Tag: year

This is My Year

 

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I’ve had an epic 2015, but 2016 is going to be even better. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my share of ups and downs, but haven’t we all? I will admit that I don’t have the greatest short or long term memory – my therapist attributes it to stuff in my childhood – so I don’t remember a lot that happened last year (ha! last year!). That is a big reason why I write my blog. Many people’s blogs are for a specific niche or brand and mine is all over the place – on purpose. I do try to write about the same topics when applicable, but a lot of the time it’s my own online diary to help me remember things later.

I remember verbally setting some goals with my husband at the beginning of the year. And I wrote some on the blog in July (as accountability). My biggest setback for a lot of these was fear, but let’s see how I did:

  1. Walk around Vulcan – Due to my fear of heights, I had not been able to walk around Vulcan yet – our city’s most iconic landmark and one of the best views in town. I had gone up there, but was unable to get off the elevator for more than 1 second. Earlier this year, I walked around Vulcan and took pictures to prove it!
  2. Flying – I used to LOVE flying back and forth from Wisconsin to Alabama between my parents. And then, in 2006, I had a rough flight and the fear set in. It’s manifested itself ever since and I’ve been deathly afraid of flying. I have done it when absolutely required (for work), but I mostly drive everywhere, including cross country. I told myself this was the year I was getting back on a plane, voluntarily. And I did! Las Vegas was awesome!
  3. Tattoo – I’ve always wanted one and have gone a few times throughout my life to get one, only to chicken out every single time. I turned 40 this year and I was intent on doing it. And I did! I love it so much.
  4. Fitness – While I didn’t shave a lot of the scale this year, I was a lot more active than I have been and I’m happy about that. I did a few 5ks, did a lot of dancing, some swimming and other workouts. I’m thankful for the amazing circle of friends who are of the same mindset that I can workout with any time I like.
  5. Donate my hair – Chopped off eleven inches in May and so very happy I did!

I just realized that 2015 also marked the 10 year anniversary of my blog. WHAT THE WHAT? I had no idea! Time flies when you’re having fun. So kick off 2016, here are some goals:

  1. Blog more – I blogged 50 times in 2015. I plan to double that in 2016. This is #1! 🙂
  2. Step outside my comfort zone more with fashion – I have fabulously fashionable friends. Sadly, that doesn’t rub off by osmosis or anything, so I’m going to make a concentrated effort to wear more than just black and more than just loose fitting everything. I have a beautiful shape and I’m going to show off these curves!
  3. Grow my side business – I’ve had a lot of fun doing social media presentations for a few groups locally. I plan to brand and promote that business to fuel my passion and make some extra money to pay down bills more, along with freelance technical work. So if you need social media or technical help, I’m your gal!
  4. Pay down bills – I have hella bills. I finished Financial Peace University not too long ago and would like to pay down my bills by at least 20% this year.
  5. Fitness – I plan to try even more new things in 2016 with my fitness including barre, kickboxing, and different types of yoga to find the best fit for me. I am also hoping to win a competition that will provide 7 months with a personal trainer for free. Fingers crossed!

What are your goals this year? How did 2015 treat you? I had an amazing year and this one is going to be even better! Cheers to the best year of our lives!

Climbing Everest – How Far I’ve Come (2012) and What Lies Ahead (2013)

“Canon in D” just came on my Pandora radio station. I absolutely love this song and not just because it makes me think of weddings. I love the song for the melody, the crescendos, and the lulls. It is, quite possibly, the most beautiful song I’ve ever heard. I can listen to it over and over, getting lost in thoughts of love and hope. It was fitting that it came on as I was starting this post. I’ve been pretty reflective the past few months and that culminated in a great discussion with my fiance about our futures – together as a couple and for each of us personally. I spent the better part of today in complete silence, not doing much of anything besides staring into space thinking about the past year and my future. I have never been one to list personal highlights of the previous year or goals for the new one, but it feels like the right time to start. Not to toot my own horn, but a few of the things that brought me great joy last year were:

  • Starting Birmingham Dance Walk
  • Joining together with friends to start a very tasty and intellectual Supper Club
  • Supporting, donating to, and volunteering with more charities and non-profits than I ever have before – most of them local to Birmingham
  • Building a remarkable relationship with Daniel Walters
  • Getting my first freelance writing assignment (Artwalk article for Magic City Post)
  • Starting some fitness regimen again, first with G57 Training and Fitness and now with Iron Tribe Fitness
  • Joining See Jane Write – possibly the most exceptional group of women I have ever met.
  • Hearing First Lady Michelle Obama speak in person
  • Completing 2 5Ks – the Color Run and the Race for the Cure
  • Fundraising with free hugs for the Crisis Center of Birmingham at Naked Art – truly one of the best nights of my life
  • Rescuing a pup and finding her a home
  • Developing some of the most meaningful and empowering female friendships I have ever had. We are doing GREAT things in 2013!
  • Learning more about myself this year than any previous year. And it helped me realize my biggest passion along with focusing on the direction I want to take with it.

My friend Jen West recently wrote about a new iOS app called Everest – where you can live your dreams by setting personal goals and then breaking them down into smaller steps to help you achieve them. I downloaded the app today and spent most of the morning thinking about what dreams I have for the years ahead. Here are the dreams I came up with and posted in the app, along with the rough time frame that I set for them. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I have never been one to set goals, but this seems like a great (and fitting) year to start. Here we go (in no particular order):

  1. Volunteer with children. I’ve thought about this a lot the past year, off and on, and I really want to pursue this dream. Children light up my life and I would like to give some of that back if possible. I thought about McWane Science Center, but am leaning more toward Big Brothers & Big Sisters or something akin to that locally. By When: 3 months
  2. Create 365 blog posts. Yup, I’m going to do my BEST to blog every day for a year about something. Fingers crossed on this one! By When: 1 year
  3. Ride a bike again. I know the saying, but I’m telling you – I’m scared to death to get my big ‘ole butt on that tiny seat. My knees aren’t good and I can see me falling right over. But I have to start somewhere..even if it’s going to Cahaba Cycle and baby wheeling it around the show room floor for a few. I would like to get a bike and ride around Birmingham. By When: 6 months
  4. Meditate. I did this for a Chopra Center challenge earlier this year for the first time and loved it. I would like to make it a part of my daily life. When: Ongoing
  5. Work out at least 3 times per week. Enough said! When: Ongoing
  6. Read 1 book per month. By When: 1 year
  7. Run a 5k. I HATE running. Let’s rephrase that..I can’t run. Not for more than about 200 meters currently. I get too winded to keep going without passing out. And I hate it. So, I walked the 5ks that I did this past year. I would like to run one and I know I can do it. It just takes practice. Running practice. Lots of running practice. Ick. Blech. Whatever. By When: 9 months
  8. Lose 100 lbs. I originally had 50 on there, but I changed it to 100. Fifty is more realistic, but let’s go for gold and see what happens. #GetAfterIt By When: 1 year
  9. Get 100 people to participate in Birmingham Dance Walk. We can make this happen, but I will need your help. 🙂 By When: 1 year
  10. Give back to Birmingham; figure out the who, how, and why. I recently talked about starting a non-profit to help the sponsors of Birmingham Dance Walk make tax-deductible contributions while also sharing with other non-profits in the area that need help. I still like that idea and want to do that, but I’ve thought about my original intention some more and realized that a) I am most passionate about Birmingham and all she has to offer and b) I love doing things for other people. So I plan on figuring out exactly how to put those two together and what that means for me…how I can give back to Birmingham, exactly who I can help, and definitively state why I want to help. HOW, WHO, and WHY will be my 3 words for 2013. This will also help with today’s 31 Days to a Better Blog challenge item: Create the blog you want to read. By When: 1 year

There you have it. My 10 goals for 2013. Here goes nothing!

Love yourself.
Find peace inside.
Share happiness.