New Year, New Visions, New Plans.

Hi everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying the festivities!

Let's do a recap on 2016, we have a new Prime Minister in the UK, The USA have a new President, we lost some amazing celebrities through some horrible illnesses and accidents, the UK are in the process of leaving the EU, the cost of living has increased, Andy Murray wins Wimbledon (again), hate crime has increased throughout the world, rail fares increased by 1.1% throughout the UK and Royal Mail raises their stamp prices by a penny. 

So, my 2016 has been eventful to say the least. A few years ago I made plans, plan with people, plans for myself and I didn't stick to the plans as you can imagine. Like most people, plans change, people change, even when they don't want to change, sometimes it just happens. I planned on having my own flat, which happened, I planned on being engaged at some point, that didn't happen, partly my fault, I planned on fulfilling my dreams of becoming a nurse, I didn't go through with that when I started, I quit after 6 months, and I even planned on having a kid at some point...

Put it this way, this was my first Christmas on my own. Not physically you understand, but without a partner.

For most, Christmas is a happy time, it's a time where we all come together and get merry and this year, I spent it with my father and I couldn't be more thankful. For the past 5/6 months my dad has been there for all my emotional breakdowns, my 'I'm not going to work' days, to my 'I'm going to eat this cake' days but he's also been there for my good days. The days I've smiled, laughed and been happy sober.

I've not been sober this whole time you understand. I had a fling with alcohol for a while. Mainly because it made me feel lighter in the head, happier, even helped me sleep at some point. In the morning, I would feel a sense of regret, sadness, hurting, mostly loneliness.

My plan next month is to get sober and better.

I've made a lot of commitments and travel plans for 2017. I will try and fulfill them all as best I can! I've made the usual goals such as quit smoking, go back to the gym and not to eat all the pies, well you know what? I'm going to eat everything in sight, while I run on a treadmill. I'll stop smoking when I've had enough. My goal for 2017, my main goal is to not put any pressure on myself. None what so ever.

I mean, putting pressure on yourself is pointless. It causes nothing but more stress and the temptation to not reach your goals because we have a fight with our-self and end up convincing ourselves to 'have a break'. Life is too short to put pressure on yourself, continue to go at your own pace and reach your goals, even if it takes you longer than a year. 

So I send a short message for you all, as we wave 2016 goodbye, I want to be able to let go, and I will let go. Not because I don't care, but mostly because I care enough to leave some things alone, for my sake, for other peoples sake. I'm letting go because I can't move forward otherwise. I encourage those who need to let go, do it. There is nothing worse than being angry with yourself and regretting and as much as we want to change things and make a difference, maybe now is not the time and sitting wondering why, it's not really going to get you anywhere, is it?

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year.

Stay safe!

Cat

Love Each Other As Well As Yourself

Hi everyone! 

It's quarter past midnight on a Tuesday and I was scrolling through my Twitter feed when I noticed some gamer girls just like me, posting their selfies of new piercings, tattoos or just because they felt like it! Do you know what I noticed? I noticed a girl tweeting the other girl saying how pretty she looked and it made me warm inside. 

This also made me think why we don't compliment each other genuinely all the time? Women are the biggest critiques I believe. The minute a woman walks into a room, other women look at her appearance, listen to her laugh, the way she speaks and watch the way she carries herself. 

I sometimes hear women compliment other women, some I hear things like 'why is she wearing that?' etc. I'm even guilty of it myself! 

I thought to myself, if I want to be seen as a nice person, who takes care of themselves then I feel I need to view others this way. Not judge them you understand, but if I feel they need a compliment then don't be afraid to do it! 

There are lots of people who get accused of flirting or being too friendly when they compliment someone but I find it harmless. 

So for this week, I challenge you all to compliment someone and mean it! Not just on their appearance, but if they are doing a good job at work, or if they have made a decision to make a plan and go for it, support them and compliment their efforts!

Life isn't a race, so we should help each other along the way.

Our graves will look exactly the same in the end, so stay humble.  

Have a great rest of the week! 

Cx

Twitter:

@shotgunkitten_

Facebook:

@CatGillanNovels

On a Festive Note...

Hello everyone!

It's hump day, the day most people start to wind down towards the weekend.

This week has been a strange one but in a good way!

I've mentioned my mother before, but she has started her own business making hampers and baby gifts such as hand-knitted toys and nappy cakes. She makes her own Gingerbread Men, Chutneys and Jams. She's pretty good at it too!

This week I helped her with the Christmas fare in the local primary school, helping her attempt to sell her items. My mother is new to the idea of her very own business, so she was a little apprehensive but we got there in the end.

I loved watching the people move around each stall, all the children annoying their parents to buy them items that they could probably get at Christmas anyway and I witnessed a little girl buy things for her parents Christmas.

Now, there are two points to my rambling gibberish this week.

1 - If you have a spark to try something new, then do it. Let the flame lighten and just watch it explode into flames. Now, this sounds dangerous so allow me to give you something lighter.

Imagine you have a seed. You plant the seed in your garden. For this seed to grow and flourish, you need to water the seed, make sure it's taken care of and one day it can blossom into something beautiful, however if you don't take care of that seed and you don't water it, or take care of it, it will just remain as it's always been, a seed hidden in the ground.

Take this and follow it for 2017.

2 - Christmas is usually one of my favourite holidays, but this year it's been a little strange for me. It bothered me for months that I wouldn't have someone to share Christmas with this year. How wrong was I...

For Christmas morning, I will visit my mother, step father and brothers, and of course, Mikey (the dog). I'll spend some time there and then have dinner and drinks with my father. We'll cook the meal together, eat it and head to the pub (hopefully).

I might not have a partner to share Christmas with but I am not alone. So to my singletons out there, don't be bummed about not having someone when you have friends and family around you. Take comfort in knowing that you have them around you because not everyone has that gift at Christmas.

So, on a lighter note! Are you all looking forward to the festivities? I know I am.

I have so much planned for 2017/18 and I plan on going through with each and everyone of the plans, even if it's on my own, I'll take comfort in saying 'Hey! I did that!'

I hope your festivities are full of happiness.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

Cat