August Goals

We're into the second week of August so I feel like I'm cheating a little starting my goals a little late. However, I really adore the idea of setting little targets each month and better late than never right?
Mini goals not only give me something to work towards but they also help me feel happier, more productive and fulfilled.

August Goals

1. Only post engaging and exciting content (don't post for the sake of it!)
2. Be more consistent on Instagram
3. Blog design refresh
4. Begin thinking about autumnal content ideas
5. Create some helpful blogger content
6. Continue to write blog posts in advance
7. Be more active on Bloglovin
8. Up my game with cool interesting flat lays 
9. To loose four more pounds. Ok this may be a bit of a challenge for me as by the time this goes up I'll be recovering from an operation and not allowed to exercise for six weeks... but we shall see

What are your goals for this month?

Follow me on Instagram: @zoeyoliviablog to see what I get up to daily. You can also reach me on twitter: @zoeyoliviablog. Or, if you like Bloglovin', I'm kind of new to it but follow me on there.

Turning 27

Turning 27. 

I don't know why, but turning 27 was a pretty big deal to me. I'm slowly edging towards the 30 year old mark and I have so much to accomplish in three years. 

So, in this post I wanted to mention the things I've accomplished and the 'things' I would like to do before I turn 30. This is going to be quite a personal post by the way. 

So what have I accomplished so far? I completed a degree at the University of Arts, London, back in 2011. And, I have a job that I bloody love. I'm a digital designer. An illustrator. A social media wizz kid. A digital marketer. A blogger. A vlogger. And, a video editer. I love the digital world. And, I love art and design.

Apart from my job(s), I have travelled the world a lot. I have been to over 80 different cities in my life time. I have travelled a lot of the UK - especially when I was younger as I used to play tenpin bowling (random, I know) professionally. I've been up and down the country playing tournaments. I used to play for Hertfordshire and also England when I was around 16.

My favourite parts of the world are Thailand and Canada. However, I'd love to visit Iceland and Scandinavian countries as I'm all about that 'hygge' life. I can see myself falling in love with the lifestyle, beautiful scenery and culture there.

I have the most incredible loving and supportive partner, he is also my best friend. We recently got married which is a huge deal for me as I've never believed in marriage and saw it as a signed piece of paper... But things change, feelings change as you get older. So I guess getting married is an accomplishment?

I also passed my driving test! Late to the game I know, but I put my fears aside, took a short course last year and passed first time. It's weird to think that I've been driving almost every day for the past six months now. London drivers are crazy, but you get used to it. For me that's a huge accomplishment.

So, what's in store for me next?

I'd like to travel more. This year I'd really like to explore as much as I can. Once a month, or every other month, go somewhere different. Experience new things. This could be in the UK or close by.

I'd really like to up my game and become a 'Senior Digital Designer' or something similar. When I think of the experiences I've had and what I have achieved since graduating, I'm really proud (not in a braggy way). I really do put my heart and soul into anything and everything and I now have the experience to achieve my goals to becoming one step further into a senior position.

It's not often you can say that you've had complete freedom and control on what goes up on company social media channels, as well as planning, writing content and designing email marketing campaigns. I've come a long way and I have so much more to give :).

I'd also love my blog and YouTube channel to grow. I want to have enough of a following that my content truly inspires and is somewhat helpful. For me, it's not about having an enormous following, I love underrated unknown bloggers and vloggers just as much as the bigguns'. I love those who are different and have a cool editing style. 

I'd really like to get to 25,000 subscribers in the next three years, but I'd really need to up my content to reach that goal.

In regards to content, I think I may do some more wedding videos as I know you guys have been enjoying my wedding blog series or so that's what you tell me :). And, maybe I'll do some life advice videos, but not sure if I'm confidant enough to talk about those subjects just yet.

I will of course continue to make video diaries of my travels, look-books and hauls (Primark and High Street stores) in the next three years too. Although, maybe less frequent hauls as I'm trying to save and trying to not let the consumer treadmill get to me. 

My YouTube is currently more successful than my blog. But, I do love writing as well, so I will never give it up.

Other than career and travel plans. I'd like to finally own a home. I'd really love a cute little cottage house nearby, but London house prices are just sky high and we simply can't afford that. I would also like a sausage dog but as me and Joe both work long hours, this is something that will be quite difficult. It wouldn't be fair to leave a dog at home for long periods of time. But maybe things will change in the near future or we find a way to make this one work.

So there you have it - an insight into what I'm thinking. Obviously things change and ideals change too. So who know's what will actually happen in three years time. 

As always, you can reach me on social media for daily updates. I'm regularly Instagramming, follow me @zoeyoliviablog. I'm also on Twitter, @zoeyoliviablog.  

Favourite Moments of 2016

 
I thought I would do something a little different this time around. I've put together a little montage of some of my favourite moments captured on film this year.

I really enjoyed making this and hope you enjoy seeing it too :). Here's to a wonderful, happy and healthy 2017!

As always you can reach me at @zoeyoliviablog on Instagram and Twitter.

2016... What a year!

2016... What a year! So many amazing highs and challenging devastating lows. But we made it through, despite facing hundreds of hurdles, and seeing and hearing about the terrifying things happening in the world. Too many to mention and wrap my head around, however, I'm going to sit quietly and not dwell on the awful things that have happened this year.

What I do know is that I consider myself very very lucky. And, I have remembered a few things a long the way. It's important to be there for those in need, support people where you can and most importantly be kind to everyone.

Any who, I have split this blog post up into sections of a reflection on life, travel, people and blogging and YouTube. I thought this would be a better way of summarising the year. And, it's always lovely to look back on the positive, and overcoming some difficult times of the year.
I also just want to say a HUGE thank you to other half Joe, my best girl and male friends (they know who they are), my family and those who support me and my blog or YouTube channel. You are the ones that keep me going, so I'm truly truly thankful for everything.

Life: Well let's start with the biggest, most life challenging moment... I got married this year! 6th November, twenty sixteen - this was honestly the best day of my life by far. I still can't quite get my head around being married to my best friend, soul mate (cheese) and partner in crime. And, we got to share the day with those closest to us, what a dream! I will cherish every moment forever and always.

If I scroll back through my Instagram page back to the start of this year, I cannot forget to mention seeing my work on the big screen at 'Proud Cabaret' for my work's belated Christmas do in January. This was a proud moment, tear.

Anyway, the earlier months of twenty sixteen were a bit of blur to be honest with you. There was so much intense wedding planning and I was dealing with so much personally.

Moving swiftly on to Summer, I passed my driving test back in June! I took an intensive short course with a lovely lady called Barbra and I passed first time. I can't quite believe I managed to pass and I don't know why it had taken me twenty six years of my life to defeat one of my fears, but I did, hooray :). When you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything!

I also remember the warmer months being seriously addicted to Pokemon Go and I would walk for miles and miles to hatch my eggs and catch rare Pokemon. I still play occasionally! I also remember becoming massively obsessed with anything Hygge. I wish I was Danish, they lead such cool and calm lives.

I had the most incredible Hen do in London with some of my best friends at the end of September! And, Joe and I also celebrated our sixth year anniversary at Thomas' (Burberry) restaurant at the end of September too, what a perfect day.

I also cannot forget my birthday weekend with Hanna and Fee (two of my closest and dearest friends) walking around Regents Park catching Pokemon, drinking cocktails and having the most incredible food at Dirty Bones.

On my actual birthday, halloween. Joe took me to one of my food wish-list dreamy places, Bob Bob Ricard. We spent a fortune and I'm still yet to review that place on my blog. But it was incredible!
He also took me to a cool cocktail bar, Cahoots, and we also saw Aladdin in theatre.

I cannot forget our dramatic honeymoon at the end of this year too, which I will touch on in my next paragraph!

Travel: I love travelling and next year I plan on doing more and more. Anyway, around the end of February, early March, we travelled to Venice and Burano for Joe's 29th birthday. A beautiful break wandering the streets of Venice, riding on the boats and eating amazing food. I wrote a blog post on our trip here. And created a short vlog here.

In November, after the wedding, we travelled to Bali, Lombok and the Gili islands for our honeymoon. Incredible and beautiful places but we had a challenging time from start to finish shall we say. I will write some future blog posts on our honeymoon experiences, but, I'm still slowly catching up on happenings in October... I promise I will though. I also have video footage that I need to edit and put up on YouTube, bare with, bare with (*hangs head in shame*).

Bali was my favourite of the lot. We stayed in a beautiful hotel in the jungle Ubud. And we didn't do anything but relax for three days straight, it was heaven.

Speaking of other travels, we also stayed at a beautiful apartment in Haslemere for Joe's Christmas work do this month. This was a lovely break visiting the Christmas market and relaxing and eating/drinking with Joe's work friends. Merry merry times. Sometimes I forget how beautiful other parts of the UK are, there's so much to experience and explore and it's something I want to do more of in 2017.

People: As mentioned a little earlier, I am super fortunate to have some incredibly lovely and caring human beings in my life. The ones that keep me sane.
But, I just wanted to touch upon something that I have realised this year. Not everyone who you think is your friend is actually a 'friend'. These people love to take advantage of your kindness and it's heartbreaking to realise it.
Just because you are kind and would do anything for anyone, does not mean that it will be reciprocated. You're kind of fooling yourself to think 'people will be as kind as you.'

My heart has been broken by a few people this year, I won't mention any names but I have lost quite a few people close to me, including a family member. I could probably count ten people in total that have severely upset me this year. As well as loosing two people in my life this year was enough to deal with...

Anyway, at the end of the day, life is too short to hold grudges and be bitter. Keep your head high, smile always, and be around those who love, make you laugh and support you. Because at the end of the day, that's all that matters.

Blogging and YouTube: This year I have slowed things down quite a bit. It's hard to manage a full time design job, freelance work and my blog at times. But I still love absolutely everything that I do.

I've realised that it's quality over quantity. And, I will always speak from the heart on here, write things that I'm truly passionate about and create fashion and travel video diaries that I love.

The love and support I have received this year has been overwhelming and quite frankly, amazing. So thank you to everyone who has paid an interest in my blog or channel. It's people like you that keep me going. So here's to another year of creating fun content!

If you've read this far, then wow! Thank you so much again and have a wonderful, happy, lovely, exciting 2017. Love, me x

Feel free to follow me on Instagram: @zoeyoliviablog, or tweet me: @zoeyoliviablog. I'm forever responding and interacting on those platforms :).