Real Goals

When you're about to embark on a weightless and fitness journey, it's important to set your goals. Everyone will have a "I want to lose x amount of weight" or "I want to be x dress size" goal, but what about the real goals. You're a real person, with real feelings and wants. 

My goal is to achieve a body like this:

http://pinterest.com/pin/293648838173619594/

I don't care for how much this woman weighs or what her dress size is because that's irrelevant. She is toned, trim, sexy and she glows with confidence. I want this. I want it so bad!

I want to be able to walk across the sea front in a bikini top and shorts this summer without a care for how badly my muffin top is wobbling. 

I want to be able to run with my dog down the sea front 

without fretting about how jiggly my thighs look. 

I want to be able to slip into absolutely anything and look fabulous.

 

I don't want to ever think about how big my ass looks in these jeans. Ever. Again. 

I want to be able to have the confidence to order a Big Mac Cheese Burger with extra fries and chocolate milkshake in the summer, without feeling guilty because I know that my diet is on track and my exercise regime is spot on the rest of the time.

I want to feel like I've earned the occasional Big Mac and glass of wine, instead of regretting it the next day. 

I don't ever want to feel guilty for indulging on a chocolate bar, or a fizzy drink. 

I want to be confident, happy... confident!

What are your real goals?

Strong Is The New Skinny

That's it, I've had enough. 

In January I had a real drive to getting fit and healthy. It wasn't a New Years Resolution (I don't make those) it was just a state of mind I woke up with one day. I logged into Amazon bought some weights and Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Workout DVD. As soon as they arrived I was on it like a crazy loon!

I didn't measure my limbs, or take a note of my weight, I just worked out every night and watched what I ate. I was pretty good at making some healthy choices - although I wouldn't say my diet had been top notch for someone who really wanted to shred the flabby bits, but it was good enough for me to enjoy and keep me motivated. 

However, something happened. I think I had a night out one night, then got up really late the next morning, then I was so exhausted I went to bed again at 7pm - and that was it. Boom. The motivation, the drive, was out like a candle in the wind. 

I've dabbled about with the exercise every now and again. I've bought tons of healthy food - because I know in my mind my diet is really, really bad - but I just end up throwing these away because they go moldy. Nice. 

Well that's it. Enough is enough. 
Please send me tons of motivation as I restart my journey in becoming a fitness freak all over again. 

Here's my motivation right here:

"I'll tell chubby arse..." - 
Nasty comment from supposed "best friend" who
was talking to another "friend" without knowing 
I'd find out about this comment. 
He always told me my ass was my best feature. Liar.

"You've got some great pins on you, haven't you girl?"  
Really nice comment from doorman at work, 
totally out of the blue, as he was passing me at the bar. 

I got this comment during the time I'd been working out. 
It was proof the workouts were working.

(He wasn't being pervy, it was a genuine comment from a colleague)

<< I want to will achieve this!

What would you attempt to do.. Friday Thoughts

.. if you knew you could not fail?

I found this really cool sign in a local housewares shop a few months ago. These sort of plaque signs have the ability to really inspire me. You see them on a daily basis and each time they remind you to think more in-depth about the message they portray. 

This is a really good one. It's tricky and it gets your mind working over time. 

Me? I would quit my job, sell everything and explore the world. 

What's stopping me? Money issues, work commitments, family commitments, the fear of what I'd do with my future when I'd finished exploring. 

My dream is to own my own hotel business. The way I see it, the next 10 years are going to be spent furiously saving every penny so that I can start that business. I don't have the funds or time to pack up and runaway. Do I?

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

100 Things - My Bucket List

I posted this list onto my Anything Miniature blog a few months ago. After the terrible mess my head was in yesterday, I decided to have a quick read through this list this morning. It's really helped me. It's given me a bit of drive and a spark of fresh ambition to get as many of these completed as possible. I decided to pick 3 that I would definitely aim to complete this year. See what you think.

1.  Do a skydive for charity

2. See Aerosmith perform
3. See Bon Jovi perform

4. See Pink! perform

5. Complete Old Generals Farm 12th Scale

6. Raise £10,000 for Air Ambulance (realistic goal of £1000 a year for 10 years doing some kind of amazing event - maybe something that can tie in with my 100 list.)

7. Have at least 2 children - at least 1 girl. I will name her Nevaeh. (Heaven spelt backwards)

8. Own my own hotel - my dream!

9. See Flo Rida! perform

10. Go to a silent rave!

11. Run a very successful Etsy shop

12. Travel the world!

13. Fly first class!(in an aeroplane.)

14. Visit Paris

15. Visit New York

16. Visit Los Angeles

17. Visit California

18. Visit Eygpt

19. Visit Australia

20. Have a 6 pack! (Weird, but yes, I'd like a 6 six pack for at least 1 month! Haha.)

21. Get married

22. Own/Hire a volkswagon mini van (pale blue one) and tour the UK (Scotland, Wales and right down to the bottom and back again) with Thomas! (He hates mini vans and is secretly dreading this! haha)

23. Visit Italy!

24. Drive a funky scooter thing in Italy!

25. Live in a totally French inspired cottage in the country

26. Own a Shetland pony

27. Own another German Shepherd

28. Visit the Lake District

29. Visit Harrods and buy something

30. Learn to do Jumpstyle Click This Link Too See Jumpstyle dancing!! 

31. See Pitbull perform!

32. Go to Jersey!

33. Inspire someone.
34. Own a pair of Louboutins. (Extravagant I know, but I love heels - and I would like to tell my granddaughters that I once owned a pair of these high style, expensive, designer heels! Even if they did only survive one night out on the tiles!)

35. Go for a meal in a sky scraper restaurant.

36. Visit Las Vegas

37. Publish a book! (childhood dream)

38. Visit Jamaica!

39. Visit Hawaii

40. Honeymoon in the Maldives (You got that future hubby!!)

41. Ride the UK coast on horse back

42. Go Whale watching
43. Stay in a luxury 5 star hotel!

44. Visit the Tombs in Eygpt!

45. Go on the Eurostar

46. Spend Christmas in another part of the world. Either New York or Paris!

47. Swim with Dolphins

48. Get a tattoo - nothing major, I would like my children's names tattooed on me somewhere.

49. Build and sleep inside an igloo for 1 night. I'd have to go somewhere cold for this....

50. Do a "Come Dine With Me" style dinner party with friends! :)

51. Have my photo taken with Mary King (horse rider)

52. Throw a fancy dress Steampunk themed birthday party! :D

53. Camp on the beach for a whole night :) - a warm beach - maybe do this in another country, because I would freeze in the UK...

54. Visit Rome

55. Learn how to speak French (I know a little bit, but I would like to learn more!)

56. Learn how to knit! (I learnt a little bit when I was younger, but Id like to learn some more.)

57. Learn how to make my own scented candles!

58. Learn how to weave miniature baskets!

59. Become a successful blogger.
60. Go Zorbing (rolling down a big hill in a ball)

61. Plant a tree. Not just any tree in any spot, but a tree with a specific meaning. What that meaning will be? Who knows.

62. Shower in a waterfall!

63. Sleep under the stars in a scenic place.

64. Go on the biggest Roller Coaster in the UK!

65. Drive a convertible across Route 66! (Complete with mirrored shades, rock music and long hair!)

66. Go for a Hot Air Balloon ride!

67. Go scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef

68. Quad Bike in the dunes and on the beach!

69. Go for a driving day experience - drive a Ferrari, Lambourgini or another really awesome car!

70. Go rally driving!!

71. Go skiing.

72. Stay in a log cabin in a winter wonderland! Drink hot chocolate by the fire and roast marshmallows!

73. Take a tour of the Grand Canyon

74. Visit the 9/11 scene in New York (a bit morbid I know, but my grandparents went and they said it was a real life changing emotion and atmosphere.)

75. Walk along the Great Wall of China

76. See the Northern Lights

77. Have my palm read

78. Have a Medium assess a house I am living in.

79. Climb a Mountain and camp at the top for a night. Not sure which Mountain yet.

80. Stick a map with a pin and go wherever it says!

81. Climb a Volcano

82. Go skinny dipping!

83. See Michael McIntyre live

84. See Lee Evans live

85. Hold a Masquerade party. (Everyone must bring a +1 and wear matching masks.)

86. Ride horse back across the beach

87. Ride a Dune buggy across the desert!

88. Witness a meteor shower

89. Meet a Holocaust Survivor

90. Ice skate in New York at Christmas

91. Eat in an underwater Restaurant.

92. Watch a drive in movie!

93. Sing drunken Karaoke in a foreign country with my best friend! Song of choice must be: "Don't Stop Believing - Journey"

94. Design and build my own home. Decorate and furnish it until it is just perfect.
95. Have £1,000,000 in my bank. Apparently, after doing some reading, this isn't such a hard achievement. We'll see.

96. Go to see Mr Pickles, tell him how much I love him and regret letting him go. 

97. Watch the sun rise.

98. Experience Mother Nature at her best - go camping and trekking through Rain forests,  Waterfall locations, The Wild.

99. Fall head over heels in love.

100. Conquer my biggest fear. Great White Sharks.



I'm making it my aim to complete at least 3 of these this year. 3 isn't a big number, but for me it is going to be a challenge. I'm a Hotel Manageress of two hotels and so this means that getting away can be really difficult. I won't be going anywhere abroad as I don't yet have a passport, but I hope to see a couple of live performances by my favorite bands/artists. 

Whats on your bucket list?

What To Do...

When life hits you in the face with a "STOP" sign?

Image found on Pinterest

Today I've been having a constant battle with my thoughts. There's so much in life that I want to do. I'm 19. I have all the time in the world. Then why do I feel like I only have 5 minutes to make my dreams come true? 

I found two bloggers recently who both seemed to have the same thoughts and feelings as I am having within the past year. Sincerely Lara and Marti at Cup of November both wrote posts on how they felt their lives were heading in no clear direction. Lara described life like being on a road  "The only thing is that people may forget there are bends, twists, turns, dips, and a few potholes along the way..." And I agree with her. 

Recently, I've felt like I've been waiting at a traffic light. I'm beginning to think the traffic light is broken. It's hovering just a little too long on Red.

In 10 years time, I would like to move out of this flat at work and have my own place. A flat, a house or something. Anything to call my very own. I'd also like to be starting up my own business. A hotel. Restaurant. Cafe. Club. 

While I was thinking about where I want to be in the future, I started to think about where I wanted to be in the past. 

When I was 6, I told everyone I wanted to be a Paramedic. I wanted to be a paramedic all the way up to finishing college. I was 17 and I had a waitressing job in a nearby village pub. I absolutely loved my job here, but unfortunately I couldn't save up enough to cover uni fees let alone run my car and buy all the things I needed wanted at the time. So while out shopping in town one day I noticed a sign on the door of one my favourite clubs. I decided to go in and pick up a job application form, filled it in, dropped it with the barmaid and left. I didn't think anymore of it, I don't think I even expected to hear any more from the club. 

But a couple of days later I got a phone call from the Manager at the time, asking me to drop by for an interview. So I went. There was three or four other girls waiting to be interviewed. The boss lady spoke to me for a little while. I went in all prepared with a folder with all of my qualification certificates from school and college - she didn't even glance at the folder. She smiled. I was hired. 

The club was a restaurant by day and evening, as well as a night club at the weekends after 9pm. I absolutely loved it! It was a huge challenge. Long, tough, irregular hours. My days off seemed few and far between, even though I had at least one every week, I guess I just slept straight through it. 
Then one day the boss mans daughter asked me if I wanted to try a bit of reception work for the hotel they also owned. Why not? Running around behind the bar all day was beginning to tire me out and sitting behind a desk for a few hours a week seemed like a good opportunity to get a nap in. 
I didn't think I'd enjoy it. I've never wanted to sit in an office. I always wanted to be out and about, doing something active instead of sitting at a desk all day. 

Well, that was a year ago. 7 months later they made me Manageress. 

My childhood dream of becoming a paramedic has gone now; although how rewarding and fantastic I think that job must be - all desire to go to University and studying to become a paramedic no longer sits well with me. I've learnt that I can grow and flourish within the leisure and hospitality workplace and this is where I want to be. 

I see my bosses as my inspiration. They own several bars and restaurants and two hotels. They are very well known within the town and are very successful. They inject love and passion into all of their businesses and I hope that someday I can have even just one business that is as successful as theirs. 

I believe it is important for us all to take a step back and think about where we wanted to be in the past. It really does help to put life into perspective because the train of thought follows through right up to where you are now. 

Too often we ask ourselves - where do I want to be in 1/5/10 years time?
What is my dream?

Instead, we need to ask ourselves - where was I 1/5/10 years ago? What was my dreams/hopes/inspirations back then? How far have I come and what steps did I take to get here? 

It's surprising how fast things progress. My traffic light is now on Orange. I'm getting ready. I'm getting ready for the future and the opportunities that will open up to me. You've just got to look hard and change your perspective; stop looking to the future. Look into the past and look at the here and now. The future is coming, but it's the here and now that will define that for you.

What If?

What if.
What does it actually mean?

What. If.
The two words are very ordinary. Very soft. Very fluffy. Very... unscary when they are on their own. 

Put the two together and you have a combination of words that can take over your life. 

What if?

What if?

What if?

Well, how about we switch it up a bit? 

Lets get rid of the "a" and the "t" and replace them with a "y." 

Why.

Why if?

Okay, so that doesn't make much sense in any language. 

So let's make it make sense. 

Why... not?

Why. Not.

I like that. 

Why not?

I don't know, you tell me.

What to do..

When you realise it's your friends birthday this weekend and you haven't planned. a. thing.

Well, why not? This is what I did!

I have no clue what to freakin' do. 

So I grabbed my phone and messaged her boyfriend. Who also has no clue. 

Gah!

Ideas on how to make this a super duper night for my best girl are welcome!