Happy New Year! How’s everyone doing? We made it to a new year once again.
The beginning of a new year brings on a lot of mixed emotions. There’s excitement for the hope of a fresh start and positive change. There’s anxiety for the unknown. There’s sadness if you’re leaving something or someone behind. For me, the end of 2018 brought on the death of a very important person in my life. Instead of feeling excited to set goals for myself in 2019, I entered the New Year with reluctance and grief, wondering how I could possibly move on from such a loss. But with death came the reminder to keep moving forward. That’s what she would want me to do, after all.
Social media creates a perception that you have to create goals and resolutions for each new year and that somehow if you don’t, you’re not challenging yourself to become better. In reality, this perception has existed long before social media, but is now magnified. I fell into this trap in the midst of my grief. It’s not until the day I’m writing this that I feel ready to set goals for myself this year. Personal growth is not measurable. It doesn’t have to be designed or “scheduled” before the first day of the year. Forget about what everyone is preaching on your feed and follow your gut instead. You know when you’ve grown and become better in whatever you’re trying to achieve in your own time.
With that being said, I want to share with you my 2019 intentions and personal goals, 13 days after the new year.
Make more sustainable decisions
Taking on the climate change epidemic seems like a daunting task as an individual, but I’m a firm believer that little changes in your daily routine helps the overall problem. This year I want to make a bigger effort to incorporate sustainable practices into my daily routine. Last year I started using canvas tote bags when I remembered at the grocery store, but I want to buy more of them and keep them in the car so I remember every time.
Cutting down on chemicals and unnatural ingredients is another big one for me. I want to introduce better cleaning products into my house or even make homemade solutions. If I can somewhat control what I’m inhaling in my own space, then it’s worth the effort. Along with that is to reuse cleaning bottles. Instead of throwing them out when they’re empty, I want to reuse them with homemade solutions.
I know these examples are only scratching the surface, so if you’re a sustainable practice guru, please educate me in the comments. I’m all ears to every suggestion.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is a new concept that a therapist introduced to me last year. Little did I know that it was something I so desperately was searching for, but didn’t know how to find. Mindfulness is the practice of being aware and in the moment and accepting and acknowledging your feelings, whatever they may be. I struggle with this greatly. I’m always worrying about what I have to do in an hour, the next day, or the next week, and find that it often takes away from the joy of whatever I’m doing in the present. Anxiety is a big part of this, too.
This year I want to live in the moment. I want to acknowledge what’s going on around me, how I feel in what I’m doing, and enjoy the experience in the present. I want to worry less about the immediate or near future. In 2019 I want to enjoy what’s in front of me, not what’s ahead of me.
Say ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ more
I’m a people pleaser. I have a hard time saying no to someone without immense guilt. This year I want to say no more to activities that won’t serve me in a positive way. Obviously, there are favors for your friends or family you should do because you love them. But even those have a threshold. Time is precious and I don’t want to waste it if I don’t have to.
On the opposite spectrum, I want to say yes more to positive experiences. I often say no to social experiences because of my own social insecurities, but putting yourself out there can reap a ton of positive benefits. I want to say yes to meeting more new people, yes to trying new things, and yes to doing more of what makes me uncomfortable, all while staying true to myself.
Grow this blogging thing
When I officially launched this blog in September 2018, I put a lot of pressure on myself and still do. I had high goals for what it could be and where it could go and I don’t want to lose sight of those this year. But there’s an important disclaimer to note that I’ve recently promised myself: if blogging ever doesn’t bring me joy or negatively impacts my relationships or mental health, it’s time to quit.
With that being said, this year I want to take blogging and everything that comes with it seriously. I want to expand my reach and cultivate an authentic audience. I want to finally nail down my image – my photography style, color scheme, language, and everything that surrounds making your own brand. I want to create an equal balance of lifestyle and Louisville content and work with some of my favorite Louisville companies. After all, this city inspires most of what I do. While you’re here, if you wanna work with me send me an email over on my contact page.
Through it all I want to have fun. Let’s kick 2019’s ass.