Reflections and Goal Setting for 2022!

Hi Everyone!

Hope you all managed to enjoy Christmas, despite the ongoing pandemic.

So, it’s that time of year again – where I like to reflect on the year that has gone, and start setting some goals for the year ahead.

This year (for once) I didn’t set any crazy big goals, as this time last year things were very uncertain. We were in the middle of a pandemic, and I was having my own personal health issues, as well as struggling with a running injury.

When I look back at my goals for 2021, I realise that I’ve achieved quite a lot more than I expected, with a few bonus things thrown in as well!

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My 2021 Goals

• Recover from my running injury and be strong enough to run 5K again without pain.

I’m happy to say, I have smashed this goal. I dedicated a lot of 2021 to physio and strength and conditioning, and built up my running and fitness again gradually. It has been challenging and frustrating at times, but in never giving up, I actually managed to complete a half marathon in October, something I never thought would be possible this time last year.

• Get on top of my anxiety

2021 was the year I finally sought help with my anxiety, which I’ve been struggling with for most of my life. I’m pleased to say I have been through CBT treatment and now take medication for my anxiety. I’m really proud that I’ve managed to face it finally. I still have a way to go, but I’m much more aware of myself, and how I think and react to things, which is a massive step.

• Grow my YouTube channel

I decided to focus more on my YouTube channel in 2021 and I’m proud of where I’ve got to with it so far. I wanted to get 100 subscribers by the end of the year and I’ve managed to achieve that.

I have also learnt a lot about creating and editing videos this year. I completed a Premiere Pro course and learnt video editing! I never thought that would be something I’d be able to do but I really enjoy it. I have also invested in some better video editing and recording equipment to help improve the quality of my videos. I have many exciting plans for YouTube in 2022 – so please subscribe and watch this space!

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Aside from these, I didn’t really set any other concrete goals for this year, due to all the uncertainty at the start of the year.

There were a few things that happened that were not planned but I’m proud of myself for doing, like completing the Premiere Pro course, and setting up a Scoliosis Awareness shop.

I also started getting more involved with my run club, volunteering for them as a run leader and as part of their Comms Team, which I have really enjoyed.

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What are my goals for 2022?

In the past, I have been guilty of setting lots of goals and being disappointed when I didn’t get around to achieving them. This year I am keeping it relatively simple. I have some personal & career goals that I won’t share here, but my main goals for the first part of this year are as follows:

• Run my first marathon in April 2022
• Continue to grow my YouTube Channel

These two goals are linked, as I plan to document my marathon training on my YouTube channel. So, if you are interested in this, please subscribe to follow my journey!

I also have a major goal for later in the year, which is to trek to Machu Picchu and raise thousands for the Scoliosis Association UK.

This is something I originally planned to do in 2020, but it’s been cancelled for the last few years due to the ongoing pandemic. Will it happen this year, who knows?! If it does though, that will be my main goal for the latter part of the year, to train for, and complete this challenge.

Then to continue to manage my anxiety, I want to try to get into doing meditation each day, and get back into reading at least one book a month. To make this more achievable, this also includes audio books, so I can listen whilst I run.

I’m using a tool called Notion to help me plan and organise my goals, and to keep track of what I’m doing.

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Do you have any goals for 2022? Let me know in the comments. 🙂

P.S. I’m aiming to document my training over on my Instagram and YouTube for the above challenges – so give me a follow to keep updated. You can also sponsor me here.

I hope you have a happy and safe new year!

Louise X