KEEPING UP WITH KATE – HIGHLIGHTS AND GOALS…

Hi Gang, how are we all? Good I hope!

So today I’ve decided to do a bit of a catch up post. This year is going so fast, like HOW ON EARTH IS IT OCTOBER ALREADY?!

Yep, that’s right – we have just under a quarter of the year left *heart palpitations* and that, to be quite honest is freaking me the freak out! I mean how did this happen?! 

Anyway, I thought the best way to accept it and to help me chill out about it is to take a deep breath and break it down. What I’ve achieved in 2017 so far and what my goals are for the remainder. Bit of an odd time to do a reflective post but I guess I got that ‘back to school’ feeling in September and wanted to start a fresh (I also wanted a new pencil case and scented gel pens but you know… whatev’s) So without further a do, let’s get stuck in!

5 Highlights of 2017 (so far)

• Travel – 2017 came with one big expectation on my behalf – Travel. I wanted to see more, do more and experience everything! And although I have plenty more of the world still left to explore, I am so pleased with how much I’ve travelled so far this year. Berlin, Zurich, Paris, Provence, Venice, Thailand, Budapest… and three more trips still yet to come. I really am over the moon as it’s something that until this year I hadn’t done a lot of and now I have been well and truly bitten by the wanderlust bug!

• Thailand – So yeahhhhh I knowwwwww… technically Thailand goes into the above with travel BUT Thailand was special. Like really really special! Not only was it a place I had dreamt of visiting for the longest time but whilst there the people I met were the best! Travelling solo (and for the first time I might add) was daunting AF but thanks to my Contiki family, namely – Shay, Petey, GV and Graham aka my ‘bruvs’ I had the best time travelling the North of Thailand, spending my days surrounded by the best people.

• My Blog – Now I don’t want this to sound like I’m tooting my own horn or anything but I couldn’t be prouder of how far this little blog has come this year. From hobby to job and still it’s something I love doing and creating content for. I am so grateful for every opportunity thats comes my way and even more so for each and every one of you beauties that stop’s by to read and comment on my posts. THANK YOU!

• Theatre – 2017 has also seen me appear in two shows (so far…) Fame and A Chorus line. Two musicals, two companies and two very different experiences. I loved each show for so many different reasons. Fame – I made a new show family one that I still speak to every single day and A Chorus Line – I got to play a dream role of mine. I am happiest when on stage. Nothing else matters when I’m singing, dancing and acting under those lights. I don’t experience nerves just pure adrenaline. I can’t wait to do more of it! I lost my mojo a bit last year, doubting myself and my ability but now it’s back *YAY*

• New Friends – So I guess I’m cheating again as I’ve kind of mentioned friends in both the Thailand and the Theatre points but it’s worth reiterating. At the age of 27 I have my best friends that I’ve known for the majority of my life but in addition this year I have gained so many new friendships. Even better they stretch across the world from America to Canada, South Africa to Ireland. I remember last year I went through a stage of feeling really lonely but I can say with a huge smile on my face that by getting out there, travelling and performing, I’ve met some of the most amazing people and made friends for life. With that said my best friends – the ones who have been with me since day dot, well they’re always there and each year we just build more and more memories together. My friends and my family (hey Mum and Bro) are my whole world and mean everything to me.

Top – H&M, Skirt – H&M, Bag – Chanel, Glasses – Glasses Direct, Shoes – Urban Outfitters,

Necklace – Daniella Draper, Bracelet – Daniella Draper, Ring – Daniella Draper

Photography – Zoe Griffin

…And Goals for the Remainder

• Spontaneous – big goal of mine for the remainder of the year is to be
  more spontaneous in the short term. I’m fine with booking last minute
  flights but I mean in the sense of if someone messages me at 17.30 and
  asks me to go for a drink at 18.30 I should go. Netflix and my duvet can
  wait!

• Fitness – So This time last year I was probably the fittest I’d ever been and now… I’m anything but. I lost it, completely fell out of my routine and have piled on the weight. Not loads but I need to get back on it. As of a couple of weeks ago however I’m with a new Personal Trainer – Shout out to Juran from OurParks and back doing spin and boxing classes four times a week at my gym. I’m determined to get back on track. For me the scales mean nothing but how I feel does and right now I feel like a lump.

• Love Life – Now I know I recently posted about thing’s you need to stop saying to single people aaannnndddddd you do really need to stop saying them but I do miss having a snuggle buddy. I’ve said it before on here – I love being in love, I’m secretly a hopeless romantic. My goal isn’t to get into a relationship, if you look for it you won’t find it! Instead linking in with my spontaneous point, I need to get out more and not to my usual places! I’m often found with my gay best friends in soho and the only guys I meet there are the ones who want to sing Madonna with me not go on a date.

• Financial – Oh London, why you so expensive?! I feel like the little money I make just gets swallowed up into the the vortex that is living in London. Will I ever be able to buy a house?! I bloody well hope so but currently unless I win the lottery that’s not happening anytime soon so for the rest of this year and going forward into 2018 I’m going to try and save a little bit more each month. 

• Work – Obviously blogging is work but also my beloved Barbican Centre. Even though I don’t work there as much as I used to I still love going there and working in such a creative environment. My goals for the remainder of 2017 is simply to keep working, harder and harder and hopefully keep on growing. If anything, this blog has proven to me that anything is possible and so I figure if I keep on keeping on, creating bigger and better content across all of my channels and platforms then hopefully this work with continue not only to succeed to to inspire.

I must admit after re-reading that, I’m pretty chuffed with what I’ve achieved so far and that feeling of ‘shit, the years nearly over and I’ve done nothing with my life’ has slightly lifted *fist pump* There’s obviously sooooo much I still want to tick off my 2017 ‘To Do’ list but I’d say up to now, I’ve done alright and for me to be able to sit here and say/write that is a pretty big deal. If you’ve been following me on here for a while now, you’ll know that the last couple of years haven’t been the best. I was completely lost and second guessing everything in my life so it is with one HUGE smile on my face that I can finally say that I’m not only happy (probably the happiest I’ve been in a very long time) but I’m back to being my old self again, happy go lucky Kate and I honestly can’t wait for what the rest of  2017 has in store.

K x