In past years I have made resolutions and failed miserably. For me, the problem was not making goals that I was actually passionate about or wanted to change. The number one thing I’ve learned about success and staying motivated is that you have to have the desire. So… I started changing my resolutions to things that I really wanted to accomplish.
I’ve got to admit, I think I nailed my goals from last year, and that’s even more motivating for me to make 2018 goals. The things I did in 2017 are still top of mind for me so I’ll continue to work on those, too.
To recap quickly:
– Be more forgiving… This is going to be something I constantly work on, but I did a pretty good job of it. I did notice that there is a difference between being forgiving and bringing up, and dealing with significant issues. Probably my biggest takeaway! I kept reminding myself that saying you’re going to pick your battles all the time means you might end up losing the war.
– Maintain fitness? YEP.
– I will always continue to try reading more. I read some amazing books over the course of the year. (10,000 pages and 31 books!) My favorites: When God Winks at You, The Circle, Hidden Figures, Hillbilly Elegy, Presence, Along the Infinite Sea, The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living, and Everything I Never Told You.
– I slept more last year than I think I have in any year since middle school. It makes a huge difference. Having more energy for fewer hours is more productive for me than having less energy for more. Maybe it comes out in the wash, but I know I feel better. I still have guilt now and then, but I have to remind myself that getting enough sleep is not the same as being lazy.
– Remembering names is something I’m still working on. I’d say there’s been no change on this front… but I’m trying!
– I averaged about 7.4 posts/week last year, so I did the eight posts a little less than half the time. I’m okay with that, though, because quality > quantity.
– Elevate photography was an EASY one for me since I hired Carter. It makes my life so, so much easier.
– Saying yes to more events & going to more meetings was something I was hit or miss on. Because of all the travel I did, I would say that the events were more difficult because I just simply wasn’t in town for a lot of them. And once I got my new manager, meetings weren’t super necessary anymore. BUT, I did go to a couple of great events and even set up meetings with brands while I was traveling so I’d still chalk it up as a win.
– While I wouldn’t say I “figured out” Youtube, I did make a lot more videos and crossed the 15k subscriber mark which was my goal for the year! The travel vlog from Georgetown, making cake pops with Meesh, and the dance class I took with the Rockettes were my favorite videos.
(Whoops, that recap was longer than I expected…. probably should have made it its own post!)
2018 Goals
FITNESS
You know the times for Carly have changed when I’m making “fitness” a separate category!
More weights // For the first half of 2017, I was just trying to get the hang of things and get into the habit of working out consistently. When I got back from two weeks on Nantucket in July though, I noticed that I was probably a little too complacent, so I kicked it up a notch mentally. My motto became, “If I’m going to show up, I’m going to show up.” Meaning, if I’m at the gym, I’m not going to half-ass it. Might as well make the most of my hour there and I did! Even within a month after that, I noticed a dramatic difference in my strength and development. I want to continue that trend of pushing myself (while still being safe) so I don’t get complacent.
Running // This is for sure going to be the hardest thing I commit to this year, but I want to get into the habit of running. One of the things I need to do is to add a fourth, and fifth, workout into my week and running is going to be how I do it. I normally avoid running like the plague because I’m terrible at it. Instead of feeling like I need to be a marathoner or elite sprinter, I’m just going to run. At least for the first quarter of the year, I’m just going to be getting miles under my belt, and then I’ll revisit with some actual goals.
Dance class // For fun, I’d like to find a dance class!
PERSONAL
Writing // My big personal goal of the year is to write more. I write a lot on the blog, obviously, and for years I’ve considered that enough. I got the itch last year to do a little more writing. I started journaling (nothing like getting a head start on your resolutions!), and so far, I’ve liked it. Longer post to follow about how I’m going about it. The biggest draw for me is to have a personal recollection of my memories and thoughts. And, at some point in the year, I’d like to start writing a book. To keep the pressure off of me, I’m not going to say it’s something I for sure want to publish… but we’ll see. (Actually scares me a little bit ha!)
Record more videos // I hinted at this yesterday. I want to record more videos for personal use. Not some creative Youtube project, but just for myself/friends/family. I’m not even going to try to do it with anything other than my iPhone. I love rewatching videos and recording phone moments of time, and there’s gotta be a way to be able to do it without feeling invasive or like you’re missing out on living. Video is the most important for me right now, but I’m also looping in casual photos– that I will print!!!!!
Stop saying “I think” // Hello, this is going to be a massive challenge for me. I want to take the “I thinks” out of my vocabulary. I preface so much of what I say with “I think” and, while sometimes it just genuinely works, a lot of times it’s just a crutch and even weakens the point I’m trying to make. Removing (or adding) an “I think” can change the whole sentence. I’ve been trying to stop typing it into my posts, and it’s still sneaking in there now and then.
BUSINESS
Youtube // I’m keeping Youtube on my list again this year. I don’t feel super great about the videos. Not that they’re bad, but I feel like there’s gotta be a better a way to utilize the platform without having to make slime or use clickbait titles. One idea was to do it more podcast or advice style…. still workshopping it and open to your suggestions!
Honest writing // This is something I’ve always strived for and something I just want to keep at the forefront of everything I do really. As social media gets more Facetuned and Photoshopped, I want to make sure I stay as honest and “real” as I can.
