I cannot believe it’s been a whole year since I wrote my 2019 Bucket List. I’ve managed to tick a good fair few things off that list and I’ve had a busy year. However, this post isn’t about reflecting on my 2019 goals but looking forward at 2020, not just a new year but a whole new decade too.

I have a feeling that 2020 is going to be a momentous year. We have a trip of a lifetime planned to Orlando and Sam also starts school. Although I’m looking forward to the year ahead I also have my worries and concerns. Will Sam get the school we want or any school in our area as they are all so oversubscribed? Will I manage to get space in the breakfast and after school clubs and will Sam be happy or will it all be too overwhelming for him?

I also feel sad as 2020 will be the 10 year anniversary since my brother, who was my best friend, died. There hasn’t been a day since that I haven’t missed him or thought about him. The 10 year mark will be tough and also a reminder that life isn’t always roses.

Saying that, I know my brother would be so proud of everything I have achieved and would want me to make the most of every precious moment, especially the beautiful memories I’m making with my 3 year old son. He would have been so proud of Sam and loved him so much as they are two peas in a pod.

Being a full time working mum, life can be hectic and I’m often unorganised, running round like a blue arsed fly, not knowing whether I’m coming or going. So that’s why my 2020 bucket list also includes my goals for the year and my priorities.

So with no further ado here is my 2020 Bucket list and goals:

1. Make sure my family are happy

Create memories together that will last a lifetime. Not just holidays or days out but quiet times at home where we spend a weekend together just pottering about, making things from the craft box, watching movies, riding our bikes and baking cakes.

2. Find a publisher for Harper Darker and the Creatures of Farlington

I know I know, this was on my 2019 bucket list and I am very ashamed to say I didn’t take this forward. I spent 2019 focusing on my blog and if I’m honest, I’m not confident enough to send it off. Not that I don’t think it’s good. I was reading it the other day after having ignored it for months and it was as if someone else had written it. A real book and not just the ramblings of my mind!

The problem is I know children’s literature is a crowded and competitive marketplace. I’m also scared that people will think it’s terrible. What if I’m totally delusional? What if what I’ve written is actually absolute rubbish? Harper is so real in my mind I feel like she’s almost shouting at me to get her story heard. So I need to at least try and do her justice, no matter how terrified I am of rejection and failure.

I did manage to speak to a publisher in 2019 at a conference I attended. A lovely lady called Elaine of Zuntold Publishing. Zuntold publish a number of children’s books including the fabulous Gangster School series. She was very encouraging and said the synopsis sounded great. She took the first three chapters but advised she has many projects she’s working on at the moment so won’t be able to read it and give me feedback until the winter.

I’m not sure whether I will ever hear from Elaine again and fully appreciate this is not going to be my ‘wow you’ve got a book deal’ moment, but hopefully I will get some constructive feedback. In the meantime I’m going to work on editing the book and maybe re-writing a couple of the last chapters. I will then most definitely get Harper Darker sent to some literary agencies. If I don’t success at least I tried.

I am also thinking of adding a tab on my blog for my writing with samples from the book so I can ask my blog subscribers and readers for their thoughts, advice and feedback.

3. Explore Journalism again

In a previous life I was a journalist writing for publications such as A Place in the Sun and Your Cat magazine and editing supplements published in Time Out London which included interviews with some high profile professionals including Lord Alan Sugar, Ruby Wax and James Caan.

I loved freelancing but then I took a position as Editor at the Caravan and Motorhome Club full time, moved on to being the Community Manager and then had my son. Being a full time working mum left little time for freelancing as a journalist. However, my son is now three years old, potty trained and much more independent so I might look to submit the occasional article and keep my journalism skills fine-tuned.

4. Have the most epic family holiday to Orlando

It’s been some years since I last went to Florida, over a decade! To be going back with my son is truly going to be epic. We will embrace the magic of Disney and immerse ourselves in the adventures at Universal. Best of all we will have 2 whole weeks together as a family, hopefully making happy memories for my son that he will remember until he’s a very old man.

5. Be more frugal – sort out my finances

I’m not the best when it comes to organising my finances and I really need to start paying off debt this year and getting my act together. To help put more away each month I’m going to ensure we are more frugal and will feature some money saving tips in upcoming blogs.

6. Interior Design – style the house

I love our home. We moved in over 2 years ago and it’s a new build house. We’ve managed to style some of the rooms and they are looking great, even if I do say so myself! However, some of our rooms still have the white paint from when we moved in. This year I really want to decorate our bedroom and also swap my son from the box room toddler bedroom he’s currently in, to the spare room which is a double bedroom and will have much more room for him and all his toys. Plus he can have a little desk in the room and big bookshelf for all his books, perfect as he’s starting school in 2020.

7. Be more healthy

I made a great start improving my lifestyle in 2019. I lost half a stone from healthy eating and exercise and even took part in MacMillan’s Mighty Hike where I managed to hike a marathon over the South Downs with my friend who had breast cancer a few years ago (fracturing my toe on the way but completing none the less).

This year I fully intend to continue with my healthy lifestyle. I might even take it up a notch or two by going to a weekly yoga class and listening to more meditation. Life is so busy so it’s so important to stay healthy.

8. Explore Britain

I love living in the UK. We have such a diverse and beautiful country. I most definitely want to spend some of 2020 exploring Britain.

We had lots of UK adventures last year Camping and Glamping and I definitely want to do more in 2020. I have nothing planned yet but here”s some of things I would love to do:

• A trip to the Cotswolds to enjoy the countryside
• Explore the Dorset coastline to go fossil hunting
• Go to Scotland to visit Edinburgh and do a Harry Potter tour
• Visit Lake District to discover the haunts some of Britain’s great writers, Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter.

There is so much I would love to do. I can’t wait to see where 2020 takes me in the UK.

9. Grow my YouTube Channel

I’m currently at 849 subscribers. I would absolutely love to get to over 1,000 subscribers to hit a milestone moment. If you haven’t already subscribed to my My Balancing Act YouTube channel I would love it if you can help me achieve my dream by subscribing and watching and liking my videos.

My YouTube channel was featured in an issue of Mother & Baby magazine in 2019. It has been great for my views and I really hope I can get my channel featured in more publications in 2020. If you have any tips and advice on how to grow your channel let me know in the comments below.

2020

So when midnight strikes on 2019 and we welcome in 2020, I don’t know whether I will be laughing for the happy moments or crying because of the sad, or even, quite possibly (I am a full time working mum after all) fast asleep!

Whatever your thoughts are about 2020, exciting, terrifying, the great unknown, I wish you all the very best for the year. I would also like to say a big thank you for reading my blog. Remember, you always have a friend here so please leave a comment below. Let me know your 2020 Bucket List and Goals and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog so you never miss a post.