If you’re anything like me then you probably always get very caught up in the whole new year, new me mindset. The time between Christmas and New Year consists of new journals, new calendars, new goals and new dreams but then by mid-January you’ve hit a wall and given up.
So, instead of falling into those same traps again this year, I am hoping to take a different, less pressurised approach to the new year. Obviously, I still want to grow and do new things but I don’t want the stakes to feel quite so high. Here’s my new and approved 2026 approach to the new year, new me mentally: IN MY 20’S!
Here me out…Instead of creating a set of goals to complete with x amount of months, I have given myself a list of dreams that I want to complete at some point in my 20s. Some are easy enough like living in a converted van, some I have already ticked off like seeing the northern lights or flying business class (and I haven’t even been in my 20s for a year yet!) and some are harder like visiting 100 countries or getting married or becoming a best-selling author. But this new way of thinking stops the inevitable crash and burn of my normal new year goal setting because I have taken away the horrible timeline issue. And, the best thing is, whenever I now don’t know where I want to go next or what to do next, I have a list of dreams that I can always refer back to, amend or add to. It is this whole new game for me to play throughout a whole decade of my life.
Anyway, this is me saying welcome to my first ever blog series: IN MY 20’s! where I am going to take you along in my life as a 20-year-old who wants to experience everything and live her life with memories instead of regrets. 2025 was my trial run at this whole how to be a 20-year-old thing and now I have decided that I am ready to share my life – the magical, the memorable and the messy. So, if you want authenticity and honesty above all else, stick around because I am ready to spill the beans on being the eldest daughter who solo travels, avoids having a 9-5 like its the plague, desperately wants to become a successful author and is trying to juggle relationships with family, friends and God all whilst different time zones are thrown into the mix. And, guess what? I am not going to hold back. I may even reveal parts of my journal to you. Basically, over the next few months, you will be getting a front row seat into the inner workings of my mind and I am hoping you will stick around to see more!
So, yeah, welcome. And as I am signing this off, I am realising I probably should have introduced myself somewhere in all of that but I didn’t and I don’t really want to spend loads of time editing and overthinking so I am going to introduce myself here for all of you who made it this far. Hi! I am Shayani, a 20-year-old girl (woman? I never know what to say anymore) who is passionate about books, travelling and Jesus. I am the oldest daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter and I am independent to a fault. I love both writing and reading but if I am being completely honest I have been facing writer’s block for most of 2025. But, anyway, that’s not the point! I adore working with children and scrapbooking every single one of my adventures and yeah, that’s me! If you made it this far, please comment something – maybe what is your favourite hobby? Just like a one-word answer to confuse everyone else 🙂