Hi everyone! If you were with me on my blogging journey six months ago you may well remember my writing this post talking about my blogging and reading goals and challenges for 2018. I am definitely somebody who is driven by having goals and targets, I guess that’s why my bullet journal works so well for me. I love the satisfaction of ticking something off.

Now that we are officially halfway through 2018 (what? how did that happen?!) I thought it was time to look back over those goals and see how I’m getting on. Maybe there are some changes I need to make and maybe some I’ve already completed. I am both excited and nervous to see how this is going to go!

So here are the blogging goals I initially set myself back at the beginning of 2018:

• Post regularly ✔
• Hit 1,000 WP followers
• Write more discussion posts
• Comment more actively 
• Host more guest posts ✔
• Take part in more blog tours ✔
• Create a bookish post/meme of my own ✔
• Share more of my journal ✔

When I look at these goals I’m pretty proud, actually. My little blog definitely feels like it has grown this year. With the exception of May (which we know was a bad month) I have posted almost daily this year so I can happily tick off the first goal! I have definitely signed up for a lot of blog tours this year (more so than ever before) and I’ve hosted a few guest posts which I’m really proud of including Q&As with authors I really admire such as Sara Barnard and Katie/Kevin Tsang. My #FandomFrenzy blog feature is still going strong, I have over 30 of those left to post which is juts incredible – I didn’t even think anyone would want to take part!

Moving forward I definitely need to make more effort in commenting on other blogs. That will be a focus for me this summer, I think I need to find a routine for doing so. I currently have nearly 900 WP followers so I’m on track there too. I would also like to start writing more discussion posts. I have a list of ideas but I need to put pen to paper at some point and actually draft some ideas out. I’m also hoping to share even more of my journal as the year goes on! Overall I think I’ve made some good progress against these goals, I just need to keep on keeping on!

Okay, so the biggie, the bookish goals:

• Read every day ✔
• Read more MG books.
• Read more Non-Fiction
• Reduce my TBR 
• Attend more bookish events ✔
• Stay on top of my NetGalley
• Read what I want ✔

Hmm… well I do read every single day and I’ve attended a couple of bookish events already this year and have some more booked in, so those things are going well. I’m also getting better at just reading what I want and not worrying about having read the book that everyone else is reading or hyping.

On the other hand…. I have read a few MG titles this year but would definitely like to read more so I’m not ticking that off just yet. As far as non-fiction goes I’ve only read 1 NF book compared to 40+ fiction. Whilst I have made an effort to start reading books from my TBR backlist, I am also still hauling a lot of books (which is brilliant) so my TBR isn’t really reducing. I’m probably using NetGalley less frequently this year which I think is partially because I’m lucky enough to get sent a lot of physical books now. I am in a better NG position now than I was last year but it could still do with some work!

At the time of posting this I’ve read 47 books this year. Goodreads tells me I am slightly ahead of schedule which sounds good to me. The summer holidays is my moment to shine when I have 6 weeks of glorious reading time! As for my other reading challenges, you can check out my progress on my Goodreads Challenge page and my British Books page.

The hard hitting stuff: the personal goals.

• Mindfulness
• Eat more healthily
• Start to exercise
• Talk
• Say ‘Yes’ more
• Say ‘No’ more

I’ve decided that I’m not going to tick these as they are all things that I would like to continue with and not ever actually complete. I think if I can find a balance with all of these I will be a happier and healthier person.

Mindfulness has become incredibly important to me this year as has the ability to talk to those around me. I still don’t do enough of it but I am getting better at recognising when I need to.

So far 2018 has had its ups and its downs. I’ve had some brilliant moments with friends, started my dream job and just as equally had some really terrible times. What’s been important for me so far this year is remember that it’s okay not to be okay sometimes.

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