Resolutions start now

I keep seeing articles pop up about making new year’s resolutions. I’m a big fan of this idea, and I like the feeling of a fresh start – a time to wipe away all the negatives and focus more on the positives and what you want out of life. A new year brings a fresh set of 12 months ahead of us, but we see new beginning every moment in life – weather it’s the start of a new year, month, week, day or even hour. There is always a moment where you can start to change your life, dust out the negatives and focus on the positives. With that said I do however like the 12 month constraint a  year brings and the challenge of repeating something as consecutively as you can for 12 months.

So I have decided to start now with some things; these are more my on-going goals that I need to keep up, good habits I want to get into on a monthly rotation. I’ll write a post every month to tell you how the last month has been with executing these goals.

I’m also setting myself some yearly targets; these are things that are more long term projects, that hopefully every month I will get a little closer too. Dreams I want to achieve. A lot of the monthly goals will flow into the yearly targets – so don’t be surprised if you seem some repetition.

By the end of 2014 I want to have done the following:

• Buy a house – this has been a pretty big plan in the making
• Made jam
• Raise £1000 for the Williams Syndrome Foundation
• Become the healthiest, leanest, slimmest and strongest I have ever been in my adult life
• Climb Snowdonia

To achieve my 2014 projects I am going to have start my on-going monthly goals; Some of these will stay the same every month and are just for personal improvement and some will evolve as my 2014 project gets close to completion. As I mentioned before I don’t need a new start to complete them, so they will be starting from today.

• Post a blog post every week
• Read a book a month – This month will be Jodi Picoult; Plain Truth (I started reading this on holiday and never finished)
• Organise my time better – Make the most of the week, so I can enjoy my weekends more
• Exercise 6 days a week – 3 days of Cardio, 3 days of Strength Training
• Spend more time outdoors – time to wrap up warm and breath in the fresh air
• Bake More – Try different cake and biscuit recipes from scratch
• Watch a Classic Movie – what is classified as a classic movie is debatable; but seeing as it’s Christmas I’ll try and make it a Christmas classic.
• Stick to all the commitments I have made

Never give up for what you believe in

As we reflect on the passing and life of the great Madiba, I look back at what made him so great; why has become one of the most important men of the 21^st century and the underlying reason is he NEVER GAVE UP FOR WHAT HE BELIEVED IN.

Waking up today and reflecting on heaven finally getting one of its true angels back I realized that you are on the earth only once; and let’s make it count by never giving up.

Next Saturday 14 of us will run around Clapham Common in the freezing cold, in aid of CAFOD – a charity we all truly believe in. We pledged to raise £250 and believe we can – we are £50 away from our target and I believe in a week we will make it to our target.

Recently Archbishop Desmond Tutu hailed the role that CAFOD’s staff and supporters played in defeating the evil of apartheid. He recalled that 7 years ago this month, a rallying call was made to the people of Britain by Nelson Mandela – he called on them to " rise up and never to remain silent in the face of injustice, oppression, suffering and poverty”. Madiba told the world from his platform in Trafalgar Square that “overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice”.

The last phrase of his statement is a powerful message, that rings throughout every corner of the world….but you can help promote that act of justice by helping us raise the extra £50. If you’re able to donate as little as £3 – you will be one step closer to Madiba dream and acting in the face  of Justice.

It’s easy to donate – just click the link below:

http://www.justgiving.com/NativityMachadoColliss

My first blog post.....

I've always liked writing, I don’t think I have ever been good at it but I have always seen it as a release of emotions. I can see why for centuries people have kept a diary, not just to document their actions but as a form of therapy, keeping them sane as history passed by….so here comes this blog – my emotional release / rant (please sit tight it’s going to be a rocky road).

I’m Mandy, I have always wanted to keep a blog  - but having spent the years arguing with myself what topic I should base my blog on. There is so many things going on in my life that I could write about; my love for baking, my mission to get the body of a goddess, my crazy big family, my love to travel….the list goes on. So I thought why not just write about it all – a lot of people are going through these steps simultaneously, so just write, who cares if 5 or 500 people read it (well I do a little, everyone wants to be accepted / loved right ?).

So here it is another thing to do in 2014; have a blog, update a blog, keep a blog.

I also like photos / pictures / images…so there will be A LOT of photos…lots!