I can’t believe that it is time to write my end of year review again. 2017 has seriously flown by. So let me get started and share the highs and lows of my year.

Business

I’ve had a very productive year in terms in growing my blog. I decided to focus more on parenting and lifestyle posts, as I felt like the food blogging community was so saturated. This gave me oppourtunities to work with Bill Elms Entertainment as a reviewer for events like Winter Wonderland and theatre shows at the Opera House and Palace Theatre. I also travelled to Liverpool to review Milkshake Live! earlier this year for them. It has been amazing to introduce Amber to the theatre and see her love of the stage grow.

I’ve collaborated with lots of new brands this year including Hello Fresh (literally a dream come true), My Protein and VSL #3 . I have also started blogging more about beauty, and collaborated with Herbalife Skin on their gorgeous luxury skincare range.

Family

I managed do get home to Aberdeen twice this year, once in January to surprise my mum for her birthday and again in August for my sister’s birthday. In was during my August trip that my aunt and I sat down and discussed my mindset and how I needed to leave my insecurities behind and follow my dreams. So on my return to Manchester I enrolled on a Psychology and Human Biology course through distance learning in order to follow my desire to become a life coach.

Amber started reception in September which has given me time during school hours to study,  however it has been hard to juggle study, blogging, housework and my other job.

Health

I really embraced mindfulness and mindful living this year and my anxiety has improved so much. I had low periods at the start of the year and wanted to make a positive change for both myself and for Amber.

I haven’t been great with keeping fit this year so I am 100% focusing on being fitter in the new year by following a sensible approach to weight loss and fitness. My diet went to 80% plant based this year, and I am considering going completely plant based, but not putting any pressure on myself to do so.

Manchester Terrorist Attack

The biggest low of the year was the bombing at Manchester arena in May. Only a week earlier my friend from Aberdeen was visiting me and I was saying to her how anxious I was about a terrorist attack in Manchester. I didn’t realise that would become a reality a week later!

On the night of the attack I had gone to bed early. I was due to do a 6pm-10pm overtime shift at our city centre branch (a 5 min walk from the Arena) however I was so tired all day and decided not to take the shift. I woke up the next morning, checked Facebook before noticing texts from family and friends back home about the attack.

What happened was so cruel and as a mum my heart broke for those kids who would have been so excited to see their favourite popstar. The following day my anxiety kicked in so bad that I kept Amber home from preschool as I didn’t want her to leave my side.

I went back to the Arena in September to see John Legend perform. It was a bittersweet experience. He is my favourite artist and the security and police did a great job of keeping us safe but I found myself looking around me everytime I heard an usual noise.

I decided to get a Manchester bee tattoo in memory of the victims and to contribute to their fund. Manchester is a very special place to me and I am so proud of how the city has united over the last 7 months.

How was your 2017?