What a year it’s been! As much as everyone else is excited to see the back of 2016, I’m a little upset to wave goodbye to such a happy, memorable year for me.
I sat down and rounded up the best bits of my year – and there have been many…
Top Five Highlights
– I got engaged! Jordan got down on one knee on the very last day of the year, and it was definitely the best moment of December, of 2016, of my life! I’m beyond excited for planning and pinning.
– I also finally managed to travel back to my home country of New Zealand! I haven’t been back here in almost 20 years, so seeing my old home and the village I grew up in has been unreal. I also got to see my lovely grandparents too. It’s been a trip full of nostalgia!
– I formed a few special friendships this year, and I’ve definitely become a lot more confident and social as a whole. I like this busy, fun side to myself!
– I travelled solo to San Francisco, Paris, LA and New York this year – something I didn’t think I could do. It was nerve-wracking at first, but it definitely gave me the space I needed to find myself a little.
– My dream floors happened! This is probably a boring highlight to some, but I finally got the perfect chevron floors I’ve been lusting over most of my adult life. They are flawless.
Work Achievements
– I hit 100,000 subscribers on YouTube! This was a big one for me, as I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with filming and uploading videos. Reaching this milestone made me realise that there are people out there that genuinely enjoy my content, so ever since I’ve made it my mission to be a regular uploader.
– My double-page feature in Stylist magazine! I worked with Renaissance Hotels and Stylist magazine for this awesome double-page feature, and I felt super proud of how it turned out. Definitely a ‘pinch me’ moment in my career!
– Travelled almost once per month. I’ve been a busy, busy bee this year with so many trips lined up. I ended up turning down so many travel opportunities because I had so much on! Here’s to more fun plans in 2017…
– I found my way with branded content. I love, love, love working with brands, and I’m finally at a point where I feel super proud of everything I do when it comes to sponsored activity. It’s a weird one to talk about so candidly, but I definitely owe a lot to you guys for being so awesome with feedback and support.
– I finally uploaded an apartment tour to YouTube! What’s more, within a few hours it was my most viewed video ever! The response was overwhelming and I’m still shocked at how much the views go up every single day. It’s been crazy!
2016 In Numbers
– 770; the number of Instagram uploads I posted
– 7; the number of countries I visited (most of them a few times!)
– 240; the number of blog posts I uploaded in 2016
– 36; the number of ASOS orders I made this year (not as bad as I thought!)
– 8864; the number of comments I received on katelavie.com! (A massive thank you to you guys, you really are all so awesome!)
– 1861; the number of songs I listened to on Spotify this year
A Few Personal Goals
– I (almost) finished the flat! Our apartment has definitely been looking a lot better lately, and my interiors have been taken up a notch. I still have a few things to do, but the big jobs are mostly done, which is a great feeling!
– I felt better in my skin. One of my 2016 goals was to love myself a little better, and I totally nailed it. I worked on my skin issues and was generally good to myself as much as possible – and what a difference it made!
– I purchased a few luxe items. I finally felt like I was in a place to buy myself a few treats this year, and just knowing that I’m able to do that is such an amazing feeling. Yay for being able to support yourself and buy cute bags!
– I lived in the moment. A lot of blogging and vlogging means living life through a viewfinder, but I really felt myself living in the moment this year. I relaxed and stopped stressing about getting the perfect Instagram shot, and I felt a whole lot better for it!
In 2016 I Discovered…
– My love of Manchester Orchestra! Seriously, what a band. I’m completely obsessed.
– How good I feel when I regularly go to the gym. Not just for looking better either, I really do think it does wonders for my mental health too.
– I reignited my love of gin, and now my bar cart is always well stocked!
– My obsession with all things pink! I never had myself down as a girly girl before, but boy do I love the blush tones!
It’s been a seriously good year, and a very fun one to look back on too.
What were your top moments of 2016? I’d love to read through them!
