It’s officially January 2024. This year seems exciting already – the fresh start is always a good feeling to me, and I love that opportunity to leave any negative experiences behind in a different chapter.

So this year, and we’re only 5 days in, I have started the ball rolling on something incredible and potentially life-changing – so we’ll see what happens with that. It’s not something that I’m pinning all hopes and dreams on, I haven’t lost anything if I miss out, I’m still in an incredible position so it’s just something fun and exciting that could happen.

Additionally, I received the results and feedback from one of my assignment submissions for the Data and Analytics module I sat last trimester (Sept-Dec). I only went and got a 1st (83%), an “outstanding” result! This is so much better than I could’ve hoped for, I worked really hard on that assignment to make sure I was answering the question correctly, writing what they wanted to read, citing good academic sources, and critically analysing everything I wrote.

I was working on that assignment in the hopes I did get a 1st, but I was only really aiming for a result in the low-mid 70s. So to get 83% is really, really good and now I know I can do it, and I know how to achieve it, I can hopefully rinse and repeat for the remainder of my modules.

My vision board for 2024

I’m not a highly hands-on creative person. So my vision board is a Pinterest board – but I believe it still works the same.

It’s quite simple, nothing too overwhelming. This year is the year I’m going to get on my feet financially, in some way or another. I made big strides last year by paying off the majority of my credit card debt and now I just need to learn to be financially responsible and get some savings behind me.

It’s mostly just positive thinking, manifestations and being generally healthier than I was before. I haven’t pinned anything to do with major dieting, just moving more and eating more nutrition. Like every year, I really would like to grow my nails (my hands are a big insecurity of mine) and I’m doing well so far.

I really do want to make small steps every day to be healthy and create the life of my dreams.

Current me VS future me

This leads me on to a brief me now, against who I hope I am this time next year.

Current me

I am working in within an agency, with an April 2024 pay rise to the new minimum wage on the horizon. I am financially wobbly, I am doing OK and I haven’t spent on my credit cards for almost a year now. I don’t know how to drive, I walk most places, and I really dream of bigger adventures. I volunteer as a Probationary Petty Officer within the Sea Cadets. I’m not uncomfortably overweight, but there is the opportunity to slim and lose a few pounds.

Future me

In a year, I hope to at least have started driving lessons. I would like to be in my final year of my degree, with graduation planned for 12 months time. I will have everything paid off and finalised, with my financial situation comfortable and savings come easier. I will have been promoted to Petty Officer. I can run a comfortable 13 minute 2.4km and I have toned up. I own things I want, rather than just what I need.