Suntag: This Time Next Year

Oh I have missed my Suntag posts! I did not have 1) the time 2) the energy 3) the right tags to post anything for the last few weeks and it made my Sundays much less interesting. But all is well now and we can have fun again.
Now when everyone is busy thinking about Christmas, I’m already planning 2017!

Do New Year resolutions work for you? If they do, please teach me your way because I fail every year. I think I’m allergic to the pressure that comes with resolutions. You HAVE to make resolutions. You HAVE to keep them. You HAVE to show up and do the work. There are already too many obligations in this world (yes, I’m talking about you, working out sessions) to voluntarily add more to your plate! But you can set goals, a couple of big ones, lots of easy ones, to make the year something to remember. Even if it is just about trying new restaurants with plenty of dangerous-sounding dishes or stop losing one sock of every pair you own. With this mindset, I have decided to accept this tag for which I was nominated by the delightful Fadwa @ Word Wonders, thank you! 🙂

The Rules:

• Thank the person who tagged you.
• Write your goals for next year.
• Write how you’re going to achieve your goals.
• Tag at least 5 of your blogger friends to share their goals.
• Then if you wish in 365 days write a post for everyone to see if you have been successful or not!

One thing I realized thanks to this blog is that a story not reviewed will end up a very fragile memory that is bound to disappear. We devour so many books that it is impossible, at least for me, to remember clearly something that I haven’t written about once I was done with it. I feel so guilty about the books I read and enjoyed but did not take the time to talk about in 2016. Because guilt is not a happy feeling, I have decided to review all books I read in 2017.

It is all about control. *starts laughing hysterically* Easier said than done. I had to set bans to avoid going over the edge several times in 2016. A book buying ban (a total failure), a request ban… I don’t want to feel like a prisoner, so I need to figure out a way to control my sudden urges and find a balance to avoid punishments!

The cooking bug got me earlier this year when I realized the easiest way to find food my body would accept was to cook my own meals. I have made a few mistakes (Burnt couscous tastes really bad) but overall it has been a great experience. I want to take it to the next level and add new recipes to my list. I hope to be able to cook a real Thanksgiving dinner next November! If you have British / American cookbooks recommendations, hit the comment box!

They say a name is just a name. Well sometimes a name is hard to carry because of the luggage it totes around. The last name I have today doesn’t reflect who I am and is my last attach to a family I was never a part of. It is time to say goodbye. It will never disappear because a birth name stays forever, but at least I have the option to use another one for my daily life.

I know, I have already annoyed you way too much with those readings. But I learned I was going to study Environmental History and The US and its Arts very soon and the books I am supposed to peruse are not appealing so I had to add it as a goal to overcome the issue. I am heading the the library tomorrow to start ahead, with a smile on my face and happiness in my heart.
Or maybe not.

One thing I miss a lot since my agoraphobia came back is my tendency to grab the dog, a bottle of water and go for a stroll with no destination in mind. I love walking and I had made an habit of bringing my baby around to visit. From 20 minute walks we went to 2 hour tours, and I thank the City Hall for the holy tram brought me home completely exhausted! There are still so many streets of Bordeaux I haven’t seen and so many I want to see again. I’m planning on training both dogs to walk all around town before the end of 2017.
Bonus: my bottom will thank me for that when it wears a skirt next winter!

That’s if for me. Some are easy goals, others are a little bit more complicated, but these are the simple things I want for 2017! What’s on your list? Let me know and let’s find the motivation together (or the chocolate to bury our lists in and forget all about it)

I am not tagging anyone because this post is all about losing the pressure and I don’t feel like telling you you need goals for 2017 🙂 Consider yourself tagged if you want to try it!

On a side note: Today is my Mom’s birthday ! Happy birthday to the strongest woman I know. Thank you for being such an inspiration.
Here’s the cake I baked just before I added the frosting. Yummy! Thanks Claire @ Art and Soul for the recipe!