Goals for 2018

So here we are. 2018. Part of me can't even wrap my brain around it. Another part of me is excited for some big changes in the months ahead. I mean, you can make big changes any time of year, but there's often a built-in motivator to a brand new year. That being said, I'm here to share a few of my goals with you! I've decided not to list out a whole bunch of things that I may or may not accomplish, but really be intentional with a set few.

Over the course of 2017, I started transitioning to safer beauty products. With so many friends into oils, chemical-free beauty routines, and no-animal testing makeups... well, it really hasn't been very hard. My biggest thing with "natural" beauty products is that they often don't work very well. You've gotta try to know though, right? The two best things I did for myself last year was try out Beautycounter (thanks, Jess!) and subscribe to the Oui Fresh monthly beauty box. Here are some of my favorite products:



The Beautycounter foundation and moisturizers above are my absolute favorite. (I'm also a Beautycounter consultant now, but please know this isn't a sales pitch. I just really love these products.) The face oil and face mist are also WONDERFUL for these extremely dry months. I found those in my Oui Fresh boxes. I've also started getting into oils, but I don't feel quite educated enough to share my favorites with you yet! I actually just placed my first big order and I can't wait until it gets here!

So what's the goal in all of this? My goal is to continue toward a healthier lifestyle in general. We've signed up for a monthly food subscription to hold me to cooking at least 3 times a week and really examine what I'm putting in my body. Don't get me wrong, there will still be ice cream parties and donut mornings, I just want to counter those with a lot less processed, fatty junk. You guys know I love my chips.



Our second big goal is to BUY THIS HOUSE. So, you may or may not know that we still rent this lovely place we call home, but over the last year I've been working hard to build my credit and we've been saving as much as possible. We really want to be able to call this place OURS. We have some big projects in mind for this home, but those upgrades don't really make any sense when we're pouring our dollars into someone else's property.



My third goal for the year is to travel for recreation more. We travel regionally a lot for The Mixtapes, but I want to make 2018 our year of seeing more and doing more. My milage credit card is definitely going to help out with that one! Our first big trip we have planned for the year is a New Orleans trip with some wonderful friends in April! I've never been before, so I'm completely excited to get a feel for the city. Also, if you guys have any recommendations of favorite places, please share!

Well, those are my big goals for 2018. Hopefully putting them down here helps hold me accountable. They are all things I really want for my life, so I'm sure I'll be working hard to see them come to fruition. Happy 2018, friends!

The Sunshine Motivates Like No Other

These are just a few snapshots from one of the oddly warm days we've been having lately.  I don't know what it is about the sunshine... it makes me feel so happy and motivated.  Don't get me wrong here, I wasn't lying when I professed my love for snowy days.  I think I have a great appreciation for both.

I'm ready to really start knocking some stuff out this year.  I'm keeping a small list by my side of things I'd like to accomplish, but not counting it as a real "resolutions list".  The first thing on my list this week is helping Hope start up a little pottery business.  She got a kiln for Christmas and is interested in making a little money to pitch in toward a family vacation to Disney World.  Have I mentioned that she is a really cool kid?  Oh, yeah... all the time.  ;)

Dress: ModCloth;  Tights: ASOS;  Shoes: ModCloth;  Purse: Bali ELF;  Glasses: BonLook

Goals For The New Year

There's a lot of talk about goals with the new year coming, and like a lot of you, I've been thinking about my goals for 2014 and what I would like to accomplish this year.  This year I only have a few and I'm going to try really hard to stick with them.  I really overwhelmed myself with the goal-making last year, so I'm keeping it simple.

1.  Take 1 family portrait a month.  I believe I have 2 or 3 family pictures from all of 2013, so I'm putting this one first on my list.

2.  Learn to play slide guitar (particularly lap steel).  This is something I've wanted to do forever and I've actually already started, so I'm pretty pumped about this one.

3.  Focus on what I already do, and learn to do it better.  This is a big one for me.  I want to be good at the things I do... really, really good.  And I want to get better every year.

I'm definitely excited for the new year and I hope you are, too.  Do you have any extra special goals you'll be focusing on?  There are definitely lots more things I could put on my "list" but I think this is a really good start.  :)

New Year, New Resolutions

New year's resolutions are kind of the same every year, don't you think?  Most people are totally pumped at the beginning of the year and after a few months the passion is pretty much gone.  Despite this round-and-round, I make myself a good list at the beginning of every new year, not because I always accomplish everything, but because it's good to challenge yourself.  I have some big goals for 2013 and some small ones, but overall I want to make 2013 a year full of things I'm proud of.  I have a pretty long list, but here are my quick 10. 

1.  Write a children's book.  This has been on my mind for years, but I'm hoping to make it a reality this year!
2.  Jot down my day in a journal.  At the end of the year I want a journal full of how I spent my days and little happy things that happened.
3.  Answer emails EVERYDAY.  I've gotten to the point where I'm usually weeks behind on emails all of the time, and it's creating a lot added stress.  I intend to keep up better by answering some emails everyday.
4.  Cut back on the sugar.  This one's for the whole family.  We are sugar fiends, and while I don't want to cut it completely, a little more moderation would be much healthier for us.
5.  Start a daily or weekly project.  I'm totally scared of commitment when it comes to these projects, but I'd really like to have a daily or weekly project under my belt by the end of the year.
6.  More dates.  Johnny and I used to have weekly dates, but once we moved there have been almost no just-the-two-of-us dates.  We love going out with friends, but I want to make date night a priority again.
7.  Total studio organization.  It's time to get truly organized.  I still have half of my sewing stuff packed up in boxes, and it's time to really get things in order.  Who wants to come over and help? ;)
8.  Streamline blog content.  I want 2013 to be my best blogging year yet!
9.  New tshirt design and new Skunkboy products.  I'm all about this kind of stuff.  I'm ready to introduce some new and exciting things!
10.  Take at least 2 vacations.  I don't mean 1-day mini vacations.  Those are fun, but I'm ready to go see different parts of the country and different friends we've been missing!

Okay, so this is my short list, or "quick 10".  I have quite a lot of goals and mini-goals for the new year, but these are the ones that I just quickly jotted down.  If you aren't the type to make a new year's goal list, I challenge you to just write down the first 10 goals that come to you.  You may be surprised what your new year looks like!

Believe That Everything is Possible.

Whether you make "new years resolutions" or not, at some point this year you may find yourself making and completing goals.  I love new year goals... not the difficult/impossible kind, but the kind that make me excited and motivated for the coming months!

Recently, my friend Shana started this little project where she was hand-embroidering some pieces to send out to friends... and then her list started growing... and kept growing... I think she may STILL be working on more pieces to send out.  I received mine on my birthday (along with one of her AMAZING watches, which I am in total love with), and even though I'd seen them on Instagram, it was extra special in person.  "Believe that everything is possible in 2012."  Yes.  Yes!  In our house that will be our theme for this whole year. 

 

Everything IS possible in 2012!  If any time this year I am feeling less than positive, I will repeat this to myself.  It's such a good reminder to look forward and be excited about all life has in store for (all of) us.  

I also wanted to send out a HEARTFELT thank you for all of the birthday wishes!!!  I had an amazing birthday and I'm so grateful to every, single person who sent me a message or comment.  I <3 you!!

xoxo Katie

2012

Well, it's officially 2012.  My brain doesn't actually want to believe it, but that's what my phone says.  We decided to keep it low key this New Year's Eve because I was just getting over an illness and really didn't have the energy to go out.  Hope and I got dressed up, I made fondue, and we drank our drinks out of fancy champagne glasses.  It was a really lovely night and we got so rowdy at midnight that we almost woke the littlest member of our family!

 

I do have a few personal goals for 2012.

**Get healthy.  I know, I know... what a cliche new year's resolution, right?  I don't care about being cliche, though-- I really want to get back into shape. I started back at the gym last week and I'm enjoying it immensely.  That first week back is tough (I was SO SORE), but now I'm pushing through that and I'm starting to feel great again.   

**House.  I want a house.  I don't have to own it.  I would just love to love the house I'm living in.

**Be kind.  I feel like I'm a pretty kind person as it is, but I want to take that to a new level.  I want to be MORE kind, MORE caring, and MORE available personally to the people in my life. 

**Be brave.  2011 was a pretty good year for me.  I pushed myself more than I ever have and took many chances that I would normally hide from.  I really want that for this year as well.  

**Spend more time with my friends.  This is just a fun little goal that I think we could all use a little more of, don't you think?

Tell me, do you have any great goals for 2012?

xoxo Katie

P.S.  The winner for the double giveaway is Manda Jane!  You will be contacted shortly.  :)