Me, My Blog, The World

Hello everyone! Today’s post is a little on the reflective side, but I thought I’d give it a whirl. The title isn’t exactly self-explanatory. You might be thinking, ‘Me, My Blog, The World?! What is this nonsense?’, but it is actually much simpler than it sounds.

This is just a little reflective post with my goals for December, to help myself and my blog grow and to hopefully go a little Ghandi-style and change a small slice of the world for the better.

Me

I am usually very confident. Meeting new people isn’t a problem, nor is (most) public speaking. Unfortunately, I have been struggling a lot with anxiety recently. I wish I was that person who didn’t care what other people think - and a lot of the time, I am - but the whole Facing Your Fears issue is still something I’m yet to overcome. I seem to stiffen all the time, and my words come out in a jumble when I’m nervous. I hope that I’ll be able to walk into my classes that provoke anxiety and nerves with my head held high and ready to be a risk taker soon.

Goal: Take another risk. Raise my hand in class more often and be OK with messing up now and then. Everyone does it. Perfectionism can sometimes be useful - but when it comes to fears, ZONE IT OUT!

My Blog

I’m seeing all these posts recently that I just want to recreate Niamh-style, but I know I can’t. I want to be original, but originality takes time and thought. I need to stop taking random pictures just because the sun is still up, and know what I want to write about before I begin. Even though I’m an ammateur blogger, I’m not particularly worried about how many followers I have. I suppose it starts with good content, right? So, good content is where I shall begin. This requires planning, and lots of it. Plan posts, plan when to take pictures for posts, plan when to upload posts. Hopefully the better my content gets, the more my blog will grow…?

Goal: Planning is key, so don’t be random. Take time to write posts and take photos for both the blog and social media. Get a planner or notebook to remember ideas and turn them into successful, interesting content.

The World

It is December, which obviously means CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS! When I was very young, I would wake up on Christmas morning and wait impatiently for present-opening to begin. But now that I’m older (and hopefully more mature), it’s more than that. The other day I was out and about in Brussels and realized how freezing it is now that Jack Frost has visited, and how terrible it must be to be homeless at a time like this. People rushing around the streets, carrying bags labelled with expensive brands and turning their nose up at homeless people. So, walking past a poor woman with her two sons, I dropped 2€ into her hands. My heart breaks for all the people who suffer when all we can think about is the pricey presents we can’t wait to receive.

Goal: Donate time and money to people who need it most. Visit a homeless shelter to make soup, or a women’s shelter to give Christmas prezzies. Help someone get the Christmas they not only need, but deserve.

I hope this has inspired you to reflect before we plunge head-first into Christmas shopping and everything else this holiday requires. Stop and think, how do I make myself better to make the world better? Some people are much more in need than we are.

I just thought that in such a busy time, we all need a moment to sit down and think, to zone out the ridiculousness that is reality.

But please, this does not mean don’t get your shopping done. Being generous starts with those you love, meaning family and friends. Love yourself, love them more, love the world you live in. It’s a step by step process.

Good luck with everything (be it reflecting or Christmas shopping),

Niamh x