How are you doing with the goals you’ve set yourself for 2018? Still hanging on? Or not quiet so?? Below you can read all about my goals and how I’m coping…

First a few links…

• the goals I’ve set myself for 2018
• the first update
• the second update
• the third update

Time for update number four!

When writing my third update I admitted that I didn’t really think about my goals… and this time was no difference: I didn’t really think about them all that much, but I did quite alright as it happens! Let me tell you more…

Exercise

I promised you (and myself!) that I would keep on jogging once a week and I’m happy to say that I could keep this promise. I even went jogging twice during most weeks! Now how good is that 🙂 Mind, sometimes it was excruciatingly hot to go jogging. Even at 8 am it was sometimes 20 to 25 degrees as we’ve been having this extremely hot and dry summer, but hey, that didn’t prevent me from going for a run!

I really feel it helps to strengthen my muscles, which is so important as I’ve been having a lot of back problems in the past. Now that my muscles are becoming stronger, I feel my back is getting stronger as well! So I really want to keep on jogging at least once a week… fingers crossed!

And I’ll admit to you here and now that I’m hoping to take up swimming… I’ve been talking about it for so long, I’ve bought myself a new bathing suit in June, but all I’ve done so far is cut out the label and wash it… really need to start wearing it if you ask me 😀 I’ll fill you in in the next update!

Drink and eat wisely

I am proud to say that I have survived summer without any damage on the scales. Even better… I weigh less now than a couple of months ago! Mind, I did eat a looooooot of icecreams during the long and hot summer and I definitely had a glass of wine too much here and there… but I guess I sweat it all out 😀

I’m quite happy with what I see in the mirror and of course there is always room for improvement, but the most important thing is that I’m feeling good and confident and that shows!

One thing I was really proud of is, that I’ve finally reached BMI 25 again!! I’ve always been (way) over that mark so I’m hoping to keep under that number, which is now like an alarm for me. I can gain weight again, but I don’t want to go over that BMI 25 mark anymore! So fingers crossed in this department as well 😀

Below you see a picture I took on the morning I went under BMI 25… I was so proud that I posted this on Instagram! I’d never gone that bare before on social media but I felt so good that I just did it 😀 (and I want to emphasize that the picture was taken from an extremely beneficial angle… I look skinnier than I actually am!).

Start saving for my Australia trip

I think I put a little less in Miss Piggy than other months… note to self: don’t neglect Miss Piggy as you REALLY want to go to Australia in 2021!

Read 12 books

Doing great on this department 🙂

Besides reading for our book club, I’ve been able to squeeze in a few other reads!

Books I’ve read so far:

1.’Het Smelt’ by Lize Spit (review)

2.’The Nightcircus’ by Erin Morgenstern (review)

3. ‘Eat, pray, love’ by Elizabeth Gilbert

4. ‘The only girl in the world’ by Maude Julien (review)

5. ‘The last days of Rabbit Hayes’ by Anna McPartlin (review)

6. ‘The diary of a young girl’ by by Anne Frank (review)

7. ‘The House by the Lake: a Story of Germany’ by Thomas Harding (review)

8. ‘The story of Beautiful Girl’ by Rachel Simon (review)

9. ‘The solitude of prime numbers’ by Paolo Giordano (review to follow soon!)

10. ‘Self-care for the real world’ by Nadia Narain & Katia Narain Philips

11. ‘Boost: supercharge your confidence’ by Jasmin Kirkbride

12. ‘Lady Catherine, the Earl and the real Downton Abbey’ by Lady Fiona Carnarvon (currently reading)

Quality time with friends and family

During the summer months there were plenty of opportunities to meet with family and friends. There were several barbecues and other diner dates with friends and family, there were a couple of daytrips (most of them just me and the hubby, but also one with both my sisters and I also did a fabulous daytrip to Paris with 13 members of my family… my heart was so full after that day!), a trip to the cinema with my youngest and then of course we had our fantastic holiday to England of which you might have read some travelposts (more still coming… we did do A LOT in that week!).

So I really can’t complain in this department. I have been able to soak up a lot of much-needed energy from these lovely times!

My good, fab and lovely blog

During my holiday, I didn’t work on my blog as much as I intended to, mainly because of the weather… it was too hot to sit inside in front of my computer! But now the football season has started again, I will have plenty of time to catch up on some blogging!

Keep watch over my stress level

In my last update I told you that there are changes happening at work which are challenging me and my colleagues.

Well let me tell you… there are masks falling off BIG time… but I try not let it get to me too much as I don’t want to waste precious time and energy.

On the other hand, I’m so grateful that most of my colleagues are just fabulous. We’ve got each other’s back in these difficult times… so I want to say thank you to these lovely people and… let’s do this!!

I feel like I’m still on top of my game though and what’s more… I can hold my head up high and I can still look everyone straight in the eyes which is really and truly important to me.

The coming months will keep on challenging me, but looking back and seeing how far I’ve come gives me strength and confidence to keep going.

You see…  I’ve been behaving rather well during the summer haven’t I?! On November 1st I will be back for my last update. I’d better start thinking of some new goals for 2019 then…

Love, Kathleen