It’s 2016, and I feel ready to set myself objectives…and follow them through. There are various reasons for this, but mainly – 2016 is the clean start of all clean starts.

This year has started on my own terms – my place, my future, my health, my body, my man, my money (nnyeaah…maybe not always but I’m working hard towards it). Having finally finished part (B)A of my studies, I have a qualification and somehow that makes me feel like I don’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. Also, 9 months after moving away from home and now in my own place, I get up, get back and go to bed when I like. This kind of freedom has been a long time coming and I intend to fully appreciate it in 2016. It comes with great responsibilities too, but I’ve already started learning – school nights are school nights, fresh foodstuffs must be present in abundance and sometimes, I have to cut myself some slack. No more stressing over nothing. Relax and take time for yourself; the washing, cleaning and tidying can, must and will have to wait.

Having struggled with mental health for most of my BA studies (which took a considerable 6 and a half years to complete), leaving this chapter behind is something that brings me hope. The things that tied I felttied up in, the constant guilt I brought myself down with and the multitude of fears that plagued me are hopefully confined to times now past. Starting my MA will be a means of grounding the new me in more fertile soil. But still, health, mental and not, has to be a priority, something I will always have to be (a)w(e)ar(y/e) (read aware or weary, both apply) of. So 2016 will also be a quest for greater stability and control over my body and mind.

All in all – more paper, less smartphone, more fresh air, less mindless TV, lots of cooking, creating, singing and playing the guitar. But also progress in Vlaams, get my Deutsch C1 certificate, run 10k in well under 1h and read, read, read. Oh and get a new job.