Happy New year! I know we’re 12 days in. But in all honesty, its taking me a little while to recover from the holidays. I haven’t felt very motivated and honestly a bit burnt out from last year. I worked a lot during the last half of the last year that when my last project in December was complete, I just shut down work mode and didn’t look back. So anyway, I held off on finalizing my goals and actually putting them down on paper until I was a better spirits. I wanted to ensure my goals this year was coming from a sound mind and a positive spirit outlook in all areas of my life. I took a mini break from the blog and have been very sporadic on social as I was stepping back to really evaluate how I could be more efficient with time, where I wanted to take the blog (my entire business) and how I could live a more balanced life. And really so many more things that run through your thoughts when you have an opportunity to start fresh in the new year. Anyway, after much reflection, I came with some solid goals for the year. All of them apply to my business and personal life, some of them are even repeats from last year. To ensure I make some progress in each area, I also included my actions steps I’m planning to do.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is a not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
- Consistency – I don’t know if I jam pack my schedule or just don’t plan very well, but I suck at being consistent at anything. This is my #1 goal this year – be consistent with a posting schedule of blog/social posts, and be consistent with a fitness regime. My action plan is to wake up early everyday (5:30) and start my day with a little workout, quiet time with God, plan my work day and make a list 5 things I ABSOLUTELY need to get done. And no excuses! I know I am more stressed when my morning is unproductive so I know I need to get as much done before Jax wakes up and the hustle to get everyone ready and out the door begins. I think developing a consistent morning routine will help in all areas of my life and reduce sooo much stress.
“The more you read, the more you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Suess
- Educate myself more – I didn’t do enough reading last year. Any spare time I had was left for family and watching TV when I need to unwind. But I know just as much I need to workout my physical muscles to get stronger, I need to exercise my brain to get smarter. My action plan is to read 1 book a month and listen to podcasts in the car. I’ve been searching for good podcasts on faith and business, so if you guys have suggestions, definitely let me know.
“She could never go back and make some of the details pretty. All she could do was move forward and make the whole beautiful.” -Terri St. Cloud
- Grace, not perfection – This is a good one I have been trying to practice since last year. I get too bogged down with trying to do everything right. I can’t work when the house is messy. I have to vacuum, clear the countertops before I start up my computer. If there is a tiny piece of hair off in my photos or my, I debate for hours in my head if I should post on Instagram (sounds so silly just writing it!). Basically, I get sucked into making everything perfect that it sometimes paralyzes me from taking important and necessary action. I need to realize that nobody really cares about perfection. And I need to give myself enough grace to just let it go, be messy, be real and simplify my time, my life so I can accomplish the good stuff.
“The greatest wealth, is health.”
- Focus on Health – I really put my health on the back burner this year. Basically, too much stress from work, didn’t take enough mental healthy days (just to recharge and relax), not enough endorphins (no consistent workout schedule, also see #1 above) and my body repaid me by getting sick frequently. From Oct-december I was sick 4 times!! That is just crazy. I caught the insane flu that is currently going around right (supposedly the worse strain since the 70s) but life just couldn’t stop during the busiest time of the year, so I just pumped myself full of flu medicine and didn’t skip a beat. I know now because of this, I never fully recovered and I caught every other cold that came around the rest of the year. Everything compounded just took major toll on my health. I was also always tired and it was hard for my mind to stay focused. My action plan here is to do morning workouts 4 times a week (even if its just 30 mins of stretching and walking!) which will help so much with my energy levels and overall health, and take grace days, or days off, on Sundays. I like calling it grace days because its a day I can fully forgive myself with everything – no workouts, no calorie guilt, overflowing inbox….it all can wait until Monday!
“Enjoy the little things in life. Because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”
- Be Present – Also another favorite from…basically every year, is the need to be present. I am always rushing and multitasking, and something I don’t even know I’m doing it. One time I caught myself on a conference call, while editing a photo (on my computer) and while ordering dinner on Postmates. And I’m too embarrassed to mention how many times I’ve done something on my phone while driving. While its efficient sometimes, a lot of times its destructive and unhealthy. I miss the opportunity to enjoy and savor the best things in life. I know I need to invest my time in areas that matter. My action plan – prioritize importance daily. I know sometimes as a mom, focusing on one thing at a time is just not possible, but being more aware of what is truly a priority will help me enjoy and be grateful for both the big and small things in my life.
Outfit Details:
Sequin Skirt | Ruffle Sleeve Sweater | Nude Heels | Chloe Bag
