so far, but I hope I can find my groove again soon.

Instagram more often

I also want to do my best to fill my Instagram grid with more photos. I barely shared any photos to it in 2020- mostly because I spent most of the year in bed ill, and didn't have anything interesting to post- but I enjoyed filling it with festive photos in December. I want to try to share more snippets from my life, so I have more memories to look back on, and more to share with you guys.

Grow Sunflowers From Seed

It's been years since I last grew some sunflowers from seed, but I really want to grow some this year so that the garden will be filled with happy yellow flowers by late summer. They're one of my favourite flowers.

There are also a few things I'd like to do which will be dependent on lockdown restrictions, and whether the virus improves or not. They might not be possible, but I'm going to be optimistic, and aim for them anyway because it's always nice to have hope.

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

One thing I'm desperate to do this summer is take a holiday to Cornwall. We chose to cancel our holiday there last year to keep ourselves safe, which was the right thing to do, but I was so disappointed as I'd been looking forward to returning to one of my favourite places for ages. Cornwall's like my second home. If restrictions ease (at the moment it feels like they never will), allowing us to travel longer distances again, and Covid infections and deaths reduce, my sister and I are hoping to get away for a week in June or September, either side of high-season when it should be quieter (and cheaper). (I'm not convinced it'll be possible in June, but maybe by September life will be a little better). We'd go self-catering, and stay in a static caravan, which makes it easy to stay away from other people, and we'd be able to disinfect everything, and use our own bedding and kitchenware for extra peace of mind. We might have to adapt some of our usual outings and avoid busier locations like St. Ives and Padstow to have a safe and socially distanced holiday, but I think it would be worth it for a week away. It could also give us a great opportunity to explore more of the quieter south coast, which we haven't visited as much as North Cornwall. To be honest, I'd just be happy to relax around the caravan with a book and some good food, listening to the sound of the sea in the background and seagulls crying overhead. I'd have to spend most of the time resting in the caravan anyway, as my pain quickly becomes overwhelming, so we wouldn't be spending all day out and about around people, putting ourselves at risk. Of course, if the virus doesn't improve or gets worse, we won't risk taking a holiday at all, but we're hoping to go if things get better.

Visit The Cotswold Wildlife Park

I want to pay my local zoo, The Cotswold Wildlife Park, more visits this year. It's only a few miles down the road from me, and we figure it would be the perfect place to visit regularly during Covid times to exercise and get some fresh air, while having cute animals and pretty plants to see along the way. The scenery is gorgeous in all seasons, and social-distancing is easy there, so we should take advantage of it and support a local business, when it reopens after lockdown. The visits always push my chronic pain to the limit, so it would challenge me to push through my pain threshold more, too. 

Visit Whipsnade Wild Animal Park

Another zoo I'm hoping to visit this year is Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. (I love a good zoo). It's one of my favourites in the country, but it's been over a decade since my last visit. It's a huge zoo with an amazing collection of animals, including elephants, hippos, rare Indian rhinos, and various big cats, and they have loads of open space which would make social distancing a breeze. You can take your car in, too, which we would do, as it's the only way I'd be able to cover the vast terrain now. We're hoping to be able to go once the weather gets warmer, so hopefully zoos will have reopened and restrictions will have eased by the summer so we can go.

Visit Longleat Safari Park

We were hoping to go to Longleat to see the Christmas lights trail in December, but then Covid restrictions were tightened in my area, so it went out the window. I've always wanted to go to the safari park, and after learning they now have koalas, wombats, and aardvarks- three animals I've never seen in real life but have always wanted to- I want to go even more. Hopefully we'll be able to fit in a trip this year if restrictions ease again later in the year. Who knows, maybe we'll even be able to visit the Christmas lights trail there in December, too.

Visit Badbury Clump woods when the bluebells flower

There's a woods local to where I live that gets carpeted with bluebells in late spring. I'd really like to go see them at least once this year, because it's such a pretty sight, and I never made it last year. It would be great to get outside, explore nature, and take a few photos of a sea of violet flowers.

Visit a Lavender Farm

I'd also really like to visit a lavender farm this summer, mostly for the pretty photo opportunities. I've never seen lavender fields before. There's one within driving distance called Cotswold Lavender located near Broadway in Worcestershire that my sister and I have wanted to visit for years, and we're hopeful we'll be able to fit in a visit this summer. (They don't reopen until June). I'd also love to find some sunflower fields to visit, but I haven't managed to locate any in The Cotswolds yet. Does anyone know of any?

So, those are some of my goals for the year ahead. 

What are your goals for 2021?