Aspirations for 2013

Goals, goals, goals.

Aspirations. Plans. Hopes. Dreams. Eek!

Since I missed the boat in setting goals at the beginning of the year, I want get my goals out there before month two begins. As I come down off the Alt Summit high (it’s been a rough-ish week), I’ve tried to maintain a level head in my goal setting. Mostly attainable but items that will require some work and will encourage growth. Trying to be specific, but not too specific because that’s not my style. I like forward movement rather than a deadline. I tried to separate them into blog life and personal life but a few are intertwined so I listed them all together.

DIYs & Recipes

The bread and butter of this whole operation will continue. I will continue to work hard to post content that is creative, inspiring, delicious, fun, challenging, tasty and all together wonderful. Since I am a contributor and do guest posts, you might have to click to visit the post but it will be me just the same.

Talk more real life

I have shied away from talking a lot about my personal life thus far and going forward, it’s going to be much the same. However, there are challenging topics I think a lot of people, especially women and families, deal with and I hope with opening up about them, we can spark a conversation and find unique resolutions.

Build a community

This idea has been at the forefront of my mind for a while. Life is just fine with me on this side of the computer and you on that side but it’s not enough! I am in the process of planning some community building opportunities in the future and really that is all I can say right now. I’m not one of those people who lays their cards out on the table before the game is even announced. Because I am making it up as I go, I am nervous but I know the outcome will be worth it. This is just to say that I have hopes and plans and I am excited at the prospect of meeting people in the flesh. More to come on this!

Continue to make connections in the blogging world

My favorite part about Alt was meeting the actual people who are the bloggers of the blogs I adore the most. And as I’ve said before, I love collaborating with other people. I’m keeping an open heart and mind on future collaboration possibilities. So exciting!

Continue to grow this heart of mine and my brand

This goal is my fuzziest. This blogging gig is something I am making up as I go. I have read and studied and learned so much about this business and after Alt, I feel like I’m doing the right stuff. However, there is no perfect formula for ‘success’ and with that, everyone’s benchmarks are different. For now, I will keep on doing what I do because I find joy it that and the rewards are rewarding.

Time to breathe

This is probably the most challenging one for me.

I am one of those people who will continue to work without ceasing because of my belief in and love for what I’m doing. Because I find joy in my work, I have been known to forgo sleep and use every spare minute to get things done. I am also a woman and a mother which means I frequently tend to the needs and wishes of the others in my house while the items on my list get pushed farther and farther back thus making those late nights necessary. While for the most part, these are good characteristic, there needs to be some balance and it’s something I struggle with on a daily basis. I hope to achieve this goal by the following:

• Set more firm time slots of when I work and when I unplug. And try very hard to stick to it. When it’s work time, work. When it’s not, step away.

• Work at a schedule and plan for the coming weeks/months to make time management easier.

• Enlist the help of others. I don’t have to be in charge of everything. Right MJ? :)

• Continue to make tasks like grocery shopping, meal planning and meal prep a priority because it helps make things run smoother during the week.

• Be selective on what I consent to. I do a good job of this for the most part. It’s just a reminder.

• Cut out the unnecessary but keep some fun. Wasting time is the worst but sometimes, I just don’t want to do anything. So, set aside time for aimless internet surfing. Make time to get lost in a book and ignore real life. It’s not all work and no play. I needs both.

• And make sure I get sleep. I can handle so much more when I am well rested.

Make more special in the every day

The special I mean here isn’t something share-worthy on the blog. It probably wouldn’t even cut it as stories to share with family and close friends. The special I mean is making sure I spend a few moments every day staring into the eyes of my children, holding them close and showering them with kisses. I want to laugh with them and share happiness with them. And most of all, I want to remind them every day, many times a day, how head-over-heels in love with them I am and continue to be. How nothing material is more important than they are. Gotta include MJ too. :)

Have confidence and stay true to myself

I have one of those little voices in my head and it does more damage than any other human can do. Negativity, belittling and anxiety producing. An awful little voice. Just like the Pinterest quote Theodore Roosevelt said ‘Comparison is the thief of joy.’ My path is different. My skills are different. My life is different. My goals are different. I am different. Everyone has their own road. Checking on the greenness of someone else’s ditches takes away from the beauty of my way.

I think that is about it. I am excited to see what 2013 has in store and what I can shake up. It’s going to be great!

Have any resolutions you’d like to share?

Take care.