Reflecting on 2023, In's & Out's + 2024 Vision Board
1 Year Later!
The first ever WTF I released last January was titled “New Year New Me? 2023 Vision Board + 10 Resolutions”. It really felt like the right way to introduce the whole newsletter concept while also sharing a little bit about myself, and how I wanted the next 12 months to pan out. I honestly can’t believe we are here already, 1 whole year later, it’s been the fastest year of my life. So I thought for the first newsletter of 2024, it would be nice to reflect on some of the points and goals I chatted about, and also share my hopes and feelings for the upcoming year.
In that first newsletter I wrote out 10 resolutions that I wanted to try and stick to throughout 2023, and reading back I’ve realised I haven’t really stuck to them at all. 10 was probably a tad optimistic, maybe I had that first month of the year buzz thinking I would magically transform into a better version of myself, and therefore set out way too many expectations. However, they were quite wholesome and beneficial resolutions so I am a tad disappointed… I could definitely still do with drinking more water, being kinder to myself and eating less of things i’m intolerant to.
I wanted to recap a few accomplishments (big + small) from 2023 instead of dwelling on what I didn’t achieve..
Released WTF consistently all year
Started to love ramen (I didn’t used to like hot drinks, so soup and ramen was not for me, but now I love ramen so much!)
Hosted an event with Ganni
Loved my job all year
Went on some cute trips (Disneyland Paris, Tillingham Wines, Nice)
Mastered making a 10/10 Iced Matcha
Finally got a cinema subscription so make more time to see new films
Sucked it up and got my first smear test! So important 4 the girlies ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚
Looked after lots of cute dogs
Highly recommend doing the above for yourselves for a little confidence boost! Even without excelling at all my resolutions I still had such an incredible year and I’m so proud of everything i’ve done, so I’m trying not to beat myself up too much. Therefore I have made an executive decision to not set specific goals for 2024. Life is hard enough as it is without the extra pressure.
In’s & Out’s
Ending on a topic I wasn’t originally going to discuss, but this trend of ‘2024 In’s & Out’s’ has absolutely taken over my Instagram feed & Tik Tok FYP, and WTF felt like the perfect place to discuss it. I feel like I can’t escape it, but if you aren’t familiar, I’ll include a few examples below…
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Absolutely no hate to these creators (these are just random examples I found on Tik Tok, tried to pick the most general ones possible) but I absolutely hate this trend! Earlier I mentioned how I didn’t want to set myself unrealistic resolutions for the upcoming year because it feels like too much pressure, and this feels just like another version of resolutions while simultaneously shitting on others for doing or liking certain things.
Some of the ‘out’s’ i’ve been seeing are such normal human behaviours. For example -oversharing, which yes does sometimes lead to embarrassment when it’s the result of too many drinks… but without it we probably wouldn’t form as many genuine, trustworthy and close relationships. Another out is ‘rotting in bed’ - have you never been depressed? or hungover? or anxious? OR even just tired?! Everyone needs to rot in bed sometimes, or we’d constantly be on the brink of exhaustion.
On the flip side, most of the ‘in’s I’ve seen are only possible for people in extremely privileged positions. Surely most people don’t have time to go to the gym every morning or meal prep every week, have enough money to clear their debts, or are able to not work a standard 9-5 and be their own boss.
There were a couple of days pre NYE where my whole Instagram feed was every creator jumping on this trend and I honestly had to put my phone down for a while. You can almost guarantee that 99% of the users we’ve seen participating in this trend won’t be sticking to half of their own list! It’s just another really sad example of social media being fake and people making out that their lives are something that they simply aren’t.
Personally this is my inspo for 2024
2024 Vision Board
Now onto the fun bit… changing over my laptop background from last year’s vision board, to the one above, was so exciting! Even though I actually did struggle putting it together, because I realised how content I feel in my life at the moment. 2023 was the first year in such a long time that I didn’t move jobs or houses, and that consistency has done absolute wonders for me. I realised I don’t have any crazy huge goals or aspirations for the next 12 months, but I finally got it together and produced the above.
Heres the annotated version to give you a little more insight into my train of thought…
The biggest and most prominent photo is the “I Know What I Bring To The Table” graphic, which is something I really want to keep reminding myself of throughout 2024 as I find it incredibly difficult to be confident in myself and my abilities. But I know if try and build on that confidence, only good things will come as a result.
Visiting LA is something I’ve always wanted to do and have actually already booked, so thats 100% going ahead. Where as going back to Amsterdam is just something I have high on my 2024 wish list, as I honestly feel so at home there. If I was ever going to move out of the UK it would be my top choice. So having LA on the board and seeing it daily gets me super excited for my two week trip, and seeing Amsterdam is giving me the motivation to get my arse in gear so I can book another holiday!
‘Move into a bigger space’ is something I’d love to do, but have no current plans to pursue. Life is looking super busy around the time our lease runs out so I feel like moving would be a logistical disaster. However theres nothing I want more than more natural light and a super cute desk space for me to write WTF at. But…a girl can dream.
The rest of the board is just full of things I already love, do or have, which is just a constant reminder to keep filling my life with what makes me the happiest.
That Molly Goddard dress was my wedding dress :~) x well done with 1 year!