Happy New Year!
I can hardly believe that we are almost a month into 2017! 2016 ended in a flurry of sunburnt skin, salty hair, sandy toes and a fantastic champagne toast…for those of you who haven’t already read it…you can read my engagement story here.
I love the summer break in Durban, the city buzzes with excited travellers and us Durban locals join the eager crowds heading out for a gorgeous day in the sun, on the sand or in a shady spot to sip on something cold. 2016 was a tough and trying year but we made some amazing and exceptionally positive life changes. We opted for a full plant-based lifestyle, we swapped our usual cosmetics with 100% cruelty free, I backed out of full- time baking full and moved into a full-time social media and marketing position at appstage. There were ups and downs, but I ended the year feeling excited, hopeful and fueled for 2017.
Last year I made a kind of new years resolution post and I really want to do something similar this year. Without going back to last years post, I am going to go right ahead and make some resolutions that align with what I want to achieve / continue achieve in 2017. In 2016 we started our minimalist journey, a main resolution was to cut back, cut down and cut out and I am happy to report that we have!
H O M E //
Our home is our sanctuary, it may not be 100% where we want it to be with regards to neatness…but we love being there. We have amped up our storage space but adding 2 more sets of drawers and emptying a lot of our existing storage. We have stopped buying random “trendy” items and chucked out a lot of our existing crap, you know like over 20 cushion inners, owl ornaments and college textbooks? Yeah, like, a lot of that! In 2017 I would like to continue minimizing around the house, sticking to our minimal colour palette of black, white and grey and adding more greenery.
A big item also on our 2017 home list is sorting out our kitchen, damn that place needs an overhaul. We have already started chucking out the doubles and triples, now we need to head to the SPCA to donate them. Don’t you find that one you clear out an area…if you don’t remove the stuff from your premises it always makes it’s way BACK into the nooks and crannies of your home? YEAH.
W O R K //
This is an experimental area for me. Since 2013 I have been fully self-employed, so this employment thing is new to me! My main goal for 2017 is to be able to thrive in my job, as well as continuing to develop Hello Duffymoon. I have a lot to learn from appstage, we have exciting plans for 2017, plans that include working our tails off and learning a LOT, so I am eager to be crazy busy this year. I would love to experiment with Vegan cake baking and do more writing and blogging. Just because I am working in the world of advertising, doesn’t mean I can’t have my own little creative projects on the side, right?! RIGHT!
F O O D //
In 2016 we went from being meat eaters to vegetarians and then made the leap to becoming fully plant-based / vegans. We have been vegan for almost 8 months now and it is safe to say that we are quite certain that we are going to be vegan for life. Becoming vegan was a really tough transition at first, but we have never felt better about our bodies and the lifestyle we are living and supporting. In 2017 I would love to be at least 20% more healthy on a daily basis, including adding more juices, smoothies and more fresh produce. I would also love to explore with more vegan cooking and getting into the kitchen in the evenings instead of opting for the quick dinner option. You know what it is like after a long day, you are pooped and it is easier to reach for frozen peas than to get into the zone and create some wonderful food magic – 2017 – more food magic!
C L O T H E S //
I have officially succeeded in eliminating my comfort items from my wardrobe! You know, those things you have had for so long that it seems plain ol’ wrong to throw them away? I had a wardrobe full of those! I also limited myself with colour, so when I go shopping I can target things that would blend easily into my wardrobe and match easily with other items. Stripes, navy and flip flops play a pivotal role. In 207 I would like to dress better, less casual and more sophisticated – in a way? I have a few really good pieces waiting in my cupboard for a day out but I haven’t quite plucked up the courage to create a new look for myself. I guess that must have something to do with my addiction to being comfortable? I think this is going to be a major challenge for me in 2017 – physically stepping outside of my comfort zone
H O B B I E S //
This year I would love to pick up more hobbies, both on my own and with Darren. I tend to drift towards pinning more hobbies than I actually get involved in – isn’t pinning so easy? I would love to get out more, do more bird watching, more outdoor hikes and a big one for 2017…make more art and do more DIY. I am not putting pressure on myself to become a total hobbyist, but I would love to try a couple of things and see what sticks! There is nothing better than spending your extra hours doing something, something you love and something that relaxes you.
W E D D I N G //
So, we have a wedding to plan! Although we have only been engaged for 2 weeks, we have been in love for what seems like forever, so we are both pretty damn excited about planning a wedding. Weddings are intense and pretty complicated to plan, so this year I would love to get most of the planning and organising done. Organising events is part of what I do as a job, but it is so much more when it is your own wedding! I am so excited to share our wedding journey with anyone that is interested! So far all we know is that our wedding will more than likely be in Winter 2018.
Well, that is where I am at with my 2017 goals/thoughts / feels at the moment. I can’t wait to explore every inch of this year with enthusiasm and vigour, what better way to start the year than with the person I love the most in the world asking me to be his forever?
Love Duffymoon
xxx