Happy holidays! I hope you all had a safe, fun and most importantly, relaxing holiday. I’ve had lots of time to think about the wonderful things I’ve been able to accomplish in the past year. It’s been a truly wonderful year. I’ve also had time to think about the goals and things I want to accomplish in the upcoming year. I want to do so much! But in some ways, I also want to do less.
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“There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” ― Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
It’s taken me weeks to write this post. I was hoping that by taking a break from the blog and from my “regular” job, I’d be able to answer some questions I’ve been asking myself for an entire year. 2015 was a big ol’ year of questions for me. I asked myself “why” more than I’ve ever asked myself “why” in my entire life. But even after a break, I don’t have any answers. And I suppose it was naive to think that I’d be able to answer life’s questions in a couple of weeks.
Here’s what I do know: I know that for me, 2016 needs to be the year of being brave. I’m not setting any goals or making any resolutions. What I am going to do is focus on one little word: Brave. (Idea shamelessly stolen from the inspiring Ali Edwards.)
I’m going to be 30 this year. (Dear Lord.) And I need to start doing what is right for me instead of what is expected of me. I need to live in the moment and not focus so intently on the future. I need to do the things I’ve dreamed about. I need to be brave.
Here’s hoping 2016 will be a year of answers for me.
Love always,
Melanie
As someone who is goal-oriented it can be hard to remember that the end goal is not always the goal. As people, our final destinations are the same, but our journeys are different. And the journey is what counts.
Let me know how you’re making it count in the comments.
love,
melanie
baby me!
In the past I’ve written goals for my birthday. I’ve set a lot of them: 27 before 27 and 27 before 28, but this year for my birthday, I’m giving myself a break. Sure, I’ve got goals and super big, super secret things I want to and will accomplish this year, but for now I’m practicing the art of leaving things undone.
I’m a seasoned “do-er.” I’m a list-maker. I’m committed and hard-working and fastidious. But I’m also often stressed out and burned out and quite frankly, tired. I don’t want to make even one goal, but if anything, this year, I want to learn how to relax. I want to learn how to relax and still accomplish things. I want to learn how to take a break and I want to learn how to not count my self-worth by my to-dos.
How have you practiced the art of leaving things undone? Let me know in the comments!
love,
melanie
This summer will definitely include beach time!
For the past couple of years, I’ve set birthday goals. I usually set goals according to my age, 27 goals before 28, etc. but this year setting that many goals just seemed overwhelming. And goals should never be overwhelming, they should always be inspiring. Am I right? This year I decided to set just 7 goals for this summer. My goals are mostly fun, but also things that I’ve just been meaning to do for a while. Somethings, like getting my passport, I’ve been meaning to do for years!
Here’s my summer goals:
The summer also brings in a new schedule for me. I work 4 10 hour days during the summer and I have off on Fridays. It’s wonderful to be off on Fridays, but those 10 hour days are crucial! With my commute, it’s almost a 12 hour day, so I practically have to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at work! In the past I’ve spent my Fridays recuperating from the grueling week, but this time I have high hopes to use my Fridays to learn a new skill. We’ll see how it goes. You know I’ll write about it here!
Do you have any hopes, dreams or goals for this summer? I’d love to hear them in the comments!
love,
melanie
I’m obsessed with moleskin planners.
Ya’ll probably know by now that I am obsessed with goal making. Just the process of setting goals makes me feel more productive and ready for… well… life. Making S.M.A.R.T. goals is the best way I’ve found to achieve my goals.
But this year was a bit different. Usually I’m pumped about making goals, but as I thought about what I wanted to achieve in the upcoming year, I got a little overwhelmed. I want so much! But instead of worrying about creating too many goals, I wrote each thing down that popped into my head. Maybe we’ll call them intentions instead of goals. 🙂
Writing down every.single.thing. that I wanted to accomplish was liberating. Brain dumps can be that way sometimes. I’m not going to share my goals here because the majority of them are too personal, but the goals ranged all the way from daily flossing to appreciating the everyday.
What are your goals for 2014? Share them with me in the comments!
love,
melanie
Pic courtesy of andthenwesaved.com
So, did you guys know I’ve been doing a little guest posting on other blogs? No? How would you know? I haven’t told you! Well, I have been doing a little guest posting on AndThenWeSaved, a personal finance blog. My first guest post went live earlier this week. It was a piece on how to save money on textbooks– something I’m totally passionate about. I hate to see students spend their hard-earned beer money on textbooks!
One of my blogging goals is to get out there more, do more guest posting and get my name noticed. I recently read that you aren’t supposed to tell people your goals because it makes you feel more accomplished than you really are. But I call BS! I think people are too secretive about dumb things like goals. Let’s all share our goals, talk about our dreams, plan them out and then carry them out with intention. It’s about empowerment, not secretiveness. It’s about being honest with our struggles and helping others through honesty and love.
What are some of your goals? How can I help you achieve those goals?
with love, intention and honesty,
melanie
As promised, here is my birthday goals list. I was going to rewrite it, but hoping to turn over my “worry less” new leaf, I just scanned it in, straight from my journal. Keep me accountable, ya’ll!
love the (almost) birthday girl,
melanie
Last year, I posted my 26 27 before 27 goals. And it’s almost my birthday, ya’ll. I thought it’d be fun to see how well I did. Admittedly, I lost the original paper these goals were written on, so I haven’t looked at them in a while. Luckily, I saved it here and shared it with you lovely folks! Here’s the update:
26 27 before 27
Tomorrow I’ll share my new birthday goals.
Do you make birthday goals? What do they include?
love,
melanie
I took this picture at midnight on NYE. Fireworks over the Mississippi river.
I’m a little late to the New Year’s game, but it’s never too late to set goals for yourself. Right? In 2013, I’m not resolving, but I’m making S.M.A.R.T. goals to simplify my life and be nicer to myself. I’m not going to share my specific “S.M.A.R.T.” goals because they’re too personal. Sometimes keeping goals a secret is smart too.
I’ve recognized over the past year with the stresses of taking on more responsibilities at work and planning a wedding that I need to be nicer to myself. I can’t beat myself up if the dishes aren’t done or if I never finish the unending laundry pile in my downstairs bathroom. I can’t even beat myself up if my blog posts are sporadic.
I’ve also recognized that I want to live a simpler life– which means owning less stuff and appreciating small things. I feel so lucky to have so much: a new husband, a loving family and a warm place to live. This year, I want to appreciate all I have everyday.
Is anyone else trying similar goals? Let me know in the comments.
love,
melanie