Despite the snow and freezing temperatures that this month brings, I do love the month of January. The idea of a fresh start is inspiring and despite how great or terrible the last year went, there’s an underlying feeling of starting over with a clean slate and leaving bad habits or mistakes in the past. Some people don’t like the pressure of starting a new year with resolutions or goals, but I’m a big believer in writing them down so that they really resonate with me. For me, another year is another opportunity to keep growing in a positive way. And my 2019 goals will hopefully reflect that this year! So with that, I’m diving into today’s post which is all about my 2019 goals. Some are personal, some are professional, and some are just fun!
I decided to post my 2019 goals for two reasons. First, I feel like writing them down and putting them out into the world holds me more accountable and actually encourages me to follow through with them. And secondly, you guys might have some of the same goals or aspirations that I do this year, so sharing what has and hasn’t worked for me along the way will hopefully encourage you and help you along on your journeys too!
I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish this year and a lot of goals that go along with them, so maybe I’m overextending myself with all of these things, but they are mostly little aspirations that shouldn’t be too hard to follow through on. I’m going to be sharing my progress, thoughts, set backs, tips, and feelings about one of my 2019 goals each month, so I hope you guys will follow along on the journey with me this year!
So, let’s get to it…here’s what I want to accomplish in 2019!
1). Drink More Water – I loathe water. I have tried (unsuccessfully) many times to incorporate the recommended amount into my daily routine and have failed. Every. Time. So this year, I’m making it a priority to get some H2O into this body! Here’s to being a little bit healthier (and hydrated) in 2019!
2). Build Up My Savings Account – I’m not a saver. There, I said it. I have a hard time budgeting and saving for a rainy day or an emergency. Although I am a master at figuring out my finances to make things work (and I’m proud of it), it’s time to grow up a little and have a savings account that I don’t touch unless it’s needed. Time for some financial piece of mind!
3). Cook At Home More Often – I feel like I try to accomplish this one every year and so far, it’s still a work in progress. I do bake a lot, but tend to avoid cooking for myself at home. (Picking food up when you’re single is just easier and quick, right?!) I live alone and hate leftovers, so cooking for one (and not wasting food!), is a little bit of a challenge for me, but I’m looking forward to diving into all of my favorite cookbooks and to start making some from-scratch meals at home! Can’t wait to share some of my fave’s with you guys!
4). Explore My City Like A Tourist – I think, too often, we take where we live for granted. Myself included. This year, I’m going to take out more time to explore the restaurants, sights, hot spots, and good old classics, and do it like a tourist. I’m too comfortable visiting the same places to eat and hang out, so it’s time to expand my tunnel vision in my city!
5). Incorporate More Clean Living Into Everyday Life – Last year, I dove head first into clean skincare and beauty products and I have never looked back. It was a game changer for me and I’m excited to incorporate more clean living into my 2019 goals! I’m planning to share some clean beauty posts on the blog this year, but I’m going to try to clean up my act around the house too. I’m excited to share some new finds and easy ways to incorporate cleaner living into an existing routine with you guys. Plus, I’m planning a full skincare and beauty post about all of the natural, non-toxic, and organic products that I can’t live without!
6). Blog Updates and New 2019 Goals – I’ll be the first to admit that 2018 was a year of inconsistency for the blog. I posted some great projects, recipes, and amazing downloads, but I wasn’t posting consistently and didn’t achieve a lot of the things that I wanted to last year. When it’s just a one person show, working full time, running a blog on the side, and trying to have a social life at the same time can take a serious toll, and burnout is very, very real. This year I’m trying to get more focused and I’m blocking out my time a bit better to help me get a little more consistent with my posting.
2019 is also going to bring some amazing new changes to the blog that I can’t wait for! A shiny brand new site has been in the works for over a year now, and is actually going to see the light of day this year! Along with that comes better search features, a newsletter, videos (!!), recipe cards, and an easy way to shop for my fave products and items featured on the blog and on my social channels! I’m also expanding a little bit of the content on the blog too. I typically focus on things that center around entertaining, but I want to share a bit more than just that. I’m hoping to add some beauty, home, and travel content! But, don’t worry, the free printables, recipes, and party content will still be mixed in there too! 😉
7). More Self Care – This one kind of goes hand in hand with #6 above. Last year, I was burned out. A lot. I’m an overachiever most of the time, and think I can do more than I probably should. And then on days when I was lazy or didn’t feel like doing all of the things I had planned, I felt SUPER guilty about it. So I’m making it one of my 2019 goals to include more self care time into my weekly schedule and I’m going to put less pressure on myself to be ok just letting some things go. I’m planning at least one evening (or weekend day) a week, where I have ZERO plans. No friend meet-ups, no house cleaning or yard projects, no blog work, nadda. Nothing. Just an evening where I can chill out and breathe for a minute without feeling guilty. It’s sad that we have to schedule in self care time these days, but it’s necessary to avoid burn out and keep yourself motivated and rested. I also think that having a day where I can just do nothing will help to keep me going on those other days when I want to cross things off of my to-do list! I forsee a lot of scrunchies, face masks, cozy socks, Netflix, and sweatpants involved on these days and I’m sooooo looking forward to it.
8). Finish Decorating My House – This coming August will mark THREE YEARS since I renovated my house and moved back in. And, yet, I’m still not finished decorating it! Yes, decorating can take time to do. Finding the perfect items for a room or a shelf doesn’t just happen overnight, but this is just getting ridiculous. I think it’s very easy to get comfortable with leaving things the way they are, but it’s time to stop making excuses and just do it. 2019 is going to be the year that I finally get my house done and maybe I can even share a home tour on the blog with you guys too! 😉
9). Get Organized – This one goes hand in hand with #8 above and I know A LOT of you are feeling the same way this month based on your social media posts. January (and the new Marie Kondo show on Netflix) have a funny way of influencing this goal. A lot of my rooms are fairly organized, but I do have a few closets and junk drawers that are taking up space and are full of things that I don’t need to be holding on to. And, then there’s my basement. Dun dun dun…it’s a DISASTER. (And I’m using that word lightly. I don’t even want to share photos, it’s that bad). This year, I’m cleaning it out, getting it organized, and getting rid of everything down there that I don’t need. Which is a lot. This giant organization project weighs on me a lot and I know that as soon as I get it done, I’m going to feel soooo much better. So this year, it’s time to stop avoiding the disaster down the stairs.
10). Read More Books – This one doesn’t need much of an explanation. With my crazy schedule last year, reading wasn’t on my radar and it should have been. Regardless of the types of books I read, I feel smarter and I can noticeably see a difference in my vocabulary when I am consistently reading. You can follow along with me on Good Reads to see what I’m reading and to check out past books that I’ve read. I typically like to read murder mysteries, thrillers, and some science fiction too, so if you have any recommendations, let me know what I need to add to my list!
Ok, there you have it. All ten of my 2019 goals are up and out into the universe, so I have no excuses now 😉 Let me know what you guys are trying to accomplish this year and if we have any of the same goals! And make sure to follow along with me each month as I update you guys on how my 2019 goals are going!
(Strategy worksheet from Planoly)
