Happy 2017! I really love doing these year-end posts where I reflect on the past year and make personal and professional goals for the new year. I used to be skeptical of New Year’s resolutions. It felt like setting myself up for failure.
Instead of making a vague goal, like “eat healthier” or “lose x number of pounds,” I make several small goals. Even maintaining an already good behavior counts as a victory in my book.
Last year, I made several goals…
I made the goal to continue to be active, which I dominated. I work out an average of 5-6 days per week. Running makes up the majority of my cardiovascular training. On days I’m not running, I do Blogilates videos on YouTube. Her workouts are so intense. I love that they each focus on one body part and each video is only 5-15 minutes long. My body is stronger and more toned thanks to a combo of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and Pilates.
I continue to take excellent care of my skin. My skincare routine has multiple steps, and I use many products, but the time and investment is worth it. At 31, my skin is healthier and smoother than it ever was in my 20’s. I don’t think many people can say that! I have an arsenal of amazing products that I swear by. I’m working on a post this month to help you make 2017 the year of your best skin too.
As for compartmentalizing social media? Oh man, I definitely failed on this one. With the popularity of Snapchat and the beginning of Instagram Stories, it became harder than ever to power down. I loved connecting with you guys on each of these platforms, but the time I spent on social media increased. The nice thing about Snapchat and Stories is they are very spontaneous and I love using them. What I share on social media and what I keep private is a balance I’m always trying to find. It’s definitely something to work on again this year.
And did I become a better writer? This one I’m not sure about. I’ve continued to pour my heart out here on the blog, but there isn’t really an objective metric. I did start writing a custom message for my weekly newsletter and the list is growing, not shrinking. I guess that says something!
Setting Goals for 2017
Here’s what’s new on the self-improvement front this year:
I want to say ‘hello’ to strangers. A little random, but after a very disappointing election this year I’m feeling raw and a little vulnerable. That moment in the elevator or passing a neighbor becomes less awkward with a simple greeting. It’s a shared connection regardless of what background or experience that person is coming from. Even though it seems small, this is definitely going to push me outside my comfort zone.
In 2017, I want to create a page with all of my favorite photography gear. One of the most common questions I get is what I use for the flatlays on my Instagram account. I’ve gotten a great response to other tutorials like what cheap photography backgrounds to use and how to use hashtags effectively on Instagram.
Another blogging goal is to create an e-book with some of my favorite recipes for a free download. I’ve been wanting to do this for years, but I hope saying it out loud here will keep me accountable! I’m open to suggestions if there is any recipe type or theme that you would love to see!
Last but not least, I want to take more photos with Pat, especially when we travel. We love photographing our travel adventures, but rarely have photos of the two of us. I had so much fun doing our holiday card shoot this year, it’s inspired me to do more! There are couples out there who travel full-time and do such a great job of this. Although this isn’t an option for us, we can take more photos together on our adventures.
And that’s it! I think these are all things I can reasonably carry out this year. Tell me, what goals or resolutions are you setting for 2017?
Thank you so much for reading A Side of Sweet! For more Sweet in your life, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Bloglovin‘, Snapchat (@asideofsweet), or Twitter. You can also subscribe to receive a weekly email with new posts.
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
I love all this!! And your blog! You write beautifully and I love the informative posts you write (and of course the recipes too)!! The post you wrote about editing pictures with A Color Story and the Instagram one you mentioned in this post the were very helpful to me as a new blogger! You are awesome! Xoxo
Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says
Thank you so much! I really want to share more photography and social media posts this year!
suki says
Way to knock it out of the park in 2016! Sounds like you’ve got an awesome year ahead as well. 🙂 I’m planning on blogging more this year. I really slowed down in 2016!
Kelly Egan - A Side of Sweet says
Awesome! Blogging consistently is definitely a lot of work but so rewarding too!