September 2015 Wrap-Up

{ As usual, pinks are links. 😉 }

SO MUCH HAPPENED THIS MONTH!

If you read last month’s wrap up, you’ll know I was hoping for a sane September. No such luck! But I honestly couldn’t be happier. My motivation kicked in massively and I ploughed through a shit-tonne of tasks. Long story short, I’m on FIRE and am currently trying to figure out a way to bottle it and make my millions. 😉

But first things first: let’s look at all the amazing things that happened here on the site.

My money-saving series is in full swing now (expect another instalment soon). I shared two tips that have helped me save a massive amount of money over the past few years. And no, they don’t involve cutting back on things you love, or doing extra work. (Hurray!) They’re just two simple ways to change your thinking so you don’t end up splurging on impulse buys and then having to sell a kidney to pay off your credit card.

Saving you money AND kidneys? You’re welcome!

And speaking of resisting temptation, I also wrote about how to boost your willpower and increase your focus (though, somewhat ironically, it involves cookies). It’s a post I’ve put to good use this month, and I attribute my recent increase in productivity to it, so definitely check that out if you’re ready to get your shit together.

I also hopped back on the KonMari bandwagon after my month off (to see why I took a short hiatus, check my video here). I started small with the linen closet (read the post here and/or watch the video here), but have since also completed one of the categories I was dreading most: the garage. Keep an eye out for that post next week!

KonMari has taught me, amongst other things, that doing/having more isn’t necessarily the best way to go. You need to be surrounding yourself with things that make you happy. Things that will have the biggest positive impact on your life. Being “busy” is no good if you’re not making progress towards your goals. So I wrote about the importance of doing less and, instead, being more.

And then, because I find it so difficult to do or be ANYTHING because of my perfectionist tendencies, I wrote about what to strive for when perfection isn’t an option. Because, let’s face it, it so rarely is.

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Over on YouTube, I shared some thoughts on the KonMari Method now that I’ve reached the midway point, as well as my previously-mentioned progress with the linen closet. I also shared the update to the ‘1 Month Challenge’ I set myself. Head on over there if you want to see whether I succeeded or fell flat on my face. And, finally, I shared a review of the official Bullet Journal notebook from Leuchtturm. If you’re a massive stationery and planner nerd, like I am, you’ll appreciate that one. If not, and you’ve never heard of a Bullet Journal, check out the post I wrote explaining what it is and how it will benefit you.

SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube channel if you’d like to follow my journey as I strive to get my shit together.

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Down on social media street, the Facebook page surpassed 350 ‘likes’, which is pretty incredible! And the YouTube channel is so close to hitting 500 subscribers! And, not to be left behind, the Instagram account surpassed 450 followers. Yowzers!

The Twitter account now has over 300 followers, and the Pinterest account has… *drumroll please*… over 850 followers!

Those stats are a massive increase on last month, so colour me pleased as punch. 😀

And thank you so much for all the kind words about being longlisted in the Irish Blog Awards. The site sadly didn’t make the shortlist but hey, making the longlist was a much bigger achievement than I was expecting so I ain’t complaining. And, seriously, this site would be nothing without YOU, the reader. All the comments and ‘likes’ and shares and all that good stuff are what keep me going and keep me churning out great tips when, sometimes, all I want to do is crawl into bed and pull the duvet over my head. You’re the fuel that keeps this rocket flying. UNICORNS FOR EVERYONE.

So let’s head on over to HowToGYST HQ (AKA home).

If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll know that I’ve had some health issues that have been ongoing for quite some time and, last month, landed me in the emergency room. Well all my tests there came back clear so I was sent for some more earlier this month and, lo and behold, it’s not an ulcer as everyone suspected — I actually have gallstones.

I guess it’s great that the problem has finally been pinpointed (or, at least, the doctors are 90-95% sure that’s what causing the crippling pain I’ve been experiencing) but the downside is that I now have to have my gallbladder removed. So yes, October sees me attending a consultation with a surgeon and, shortly thereafter, I’ll be undergoing keyhole surgery… and feeling very sorry for myself indeed.

AND THAT’S A WRAP on September. I achieved so much this month that I’m glad my wish for a quiet one never came true. And my sudden burst of motivation shows no signs of slowing down yet so I’m hoping to ride this productivity train all the way through October. Wanna join me?