I generally find writing quite easy. Once I'm in the zone - i.e sat in Starbucks with my 5th latte and headphones in to drown out the 50 million screaming babies - from the moment that I start tapping away, I don't really stop. (Bar a quick coffee sip and gluten free brownie bite obviously, #basicbitch). But I genuinely wasn't sure what I wanted to write about in today's post.
My natural instinct for the last post of 2015 would be a favourites, but I feel like I covered everything in my 2015 Beauty favourites and 15 amazing things in 2015 video. Yes there are favourite outfits, but let's be honest... that's what Instagram is for isn't it? Psst p.s we hit 10k followers on Christmas eve and as much as I hate myself for being a little bit excited about that... I just am. A little bit. Not gonna lie [insert monkey covering eye's emoji here].
Another thing that will no doubt pop up all over the blogosphere - yep, still want to punch myself in the face for using that term - is New year's resolutions and goals, but if there's one I've learnt from noting down my resolutions each year it's that a) I will never eat healthily (for a long enough time anyway) b) I will never exercise because I am a lazy cow and c) I will never stop putting pressure on myself to be the best I can be - and do the best that I can - and I think I've just accepted that that's OK. As a full time blogger and somebody that now relies solely upon myself to actually make a living, I find it near impossible to take a break and relax. Do I hope that in 2016 I'll spend less of my time totally stressed out and working every spare second of the day? Of course. Do I think that that will actually happen? Debatable. But maybe that's why things have actually worked out this year? (I'm aware that that could potentially sound self indulgent - which makes me want to punch myself in the face as much as the term blogosphere - but realistically, I think I'm just trying to justify to myself that nearly killing myself every single day is actually paying off.
So rather than set resolutions - I have a million and one personal goals (written in my new Kikki K notebooks obvs) but I want to keep them to myself for when I fail them - I thought I would list a few things that I'm really thankful for and a few hopes for 2016.
My family and friends
For being my rocks, my best friends, for supporting me through everything and anything and making me cry with laughter on a daily basis. I could not do any of what I'm doing now without you by my side.
Being comfortable
You only have to walk down the street in London to see a homeless person and despite not knowing their situation or how they ended up there, it will forever humble me and make me feel so incredibly grateful that I have a home, I'm comfortable and I'm surrounded with lovely, cosy things inside it. Not to mention the most amazing, supportive people inside it.
Health
My health is not only something that I rarely talk about, but also something that hasn't been amazing since I turned 15. It's been a pretty rough ride over the last 8 years and if I'm honest, things recently have been really tough. But I am so aware that there are millions of people out there that are so much worse off than me and right now, I'm just grateful that I can struggle through, do my job and get on with life (dosed up on all the drugs). One thing I did realise this year is that talking about things really bloody helps - I know, who'd have thought it? - I wrote about having coeliac disease here and to date it's still one of my most popular (and favourite) posts. I received so many comments and personal emails thanking me for opening up and saying that it helped them so much that it's definitely something I'd consider more of in the future because if I can help one person... well, that just blows my mind in all honesty.
Travel
This year I got to travel a little more. I saw Edinburgh which I absolutely adored and cannot wait to return again, and I also went to NYC for the first time. I have so much more that I'd love to - and will - say about NYC but I'm saving that for another time as I have a bit of a special video to come. But yes, I went to New York in February and had the time of my life (I also got engaged so you know, that helps too...) before returning last month and I can honestly say that that place will just forever have my heart. I am so thankful that I got to discover Manhattan twice and can't wait to do so more next year!
Blogging full time
Ahh, now this is a biggie. At the beginning of the year, I took a risk (for once in my life, The Granny next door, no more!) and decided not to go back into TV and try blogging full time for a couple of months. A couple of months turned into half a year and nearly a year later... it's just genuinely the best decision I've ever made. From the most incredible collaborations with brands that I've loved for years and years, to meeting and collaborating with bloggers and youtubers that are now great friends of mine and attending some fab events this year - The Gleam halloween party, Benefit Breakfasts, Fleur's makeup launch and just working with Jo Malone has been so wonderful let alone their beautiful events are just a tiny example - and for that, I can't thank you enough. Without you reading this little corner of the internet I really wouldn't be able to have done any of it.
You
You, yep, you right there reading this right now. I am so thankful for you. Every single comment on this blog, every single message/tweet/Instagram comment I receive, every time you even click on here to see what I've been up to ... I just wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart because as I said above, I wouldn't be able to do what I do without it. Besides the fact that it's a huge reason why I can blog as a job, every lovely comment has given my (non-existent) confidence levels such a boost and there have been so many times when I've felt like giving up on this - I think every full time blogger has this at least once a month - and your comments/love just make it so worth continuing on through the those times. So thank you, thank for everything!
Hopes for 2016!
- To carry on working with incredible brands and grow this little space of the internet even further.
- To spend much more time with friends and family (rather than holed up in my office with my head in my laptop)
- To actually plan a little bit of my wedding rather than saying "ohhh, it'll wait" or thinking pinning 104858345 photo's is actually planning the wedding.
- To stress less and enjoy every moment of life. Blogging and making this job work is obviously so important to me, but living life and enjoying every precious second is even more so. I want to work to live, not live to work.
- To be happy. Ultimately - and most importantly - I just want to be happy.
Wherever you are and whatever you're doing, I hope you have the most amazing New Year and are excited for a fresh start in 2016. Some changes are coming up for me and The Elle Next door - forever feeling like a total tit referring to my blog as if it's a person - over the next year so I really hope you'll come along for the ride with me.
Thanks so much for reading!
xx
Labels: health, kikki k, Lifestyle, Neom, Starbucks, stationary
