Seeing as actually doing this last year turned out pretty well, I'm doing it again!
Take a Driving Test
I haven't put "pass" because that's pressure, and I have put "my" driving test because that implies it'll be the only one. I'm not arrogant enough to have no doubt I will pass first time, but I am pretty sure that I will be ready to take a driving test this year. I'm hardly learning to drive swiftly, but I'm doing well at my own speed, and once I'm not paying for lessons I might be able to afford some cleanser and shampoo. Obviously once I can drive I will have more freedom and can make progress on the path on who Lisa should be - but I am fucking poor right now and need that £50 a week!
Be More Grateful
I love the power of simply being grateful for what I have, but have increasingly found myself being jealous and bitter about what I don't. Facebook provides me with so much evidence of people I thought were my friends constantly having fun without me which leaves me angry and hurt. I feel so left out, but this is has been happening for at least a decade now, and to be honest, I've never really been a solid part of a friendship group. I thought I was a school, and why the fuck am I not over that already? They don't need me, whatever. Stop wanting to be included, Lisa, gawwwd!
I have friends who want to see me, friends who actually make an effort to see me, who are there for me, and who actually care about me. I want to think of these people each time I feel left out by others. I love them. I need to appreciate them more and stop placing my self worth on the actions of people I was close to 10 years ago.
This is not reserved for the people in my life. There are so many things - stuff type things, that I want. I really want. I'll get in a huff about not having them. But why? I don't need them to survive. I can't afford them, I'm not entitled to them... just what? Is this consumerism doing it's thing or me looking for happiness in bath bombs? Either way I'm pissing myself off.
I want to practice gratitude more in 2017, because I am an ungrateful bitch.
Floss My Damn Teeth
No one ever actually told me about flossing. Adverts on the telly, trying to get me to buy things have told me to brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash. Dentists? Brush. Just brush twice a day. So I did (some people don't even do that?! Out of choice! Ew!). Then I saw a new dentist who was "full of bants" and told me I only need to floss around the teeth I want to keep. Okay. The times I'd tried to floss in the past involved shredding the damn stuff trying to get it in-between my teeth so I was like... "How, yo?". They booked me in to see a hygienist who taught me things and gave me interdental brushes of various sizes and those floss things (in the picture, how do you even describe what that is) for the 3 gaps I can get them in, and sent me on my path to gums that don't bleed.
Literally like 2-3 weeks later, after using them every day, my gums stopped bleeding when I brushed my teeth. At first, there was lots of blood and icky stuff from in-between my wisdom teeth which required using mouthwash, so I was making the adverts proud. However, this didn't last long and mouthwash was no longer needed to wash away the taste of yuck. So, my gums are happier - I just need to remember to keep it up, or they'll get angry again. Mission on!
Continue Making an Effort to Lose Weight
Turns out I'm currently 15st 5lbs - almost the weight I was when I began this mission in 2015 - before I started blogging about it! It's no fucking wonder, really - drawing isn't as active as pub work and Christmas happened, followed by my birthday. Lots of overeating, high-calorie food and not moving. I aim to lose 2lbs a week by lowering my calorie intake and hopefully move a bit more once I've recovered from Christmas. I need to rest right now - not move.
Spend More Time with Family and Friends
I love my family, and having my whole life be sucked up by work for the last few years means I haven't had much time to spend with them. I'm fucking terrified of regretting not spending time with people once they've gone. If I can make self-employment work, I can see my family more - in theory. The few friends that want to bother with me still also deserve my time, and while they require much more energy than socialising with family, I want to find a way to see them more, too. Or, y'know - see them full stop.
