It seems 2017 was my year for experiencing new things in my life …
New Job
In February I left my PT role at The Gym in the city centre to become an Assistant General Manager at The Gym Altrincham. This meant leaving my old clients and colleges to start afresh with my PT business and help run a completely new gym. It hasn’t been without its challenges but it has given me a load of extra skills as well as opportunities to grow my PT business and brand. I have got new clients, formed new relationships and been able to hone my focus in to helping women create healthier happier relationships with themselves and fitness.
New Home
Moving out of the city centre made sense, we could get more room for our money and a car park space for another new thing – my car. Trivial things I know but we now have a 2 bed flat in a quieter area and it feels like home, I also love living near Chorlton and away from all the city noise.
New Baby
Not mine but this year on 23rd June a beautiful little boy made his way into my life and my heart and I couldn’t be happier. My bestie Pam (SpamellaB) and James created this bundle of joy Thomas Oliver Higgins who I also have the honour of calling my godson. Over the past 6 months I have watched him grow and every time I see him he puts a massive smile on my face. Its amazing how such a tiny human can have such an impact on how you view the world and yourself. Alongside his parents and family I can’t wait to see him develop and experience all the moments that form his life. Love you little one xx
New Experiences & Refreshed Challenges
I ran a half marathon – hated every moment of it and I’m never doing one again but – I got a PB time and I’m happy with that.
I got nominated and then shortlisted for an award for this blog !!! Sadly I didn’t win but in all honesty I was never in it to win as I never expected it in the first place. It was just amazing to get recognised and people thought I deserved it. It was also the year of the NBAs (Northern Blog Awards) created by Holly they were incredible and it was a honour to be a part of the creation and support her every step of the way. The 2018 ones are already in planning and they are going to be even better!
I went on holiday and I think it was the best holiday I have ever been on because it was the first one I truly felt happy and let myself live. It sounds silly but it was amazing to not feel pressure, to not hate myself and to actually relax!
I went on a low FODMAP diet to work out what my digestive issues were and even though it was hard and annoying especially eating out I FINALLY know what my triggers are wooooo ! So hopefully the agony of the flare ups will be few and fair between.
New Friendships formed and Old ones grown
I have found my support network within the blogging industry and I bloody love it 🙂 I have this amazing group of women who are absolute girl bosses who I am now proud to call my friends. They are with me through thick and thin and I always know they will be there when needed.
I have also made some new friendships this year that I can’t wait to see grow more next year, its exciting. There are also old friendships that have rekindled and grown into the types of friendships that will be with you forever. I feel as I get older it isn’t about how many friends you have. Instead it is about how many friends you have that actually care and if you go a few days / weeks / months without speaking because of life you can pick up like it was yesterday.
New found confidence
I feel 2016 was the year where I started to be confident but 2017 was the year where I well and truly embraced it! It is 100% a mindset thing and that was where I grew this year, until you change and work on how you perceive everything nothing you do will help you feel better. I am confident in myself as a person, in my ideas and dreams and in my body. I no longer need validation or approval, I no longer put myself down or compare to others, and I no longer need to look or be a certain way. I have accepted who I am, I have embraced it and I bloody love it 🙂 I am in a place where if I want to change things I can but I will do it positively not negatively. I recently wrote a post about 7 things I wish I knew 7 years ago and it couldn’t be more fitting.
It hasn’t come easy and there will be slip ups occasionally but I am well and truly in a positive and confident place and I think it shows across everything I do. I don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed to say I love who I am.
New sense of purpose
I have always wanted to help people that is why I became a PT and why I started this job but 2017 has seen the purpose change and become my driving force. And that is to help as many women as I can to get to where I am now, in a healthy and happy relationship with themselves. I want women to workout and keep fit because they want to be strong, fit and healthy. I want women to feel incredible and not put themselves down. Most of all I want to help women to embrace what they were given and make changes from a positive place in order to reach their goals. I hope that through my posts and social media this has come across because that is what I was aiming for 🙂
It has also been a bit of a fitness transformation this year, last year I had a shoot I prepped for so the training style was specific for that and then it was all about lifting heavy. However this year due to many different things I have been a bit more intuitive with my training focusing more on just moving my body. Whether it has been weights, cardio, HIIT, body weight, yoga I just wanted it to be fun and keep me healthy. That might change next year but it has worked pretty well for me this year as its been a lot more enjoyable !
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Here is a look back on my favourite posts from the year:
- Post Natal Fitness doesn’t have to be scary
- Swimsuit Season are you ready ?
- Body Confidence Chats
- This is ME
- The underrated element of your training plan
- A letter of love
- How to be positive
- The Beauty of Love
- What I hate about this time of year
My biggest takeaway from 2017 is how much I have grown as a person and how I have truly found happiness !! I am now excited for 2018 as this is going to be the year of growth !!
How was your 2017???
Love Vicki xxx
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Now I don’t want to focus on this too much because this is a positive post and I feel I would give it a disservice however on May 22nd I awoke to Elliot shaking me to get up as he had heard and felt an explosion. We were later to discover that this was the suicide bomber of the Manchester Arena attack who killed 22 people. i have never experience terror like it and the fact it was so close to home made it 100% worse. It was a harrowing time for the families, Manchester and the UK and nothing can make it better. The positive that came out of this horrific event was the sense of community, support and love that the people of Manchester gave and it made me proud to call this city my home #WEAREMANCHESTER#ONELOVE
