My Goals For 2018

At the beginning of each new year I always feel motivated to better myself, and set myself some goals for the year ahead. I don't set myself big New Year's resolutions, like losing half my body weight overnight, becoming a millionaire, or giving up my dress habit, and won't this year, either, as I know I'll never achieve them, but I do like to set myself lots of fun, smaller goals to work on before the year is through. It gives me something to aim for, and I suppose it makes me feel like I'm achieving something even though I'm not able to do all the things I want to in life because of my chronic illnesses.

This year, I've come up with a lot of things I want to aim for in 2018, and I thought I'd share some of those goals with you today.

Don't worry; I'm not about to start announcing some 'new year, new me' bollocks; it's a new year, but you'll get the same old me; I'm not planning to change who I am just because society makes us feel like we're not good enough the way we are. I might attempt to become a slightly better version of myself in 2018, but chances are, I won't succeed, and it's not the end of the world if I fail.

Here are 15 of my goals for 2018:

Craft Regularly and Try Lots of New Crafts

I've come to realise I'm rarely more content than when I'm making something with my own two hands, so I want to craft as much as possible in 2018, and also have a go at lots of new crafts. I want to do lots of colourful cross stitching, learn how to crochet a granny square blanket, improve my embroidery skills, make more hoop art, have a go at making wreaths for Spring / Easter, try decoupaging, perhaps do some jewellery making, try needle felting, make bandannas for Rosie, and all kinds of other fun creative things. I basically just want to spend the whole year making things.

Paint Regularly and Try Gouache Paints

Last year, I began watercolour painting again after several years away from a paint brush, having completely forgotten how relaxing and enjoyable it could be. I want to keep painting regularly throughout the year, improve my watercolour skills, and also try working with gouache paints for the first time to try something a little more vibrant.

Improve My Photography and Photo Editing Skills

Photography and photo editing are two areas of blogging I really struggle with and I admit they need a lot of improvement, so I'm going to keep working on improving my skills and the quality of my photos throughout the year.

Read More

I've been making the effort to read more over the last few months and I've enjoyed every moment of it, so I want to continue reading regularly in 2018 (every day, where possible), and try to read a lot more. I'm not going to set myself a target number of books, except that I want to read at least one book a month. It doesn't sound like a lot, but I think it's more than I managed in 2017.

See Fall Out Boy Live Again

Fall Out Boy are touring in the UK again in March, and I'm determined to get out and see them on stage again. Their shows are always phenomenal, and so much fun. I haven't got tickets yet, as I'm still skint, but plans are afoot...

Continue Training Rosie

My Tibetan terrier, Rosie, still needs a little work with some of her training- especially with recall and not jumping up at people- so it's something I'm going to commit to working on with her until we've cracked it. She's a really intelligent dog, so I know she'll get there.

Shop For Christmas and Birthday Presents Throughout The Year

I want to be super organised this year, and shop for presents for birthdays and Christmas throughout the year to help spread the cost, and keep the stress of last minute shopping at bay. I did this the year before last, and it really took the stress out of present-giving. I'm intending to pick up presents as and when I see the perfect gift and can afford to, and build up a good present stash so I can be all smug when my Christmas shopping is all finished while everyone's running around the high street like headless chickens in December.

Build Up My Wardrobe Again

I had to sell a lot of my wardrobe just to get by last year, so now things are a little better financially, I want to work on building it back up again. I'm not planning on going crazy, but a new dress here and there would be nice.

Blog More Quality Content

I want to work hard to improve my blog content this year, as I wasn't happy with my blog at all last year. I always put 110% in to every post, but I wasn't satisfied with my photos, and I just wasn't able to blog about everything I wanted to- mostly because I wasn't often well enough to take the photos I needed for the posts. I need to find a way around my health issues when it comes to photography, and I want to do my best to blog more quality content. I want to blog more fashion, beauty, and lifestyle posts, and basically make Polka Spots the best it can be.

Blog Outfits Again

I didn't blog a single outfit in 2017, mostly because I didn't have any money for new clothes (can you believe I only bought one new dress in 2017?!), and because my next door neighbours had builders working on their house every fucking day of the year and I didn't feel comfortable taking photos in the garden with them around to see me. It makes me sad, as sharing my outfits used to be the main reason for my blog, and I really miss it, so I want to try to share outfits again this year, even if it's only every now and then.

Revamp and Rebrand the Blog

The blog is long over due a revamp, and as I hate my blog name, I also think it's time for a rebrand. I had intended to tackle this last year, but I wasn't able to due to lack of funds for the blog design I wanted. The blog's a mess, so it's about time I got it done.

Be More Interactive With You Guys

I completely failed at keeping up with blog comments and messages in 2017, and I'm ashamed of myself for it. I know an apology isn't good enough, but I will do my best to keep up with them in 2018, and be more interactive with you guys. I'm going to sit down and have a big catch up as soon as I'm feeling better, and then make sure I keep on top of them.

Keep Up My Survey Answering Game

I got in to crowdsourcing (answering surveys online) last year to make a little extra cash, and it's something I want to continue doing regularly this year, too. It doesn't bring in a lot of money, but it soon adds up. Last year I earned enough to afford all the Christmas, birthday, and Easter presents for my family and friends, as well as a few treats for myself, so I'm aiming to do the same this year. I just need to keep myself motivated, which can be the hard part, as a lot of surveys are boring as hell!

Visit Somewhere New

I doubt I'll be getting away for a holiday this year, but I'd like to try to visit at least one place I've never been before, even if it's close to home. 

Some Places I'd Like To Visit In 2018

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Badbury Clump woods (for the bluebells in the Spring).

The Ashmolean and Pitt Rivers Museums in Oxford.

Christchurch, Oxford.

London (it's been far too long).

Whipsnade Wild Animal Park.

Blenheim Palace.

What are your goals for 2018?

Looking Back On 2017

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful New Year's, and you're not still nursing a horrific hangover. How did you all celebrate it this year?

Me? I unfortunately spent New Year's Eve in bed feeling like death with a horrendous fever, temperature, headache, and nausea, so I wasn't able to celebrate at all this year. I spent all day in bed with a flannel on my head too ill to even read a book, so it wasn't exactly the New Year's Eve I had in mind. I haven't felt so sick in years. Thankfully, I awoke yesterday morning feeling so much better, but still a little tender, so I had another quiet day in bed, and managed to drag myself downstairs for a New Year's roast with my family in the evening. I hope it was just a weird twenty-four hour bug, and not the start of the flu, because one day of that was enough!

As I've been ill, I'm a little behind with my blog content. I still have a few Christmas posts to blog and my goals for the year ahead, but first I'm going to catch up with a look back on 2017.



I can't believe we've already said "goodbye" to another year, and that it's time to write another one of these customary end of year posts to look back on the last twelve months of my life with fondness or regret. I'd swear it was only a few months since I wrote the last one... where did the year go?? It feels like the entire year just flew by.

I'll be honest, 2017 was not the greatest year for myself or my family, and I'm glad to see the back of it. There was a lot of loss and illness within my family, and far more than one family deserves in just one year.

In July, my 98-and-a-half-year-old Grandad passed away after a few years of illness after illness, and in late November, my cousin, tragically lost her battle with cancer. She was just fifty-two, and literally the loveliest, kindest, nicest person I've ever met, and we're all heartbroken that she's gone. I take comfort in the fact my Grandad lived a long and happy life and was ready to go, but my cousin should've had half her life ahead of her. Both deaths have been a huge loss for my family, and they've left two gaping holes in our lives. If there's any good to come from their deaths, losing them has made me realise more than ever how important family is, and how life is so damn short that it should be lived to the full every day, and never taken for granted. 

My cousin and Grandad weren't the only ones who suffered illness in 2017; it seemed like half my family had health concerns. I myself spent all but six weeks of the year with tachycardia (racing heart beat), which kicked off with an emergency visit to A&E with a BPM of 160 in February for the first of three ECG's I would have in 2017. Over the year, I had countless tests, and even had an ultra-sound on my heart with a cardiologist, but we never did find a reason for my racing heart and palpitations. I'm still convinced it's electricity. My heart rate has slowed down a little thanks to a daily dose of beta blockers, but I still have issues with it racing, especially during the night. I hope 2018 is the year it will finally go back to normal.

Of course, I also had chronic pain and my chronic illnesses to contend with on a daily basis for the sixth consecutive year, and they totally kicked my arse each and every day. The pain and joint stiffness grew worse in 2017, and once again, held me hostage at home for the vast majority of the year. Aside from brief interludes for doctor's and hospital appointments, I spent another year house bound and on bed rest, but I didn't let it break me or phase me, and I got through the year just fine. 

I suppose one of the biggest challenges for me in 2017 was dealing with the stress and difficulty of living the entire year without a penny to my name, and going through the long process of appealing my case through a tribunal. It was a daily nightmare for fourteen long months, but a few days before Christmas, I won my appeal, and it's a relief that I can start 2018 with that weight lifted off my shoulders, and some financial security for the year ahead.

To cope with the stress of all the crappy parts of 2017, I did all I could to keep myself busy, and made the best out of the life I was given. I read, I wrote, I cross stitched, I took up watercolour painting, I had a go at embroidery, I blogged, I created flat lays, I took a million photos, I watched movies, I listened to music, I played computer games, I made a ton of hoop art, I had a go at wreath-making, I pinned the shit out of Pinterest, I answered online surveys for cash, I spent time with my dog, and a million other little things that helped me fill the year, and made me feel productive and accomplished.

Every once in a while, I even managed to leave the house for a little breather, and occasionally an adventure. I visited a local zoo, explored a woods carpeted in bluebells, went out for afternoon tea at an enchanted tea gardens, did some sight-seeing in Oxford, visited Stroud for the first time, and even took my first holiday in seven years to Cornwall for a week in June. It was my first holiday since developing chronic pain, and while I spent most of the time resting, I loved revisiting old haunts and a couple of new places. We went to St. Ives, took a boat ride out to Seal Island and spotted some wild seals, visited Truro, went to Newquay Zoo, stepped foot on Perranporth Beach, went out for strawberry teas, dawdled around Padstow, drove down to Penzance, and explored St. Michael's Mount for the first time. It was blissful.

I also put a lot of time and effort in to my blog in 2017, and worked hard to create quality content each time I blogged. I struggled to post as often as I wanted to, though, as I had difficulty standing to take the photos I needed and couldn't spend long on my laptop, so I didn't blog as much as I'd hoped, and couldn't blog everything I wanted to. I wasn't happy with Polka Spots at all last year because of this, nor how I let replying to comments and messages slide, but I'm going to do my best to rectify that in 2018, and make my blog the best it can be. I want to blog more quality content, more fashion, beauty, lifestyle and creative posts, share outfits again, improve my photography, and become more interactive with you guys again. I guess we'll have to wait and see if I can do it, but I really hope I can!

Here's some of my favourite posts from 2017:

♥ Christmas Bedroom Tour 2016

♥ My Christmas Cross Stitch Makes of 2016

♥ What I Got For Christmas Haul 2016

♥ Hobbycraft Flamingo Cross Stitch Hoop Kit

♥ One Year With Rosie

♥ Polka Spots and Freckle Dots Turns Five

♥ The World In Stitches Colourful Geometric Cross Stitch Kits

♥ Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint Ultimate Shine Collection Review

♥ Easter 2017

♥ The World In Stitches Geometric Heart Cross Stitch

♥ 50 Thoughts I Had During The Heatwave

♥ What's In My Washbag?

♥ Turning Thirty-Two

♥ What's In My Holiday Make Up Bag?

♥ My First Holiday With Chronic Pain (To Cornwall)

♥ Cornish Adventures Part One: St. Ives and Seal Island

♥ Cornish Adventures Part Two: Newquay Zoo

♥ Cornish Adventures Part Three: Padstow and Berryfields Farm

♥ Cornish Adventures Part Four: Perranporth Beach

♥ Cornish Adventures Part Five: St. Michael's Mount

♥ Urban Decay Full Spectrum Eyeshadow Palette Review With Swatches

♥ 101 Autumn Blog Post Ideas

♥ The World In Stitches Spectral Mandala Cross Stitch Kit

♥ Hazel The Fox Cross Stitch Kit From The World In Stitches

♥ Every Beauty Advent Calendar For Christmas 2017

♥ 200 Christmas Blog Post Ideas For Bloggers

♥ 50 Money Saving Christmas Shopping Tips

♥ 35 Ways To Get Organised For Christmas Now

♥ 101 Things To Do This Christmas

♥ Ciaté Mini Mani Beauty Advent Calendar Review

♥ My Chronic Pain and Chronic Illness Christmas Survival Guide

♥ DIY Christmas Pom Pom Wreaths

♥ Rosie's First Snow Day
♥ Christmas Things Haul

♥ What I've Bought My Dog For Christmas

♥ DIY Christmas Advent House

♥ My Handmade Christmas Crackers and Table Favours

Apart from turning another year older in July, I wasn't able to reach any of life's big milestones, or make any huge accomplishments in 2017, but that's okay. I've learnt not to sweat the small stuff. I concentrated on taking life as it came, living the life I had, and making the best out of every day. I conquered hurdles, and got through the bad times, and I'm stronger for having gone through it all. It helped me appreciate the good times and the things I do have even more.

2017 wasn't an easy year, but I made it through in one piece. I know if I can get through a year like 2017, I can get through anything. 

I'm sure 2018 is going to be a much brighter year than the one that's just passed, and I can't wait to see where it takes me. I'm going to do my best to make sure it's filled with good times and happiness, and pray that it brings (relatively) good health and wealth to myself, and everyone I know. 2018, do your worst; I'm ready for ya!

This Year...

With the turn of a new year, so many of us take the time to reflect and reevaluate our lives. We see a new year as the opportunity to start afresh and make changes that we're certain will make us happier; more fulfilled, and a better version of ourselves. We look for what it is we want, we set our goals, and with some new found hope and motivation, we take our first steps towards achieving them. Some of us see them through to the end, but far more give up before they get there. I don't know why that is, exactly; I'm no expert, but perhaps some goals are just a little unrealistic or unattainable in the short-term.

I don't make resolutions, instead I favour setting goals that I can achieve at my own pace. I find I achieve far more this way. So, when I came across a new year challenge on Pinterest recently, I couldn't resist taking it on, and coming up with my own answers for each of the nine questions. They're all aimed at improving different areas of our lives, like learning a new skill, dropping a bad habit, and  bettering ourselves at something, and I personally think these are achievable goals worth committing to!

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This is what I hope to achieve before the year is through...

A bad habit I'm going to break:

I am going to stop dipping in to my overdraft for non-essential items. It's a habit that I don't want to have or encourage, and I'm going to avoid doing so as much as possible. I'm not going to die if I have to go without leave in conditioner or a magazine for a few weeks.

A new skill I'd like to learn:

There are many things I would love to learn to do: crocheting, patchwork quilting, card making, making candles out of tea cups... to name but a few. For the last couple of years I've repeatedly expressed an interest in jewellery making, and I hope 2014 will be the year I start trying. I've little interest in turning it in to a trade, but I would love to be able to make my own accessories out of quirky little trinkets... say, turning a Sylvanian Family figurine in to a necklace.

A person I hope to be more like:

I hope to be more like my best friend, Angela. She is such a strong, hard-working woman who will take everything that's thrown at her with her head held high, and a smile on her face, even when she's going through hell. She handles everything with such grace and dignity. She never moans or rants about her life in public for all to read / hear, instead she remains so positive. Instead she focuses on the good in life. Her son, her friends, her family. She works extremely hard to give her son the best in life, even if it means going without herself, and she always put others before herself. I wish I could be more like her. I wish I had her strength, dignity, and outlook on life.

A good deed I'm going to do:

This is a hard one, as so many good deeds require more mobility than I have at the moment. I can't go and help an old lady with her shopping, or roll up my sleeves to help somebody whose home has been flooded. I can't even do all the house work to give the rest of my family a break... I want to do more random acts of kindness, though, like secretly sending my best friend something frivolous she has her eye on, or letting people cut in front of me in the queue at the supermarket. I'd like to work on being a kinder, more thoughtful person.

A place I'd like to visit:

Since the odds of me being in a fit state for a holiday or any form of major travel are slim, it's unlikely that I'll be able to get away for a break this year, otherwise I'd be answering with Italy or New York. The latter because I'm dying to return, and the former because I've always wanted to visit it. Instead, I've been thinking of local places I'd like to aim to visit.

I hope to manage a walk around my local wildlife park (zoo) which is just a few miles from home. As zoos go, it's small, but it's one of my favourite places which I've been visiting since I was a baby, and the grounds are so lovely to wander around. (Plus they have tapirs!) I plan to attempt a visit this Spring / Summer, and my reasoning is: if I only manage to view a small section of the park before I have to admit defeat, it will be worth it. I've missed not being able to go for the past two and a half years. 

A book I'd like to read:

Just one? I have at least 60 books waiting to be read on the shelf, and more than 300 to get through on my Kindle! (Most of them were free Kindle books, FYI; I'm not a book-buying addict!)

I would like to finally get around to reading The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which I've been meaning to read for years now. Everybody's been raving about it since the film was released (which I've also not yet seen), and I'd like to see what all the fuss is about.

A letter I'm going to write:

I want to make a habit of sending hand written letters to my best friend again, from time to time. We used to write each other on a regular basis, before social media and email grew in popularity and became easier and more efficient- and before life's commitments got in the way. It's become so much easier and faster to keep in contact by text message, email, and Facebook, but I'd like to send her letters every now and then when there's no occasion involved. Just because. 

A new food I'd like to try:

Not a food exactly, but I'm going to go with coffee. I've never tried a single cup of coffee, and I think 2014 should be the year I finally pop that cherry. I like the idea of trying a seasonal flavour.

I'm going to do better at:

Keeping on top of emails and blog comments. I've fallen so behind in recent months, and I know the length of time it's taking me to respond to them is absolutely atrocious. I appreciate every comment and message left for me, and I assure you I always read them. They make me smile! Taking weeks to reply to them is unacceptable. Once I've caught up on the back log over the next few days, I'm aiming to keep on top of them and respond within a couple of days at most.

Well I know what I want to achieve in 2014. What about you? What do you hope to achieve this year?