I had planned on posting this on Monday, but got hit with the plague (sore throat, headache, snuffly nose, and coughing fits ranging from “dainty” to “old hag”).  I’ve been sipping tea and trying my best not to overdose on cough drops, if that’s even a thing, in the hopes to bounce back enough to actually enjoy my day off.

I’m currently snuggled up in a blanket with a White Thyme Basil candle, and sipping on a white peach jasmine cup of tea. I’ve been thinking for a while now about the new year and reflecting on 2017 as it comes to a close. 2017 was a good year for me. I don’t mean that I didn’t have difficult moments, but that all together, the year was pretty wonderful.

I married my best friend in April in a wedding that was beyond beautiful and more than I could have asked for. I traveled, worked as a photographer in West Virginia, read a ton of new books, moved to Upper Peninsula Michigan (about a billion miles from family),  and started a whole new job. Time has really flown. And the blog! The blog has been up and running for a year. It’s something I’m very proud of.

SO! Now it’s 2018 and there’s a whole new year spread out in front of me. Talk about potential! I’ve been working on a list of goals for the past week, being careful not to promise more than I can deliver, but also things that will push me a little. I’ve never liked the phrase “New Years Resolutions” because that sounds like if you fail, then you’re done for. Instead I like “New Years Goals”. It makes room for mistakes and screw ups and failures. And as a human living on planet earth, I can say this with absolute certainty: I make mistakes and screw up and fail. All the time. BUT. I also love and laugh and try again. I give myself room to try again and forgive myself when I forget to do the dishes, or watch Netflix when I should be doing yoga.

So, ringing 2018 in, I bring you my New Years Goals:

Personal Goals

• Do yoga regularly in the mornings. I’ve been doing some in the mornings before work, and I’ve noticed it helps me stay focused and to have a better attitude throughout the day.
• Read at least one book per month. I read 13 books in 2017 and 7 of them were in the summer. I want to consistently be reading, and especially to finish the insanely long book I’ve been reading since July (the whole thing is so long that it’s the equivalent of 26 regular sized novels, but in the end still only counts as one book…)
• Take a food photography class online and practice! I love cooking, and I love sharing my recipes on the blog and with friends. But presentation is important too, and I want to learn how to better frame my photos and how to make things look pretty on a plate.
• Keep my kitchen cleaner. I’m very bad about this. And I don’t like it. ‘Nuff said.
• Stay more organized with a bullet journal. I love lists, but usually I have them on seventy million random scraps of paper. I want to try and keep them all together in one collected place. I already am pretty great about meal planning, so the bullet journal is also another way to keep all the things together.
• Go for more walks (both you and Miracle need the exercise). Poor doggo needs more exercise, and though it’s hard to want to go outside when it’s -8 outside, it’s still healthy to get up and go OUT THERE. Even if it’s only a quick sprint to the mailbox and back.
• Continue sending handwritten letters. This is something I started this summer (read more about it here and here), and kind of let myself stop writing after moving to MI. I really love writing letters and getting letters back. Makes it more personal somehow.
• Get better at flossing consistently. Ugh. I hate flossing. But its something my mother ingrained into my head as important. So yeah.
• Write 2 short stories per month. I used to write short stories all the time, and for some reason let it slip through the cracks.
• Be more aware of outfit choices (AKA don’t be such a frump!) It’s very easy for me to just dress like a slob when I’m at home, and even when going to work (since I’m in a back room and never get seen). ALSO, cold weather is not an excuse not to try.

Blogging Goals

• Blog at least twice a week. I’ve been doing this since November, and I’m not always consistent. Yet I know that I want to post consistently on the blog, so HERE WE GO!
• Plan ahead on blog posts. I can proudly say that this is a continuation of what I’ve already been doing since October. I have a little planner that has all my posts planned out in it, so I can stay up to date, and also have a plan of what I want to write about.
• Review at least one product per month on Hannarchy. I LOVE REVIEWING PRODUCTS. I am a firm believer in promoting products that I believe in. If there’s something I love to death, why not promote it and support the creator/designer/ business that makes my favorite things! Thus my “Friday Favorites” posts. These will feature more and more products I love (check out this post as an example).
• Design at least one new piece of merch per month. I design things for myself all the time, but would love to leave them here on the blog as free downloadable content for my loyal fans!
• Become more engaged in the blogging community. I’ve started interacting with some really cool blogging groups through facebook, including Blogs in Bloom which was created by Emma from The Emma Edit. Staying connected with other bloggers is so cool, and I’ve loved being part of it so far.

Well, that’s what I’ve got. I hope you all will hold me to it, and help me stay focused on the goals I’ve set for myself. Good luck in the new year everyone, and remember when you’re planning your goals for 2018, give yourself time to get into your new habits, and help each other stick to them. Talk to you all soon!