Jon got me started on setting goals in the New Year. I used to not really make any resolutions because I never kept at them for more than a few weeks. But thinking of the things I want to do and accomplish in the new year as “goals” instead has helped me to hone in on what I want to achieve. Somehow it makes it feel much more realistic.
I’ve also learned that everyone has a different way of setting up their goals so they feel like they can be accomplished. For Jon, that includes specific numbers (i.e. read 1 book a month or run 200 miles in a year). Since I’m such a perfectionist, I find that setting number goals ends up discouraging me. For example, if I decide to do something three times a week and miss one, I tend to give up completely.
Find below my goals for 2018 in the terms that work for me. I’m definitely planning to do a check-in in a month or two, so I can update you on my progress and reassess where needed. Happy 2018!
BLOG GOALS
- Plan my content ahead of time – I’m usually a notorious planner, but because blogging is so new to me, I’ve tended to fly by the seat of my pants. This year, my goal is to plan my content ahead of time with a content calendar and to use my time wisely in order to keep producing fresh content while juggling a job and a life in Amsterdam
- Monetize my blog – even if that just means getting to do some product reviews. I really enjoy spending my time working on this blog, and would love to make a little something come of it
INSTAGRAM GOALS
- Double my following – of course, it isn’t all about followers, but I love interacting with the Instagram community and I want to share my style, travel and life experiences with more like-minded people
- Further develop my content – I always want to produce the best content for my followers, but sometimes I fall prey to the need to constantly post. This year my goal is to continue developing more and better content in order to consistently post great images for you
STYLE GOAL
- Wear more of what makes me happy – I’ve always loved outrageous fashion (I was a figure skater after all), but beginning in college I felt more pressure to look and dress like other women. This year I aim to wear more of what makes ME happy, without being so concerned about what others think – whether that means a super girly dress or an obnoxious fur coat
PERSONAL GROWTH GOALS
- Read more often – I LOVE reading, but have found myself watching more TV and looking at my phone before bed. I want to get back to reading more consistently, especially since I enjoy it so much
- Practice my French – I took French through high school and college, but have been out of practice since. I took two trips to France in 2017, and while I could understand what people were saying fairly well, I had a hard time articulating much more than, “Un vin rouge, s’il vous plait”
- Become a morning person – this is definitely my most lofty goal for 2018. There is so much that I want to accomplish in my days, but by the time the evening comes around I feel worn out and unable to tackle them. I love the idea of waking up and blogging/meditating/working out/running errands before work. But I also really love my sleep. It’s not going to be an easy thing, but if I want to make a lot of my other goals a reality, I need to start getting up earlier
HEALTH & FITNESS GOALS
- Eat better – I know. This is vague. But I’ve always been a pretty good eater. So I’m defining “better” as fewer carbs, less sugar, more fruits & veggies, with a little room for the occasional splurge (emphasis on occasional)
- Get really fit by summer – again, comes across as vague, but setting a goal like “workout 3x a week,” just doesn’t resonate with me. I want to set a goal to feel really toned and confident in my swimsuit by summer, and I want to have the ability to accomplish this in whatever way works for me. So if one week this means 4 workouts and then next week it means 2 workouts with better diet, so be it
CAREER GOAL
- Find a job – this is an easy one. Unfortunately my time freelancing at 72andsunny has to come to an end, so my goal is to find another job immediately or shortly after this one concludes in February. I’ve never freelanced before, so this is new and uncertain territory for me
TRAVEL GOAL
- Check more places off my list – this is another goal where I don’t want to set a number. I visited 12 countries in 2017, so I don’t want to feel pressured to hit a higher number than that. But I do want to visit many more places on my ever-growing list. I think this is an easily accomplishable goal, considering where we live
RANDOM & EASILY ATTAINABLE GOAL
- Sabre a bottle of champagne – because I’ve never done it and because why not?
