30 for 30 // January's Progress Report

30 for 30 - January progress - Laura Whispering

Is it just me, or does everyone find January a difficult month? It carries with it all the cold and darkness of winter with none of December's festivities and fun; and this one, for some reason, feels particularly long. I've never understood how people can dive straight into their new resolutions while I generally struggle to find the motivation to get out of bed for most of the month! 

That said, looking back over January - exhausted and ready for it to be done - I realise I've accomplished more than I originally thought. A certain enthusiasm for my '30 for 30' project seems to have spurred me on and I've made a reasonable amount of headway for the first of twelve months.

Some of my goals are fairly isolated occurrences - I will complete them at some point during the year, probably just once. 

Of these, January saw me successfully: 

It also saw me sign-up and begin attending another twelve week Spanish class.

Turmeric and matcha lattes - Bonobo Aberdeen


Many others will be a work in progress, developing as the year goes on, and I intend to give a little progress report on these each month.

Here's how January saw me get on..

Sample a List of Food and Drink I've Never Tried Before

Food-wise, I tried artichoke for the first time. I think I liked it, but as one of many toppings on a pizza it was pretty hard to tell. I also drank my first ever turmeric latte at Bonobo - it was spicier than I'd anticipated (as silly as that sounds!) and I enjoyed it but can't see it becoming my regular drink.

Read 36 Books 

This month I read seven books:
  1. 'The Light of the Fireflies' by Paul Pen
  2. 'Cheer Up Love' by Susan Calman
  3. 'The Keeper of Lost Things' by Ruth Hagan
  4. 'How Not to Travel the World' by Lauren Juliff
  5. 'Everyday Sexism' by Laura Bates
  6. 'The Original Ginny Moon' by Benjamin Ludwig
  7. 'In Therapy: How Conversations with Psychotherapists Really Work' by Susie Orbach

Visit 12 Coffee Shops/Restaurants I Haven't Yet Been to in Aberdeen/shire

I made no real progress on this. I visited Union Square's Pizza Express for the first time, but having been to one in another city (many moons ago) I'm not going to count this as one of my twelve. 

Cultivate a Daily Relaxation Practice 

I completed some form of relaxation exercise on 19 out of 31 days. I've been experimenting with a variety of methods, trying to learn which suits me best, so my practice has so far consisted largely of meditation and mindfulness tracks from the 'Breathe' and 'Buddhify' apps, as well as some sun salutations and progressive muscle relaxation. 

Sample 30 Gins

I sampled four gins throughout January: Shetland Reel Original Gin; Nordes Atlantic Galician Gin; Eden Mill's chilli and ginger North Hop festival gin; and Aberdeen's own Porter's Gin. (I did my best to check these were all vegan, so please don't call me out if I'm an accidental Veganuary fraud!) 

Increase Work Hours (Employed or Voluntary)

At the end of last year, I was volunteering approximately 10 hours a month (2.5 hours a week). This month I volunteered 15 hours in a local cafe - my regular weekly slot plus a couple of extra shifts. I'm apprehensive about taking too much on too quickly for the sake of my mental well-being, so I'm hoping to slowly and steadily build this up.

Keep a Journal (At Least Once a Week)

I managed to write in my journal once a week and no more this month. I used to love writing in this form, so I'm hoping it becomes a more familiar habit once again as the year goes on.


All in all, I don't think I've done too badly for the first month!
I'm excited to get stuck into February and see what else I can tick off...
xo

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