What 2017 has taught me

2017 was always going to be an eventful year for me. At the end of 2016 I was home from my first ever backpacking trip and I was unsure about what the next year ahead would have in store for me. Although I had a good job to come home to and was surrounded by my family and friends, I lacked any real plan as to what I was going to do next or what path my life would take. A year on, I would like to share with you the lessons I learnt in 2017, both the good and the bad.

1. Saving money is hard

I decided that whatever I was going to do in the future, I needed to have some money behind me. Whether it was buying a house or travelling the world, I had to be prepared. The problem that I stumbled upon very quickly was that saving moneywas hard work. Of course I had to save up before to go travelling in the first place, but at that point I knew exactly what the money was going towards so I was happy to make sacrifices. Whereas when you’re not really sure what you’re saving money for, turning down nights out or new clothes is all the more difficult.

2. Staying in can be just as fun as going out

Which leads me to my next point. Staying in can actually be a lot of fun. I did not ever think I would be converted to a ‘stay at home on a Saturday night’ kind of gal, but over the course of the year I began to enjoy spending more time at home. I think starting a blog helped, as I officially had hobby where I could channel all my creativity, which I find easiest in the comfort of my own bed.

3. It’s important to look after yourself

Now this may seem obvious but for some reason this only really hit home for me earlier this year. I was tired and run down, after partying too hard and too often, and I was sure how to balance everything in my life. I noticed that little things such as having a regular sleeping pattern (making sure I was in bed by 10pm on most week nights) and tweaking my diet (by ensuring I ate enough fruit and veg everyday) made a massive difference to how I felt.

4. You don’t have to backpack to see the world

This year I went on holiday A LOT. I took mini breaks in Europe (3 to be precise) and did a 2 week backpacking stint around Malaysia and Singapore. It made me realise that you don’t have to set off for months at a time to see a place. As long as you use your time in a location wisely than you can see as much as you like.