I look back over the past decade and the years are largely distinguishable from where I travelled. These were my achievements and I was always planning the next one.

Then it all changed. Something deep inside me had shifted. My goals for this year have for the first time little to do with travel. I want to change myself for the better, feel happier and healthier. I have a nagging feeling that for all the wonderful places I visited, memories I have created and friends I have made, travel was in part a way of avoiding reflective thinking, a way of avoiding aiming to be who I really want to be.

I really want to put my goals down in writing. It’s better late than never, but my goals for this year are as follows:-

• Run a half-marathon: this is already booked. I am running the Oxford half-marathon in October with three friends. I have a long way to go, but I know where I need to get to.
• Complete my second Tough Mudder Classic: I completed a Tough Mudder Classic last May and we are running the exact same event this coming May. I was close to crying towards the end, I hope to be in better shape in just over five weeks time. It’s not looking good, but doing it as a group will pull us through (again).
• Commit to the gym: this ties in with the half-marathon and Tough Mudder. I have been good and we are over half way through March. I want to be able to say I kept my gym routine up throughout the rest of the year.
• Attain a Coaching qualification: this one is the big one and will take time. I am studying an ILM Level 7 Diploma in June. This is a journey I have spoken about before, this is what I want to do. I’m glad it’s finally getting off the ground.
• Reduce my alcohol intake: I’m not doing very well on this one. I acknowledge I drink far too much and I was being better in January by keeping a record of exactly what I was drinking. Unfortunately I stopped doing this, my goal is to pick this up again.
• Being happier: I’m not unhappy and there is so much I am grateful for. But I want to learn how to appreciate the good and focus less on the bad than I currently do. Within this, trying to be more mindful than I currently am.