Y’all knew this was coming! I feel like I’ve been pretty #basic with my posts over the past few weeks but I’m excited to actually be posting content for you guys. I have a lot of things I want to work on with my blog and social media in 2019. Since I’ll officially no longer be a college student I want to make sure what I’m posting is still interesting and relevant to you guys. We’ll talk about that more later but I want to say thank you for sticking with me into a new year!
Last year, I wrote about my goals for 2018 and before I talk about where I want to go and what I want to do in 2019, I figure I should reflect on 2018 first! So here we go:
2018 Goals
1. Read more books — I think I did well with this goal! I kept my 2018 reading goal the same and just strived to hit the goal and surpass it if I could. I was pretty consistent with reading all year and stayed on top of my reading goal until the very end when I kicked my reading into high gear! I finished the year with 27 books which is the most books I’ve ever read in one year (since I’ve been keeping track) so I’d say that’s a super win!
2. Enjoy every second of every day — in order to measure this, I set trackable goals like making sure I’m journaling every day and/or using my 1 second everyday app. I put together my 1 second a day video for 2018 yesterday, and it was so cool to see all those little moments added up into a 4 minute video. I write in my journal every day and have loved looking back at previous entries and appreciating where I was a year ago compared to where I am now.
3. Practice mindfulness — I didn’t really get into meditation/mindfulness this year but maybe 2019 will be the year I can start! I would love to push myself out of my comfort zone and try a yoga class but… one step at a time, shall we?
4. Try a spin class — Wow. I actually feel a little emotional looking back at this goal. I was so scared to try spin at this time last year. I was worried about going by myself and not being able to keep up with the pace of the class, I was worried about so many things that I almost never tried it. I am so, so thankful that I made this goal for myself and went out there and DID IT in 2018. 2018 will always be a big year for me because of this. I am so thankful I found spin!
5. Drink more water — I tracked my water intake on an app for the first half of 2018 but then I started slacking. Hoping to get better at this and at tracking it in 2019!
All in all, I’d say I did pretty well in 2018. I’m changing up my verbiage for 2019. The owner of my spin studio talked to us during the last ride of 2018 about how goals and resolutions have such a negative connotation. She said we should strive to create intentions because they are something we can strive to do every day. I loved that, so here are my 2019 intentions…
2019 Intentions
1. Read [almost] every day — Of course, reading is a huge part of my life. But do I read every day? Nope. I’d love to make reading a solid part of my routine this year. My reading goal is still 25 books but I’m really hoping to exceed that (at least 30… maybe more?!)
2. Read different books — Another reading goal I’m setting for myself is to read more diverse books. Different authors, genres, etc. We’ll see how that goes!
3. Reading journal — also want to journal/write a review of the books I read as soon as I finish. Too often I save writing down my thoughts/feelings about books until I sit down to write my reading recap posts for you guys. And sometimes I have a hard time remembering what the book was even about. Hoping to be better at that this year!
4. Continue to document the little moments of my life — I’m keeping this same goal from last year but hoping to do even better at capturing video for 1SE and taking pictures/journaling.
5. Dig deeper into my relationship with God — Phew. This is a big one. I bought a bible late last year and used it for a little bit but I’ve still felt pretty hesitant to dig deeper into it. I really want to do some good bible walks and journaling sessions and just really read the bible thoroughly. I went to church a lot as a kid and I am definitely a believer, I just have some hesitations about what it means to be a “good” Christian and a lot of it stems from the crazy political climate we live in. So, I’m hoping to read for myself and develop my own thoughts/feelings about the bible this year!
6. Track my water intake more closely — Another similar goal from last year! I want to drink at least TWO 32 oz Hydro Flasks full of water per day. This is in addition to whatever I drink during spin/workout classes and it doesn’t count any other beverages throughout the day. I’m SO BAD at drinking water (although I have gotten significantly better over the past few years).
7. Write more blog posts — I feel like there were a bunch of times last year where I neglected you guys and the blog almost entirely! I want to make sure I’m consistently checking in here every month with either monthly reviews, favorite product posts, etc. Carly posted something the other day about how if all other social media crashes, we would know where to find her: on her blog. And that’s the type of mentality I want to have here. I am so focused on curating a perfect feed on IG and posting consistently there that I am neglecting the one platform I have total control over: my blog! You guys deserve more consistent action from me, too. So my intention is to get better at that this year.
8. Reduce waste — in all areas of my life! I’m thinking financially, environmentally, and in my emotions/relationships. If I find anything new in this area I’ll be sure to share with y’all!
My Mantra for 2019
If you saw my Instagram post from yesterday, I talked about how I was having a really hard time coming up with a “word” for 2019. I was flipping through my Happy Planner sticker books trying to set up my new 2019 planner (more on that later!) and I came across this quote:
“When nothing is sure, everything is possible.”
It really resonated with me because there are a lot of things I’m not 100% sure about going into this year. I’m graduating with my master’s degree, starting a new job, entering a whole new world of responsibilities and I’m both scared & excited. This quote sort of encompasses that uncertainty and hopefulness I’m feeling right now. So I’m going with it!
What intentions do you have for yourself this year? Share them with me in the comments! Do you have a word or mantra for 2019? Let’s hear it!
