Did you know technically we are not in a new decade? I didn’t. Apparently the next decade actually starts in the 01’s rather than 00’s as there was never a year  ‘zero’. Who knew? ANYWAY. 

2020.

I often write a post about what I intend to do, my hopes and wishes and perhaps a few things I have learnt the last year. I was, in fact, about to write aforementioned post right here on this blog.

Then this popped up on my insta-stories….

I felt personally attacked!

This was SO absolutely me in years gone by. Am I *that* huge cliche?! I am definitely guilty of wanting all of those things for the new year, along with 278454854 other people but I don’t want to be saying the same ol’ crap every year, not doing anything about it and then saying it again the next year…..and the next…..and the next. 

So I still want those things, and I’m not about that gym life but sure,  I wanna improve my health but this year I am also going to focus on the small things ; The day-to-day achievements and those little steps that help us inch towards those bigger goals.

For the most part I am going to be a work-from-home-mum, trying to forge a career out of this blogging malarky and keep myself afloat. I still am doing makeup jobs for sure, but being out of London makes my type of work a little (a LOT) harder (I work in fashion, commercial, celebs, music and it’s kinda all there tbh.) I’m lucky that I’m in this situation, and have a few strings to my bow to work with.

I think we are so accustomed to trying to change and ‘re-launch’ ourselves every year and it ends up being hard to focus on who or what we are. You can end up being a saturated version of your true self or somebody else.

I’m talking more blog and work-wise here. I’m not reinventing myself, I’m just gonna be the same ol’ Laura, playing with makeup and swatches, chatting beauty but obviously touching on a bit of lifestyle and motherhood….because this is my life now! Back to basics, focusing on the topics and the way I write the best….the topics that garner the most interest and interaction. I know what works and what doesn’t so I’m simplifying and just making my life easier.

Being a mum for me can sometimes write off days completely so I just have to roll with it. Margot is not yet in nursery and I don’t have help with her but I can *kind of* fit my work in around her naps and playtime where I can watch and work at the same time. It’s working atm and I’m fortunate. As I said, I want to focus on the small steps and little achievements and getting those day-to-day tick lists done. If I’ve I’ve managed to get myself and Margot up and dressed, cleaned the house and check and replied to e-mails….even if I’m still in my PJ’s and house coat (dressing gown) then that’s ok.

I’m not going to say 2020 is my year, or I’m going to girl boss it and become a huge internet success. I won’t. What I want to do is earn enough income for me, stay honest, stay creative and true to myself.

I want to tap away quietly on my business and growth. I don’t need to sing from the rooftops or be showing up on the discovery page or become viral. I just wanna be my own little success, in my little online space and be honest and unproblematic.

I’m distancing from those I know in the industry who choose to be fraudulent, buy followers, likes and god knows what else. It angers me a lot, I’ve been so vocal about it over the years but what does it achieve except focusing my time and energy into something negative? It won’t stop them, and it will continue to happen. Blogging peers and people I called friends are jumping on the wagon and it just makes me utterly sad and bemused that they choose this dishonest path. I’m done talking about it though.

I had a little Twitter break back in November and it honestly did me the world of good and allowed me to think about what I like about it, what I don’t and how to prevent it from draining me and triggering me. It sounds dramatic but it was somewhere I would log into in the AM, I would read and see things and it would leave me overthinking or feeling things so much. Indirects, arguments, shade and the rest. I’m back on it a little and just remembering it can be a great place to connect, chat, help and see funny memes of Paul Rudd and read @NoContextHearne.

I have a really lovely little online set of blogging and social media friends, and I’m sticking to the positives rather than the negatives in this industry. It can be such a great little place to be and work and I shouldn’t have to keep reminding myself of that.

2020 can come at me slowly and I’m easing into it with my Oatly latte and daily tick-list and that’s enough for me.

Thanks for sticking with me over the years, here’s to health, happiness and simplicity this year.